Application of a mode-locked fiber laser for highly time resolved broadband absorption spectroscopy and laser-assisted breakdown on micro-plasmas

Cataloged from PDF version of article.Absorption spectroscopy is known to be a powerful tool to gain spatially and temporally resolved information on excited and reactive species in a plasma discharge. Furthermore, the interaction of the discharge with short intense laser pulses can trigger the ignition and the transition into other transient states of the plasma. In this context laser-assisted 'pump-probe' experiments involving simultaneously generated supercontinuum radiation yield highly temporally resolved and spatially well-defined information on the transient phenomena. In this paper we demonstrate the possibility for 'pump-probe' experiments by initiating breakdown on a picosecond time scale ('pump') with a high-power beam and measuring the broadband absorption with the simultaneously provided supercontinuum ('probe'). Since both pulses are generated from the same mode-locked master oscillator, they have a strong level of synchronization

Compulsory admissions of patients with mental disorders : State of the art on ethical and legislative aspects in 40 European countries

Copyright: This record is sourced from MEDLINE/PubMed, a database of the U.S. National Library of MedicineBACKGROUND.: Compulsory admission procedures of patients with mental disorders vary between countries in Europe. The Ethics Committee of the European Psychiatric Association (EPA) launched a survey on involuntary admission procedures of patients with mental disorders in 40 countries to gather information from all National Psychiatric Associations that are members of the EPA to develop recommendations for improving involuntary admission processes and promote voluntary care. METHODS.: The survey focused on legislation of involuntary admissions and key actors involved in the admission procedure as well as most common reasons for involuntary admissions. RESULTS.: We analyzed the survey categorical data in themes, which highlight that both medical and legal actors are involved in involuntary admission procedures. CONCLUSIONS.: We conclude that legal reasons for compulsory admission should be reworded in order to remove stigmatization of the patient, that raising awareness about involuntary admission procedures and patient rights with both patients and family advocacy groups is paramount, that communication about procedures should be widely available in lay-language for the general population, and that training sessions and guidance should be available for legal and medical practitioners. Finally, people working in the field need to be constantly aware about the ethical challenges surrounding compulsory admissions.Peer reviewe

Compulsory admissions of patients with mental disorders : State of the art on ethical and legislative aspects in 40 European countries

Background. Compulsory admission procedures of patients with mental disorders vary between countries in Europe. The Ethics Committee of the European Psychiatric Association (EPA) launched a survey on involuntary admission procedures of patients with mental disorders in 40 countries to gather information from all National Psychiatric Associations that are members of the EPA to develop recommendations for improving involuntary admission processes and promote voluntary care. Methods. The survey focused on legislation of involuntary admissions and key actors involved in the admission procedure as well as most common reasons for involuntary admissions. Results. We analyzed the survey categorical data in themes, which highlight that both medical and legal actors are involved in involuntary admission procedures. Conclusions. We conclude that legal reasons for compulsory admission should be reworded in order to remove stigmatization of the patient, that raising awareness about involuntary admission procedures and patient rights with both patients and family advocacy groups is paramount, that communication about procedures should be widely available in lay-language for the general population, and that training sessions and guidance should be available for legal and medical practitioners. Finally, people working in the field need to be constantly aware about the ethical challenges surrounding compulsory admissions.Peer reviewe

The Phrenic Component of Acute Schizophrenia – A Name and Its Physiological Reality

Decreased heart rate variability (HRV) was shown for unmedicated patients with schizophrenia and their first-degree relatives, implying genetic associations. This is known to be an important risk factor for increased cardiac mortality in other diseases. The interaction of cardio-respiratory function and respiratory physiology has never been investigated in the disease although it might be closely related to the pattern of autonomic dysfunction. We hypothesized that increased breathing rates and reduced cardio-respiratory coupling in patients with acute schizophrenia would be associated with low vagal function. We assessed variability of breathing rates and depth, HRV and cardio-respiratory coupling in patients, their first-degree relatives and controls at rest. Control subjects were investigated a second time by means of a stress task to identify stress-related changes of cardio-respiratory function. A total of 73 subjects were investigated, consisting of 23 unmedicated patients, 20 healthy, first-degree relatives and 30 control subjects matched for age, gender, smoking and physical fitness. The LifeShirt®, a multi-function ambulatory device, was used for data recording (30 minutes). Patients breathe significantly faster (p<.001) and shallower (p<.001) than controls most pronouncedly during exhalation. Patients' breathing is characterized by a significantly increased amount of middle- (p<.001), high- (p<.001), and very high frequency fluctuations (p<.001). These measures correlated positively with positive symptoms as assessed by the PANSS scale (e.g., middle frequency: r = 521; p<.01). Cardio-respiratory coupling was reduced in patients only, while HRV was decreased in patients and healthy relatives in comparison to controls. Respiratory alterations might reflect arousal in acutely ill patients, which is supported by comparable physiological changes in healthy subjects during stress. Future research needs to further investigate these findings with respect to their physiological consequences for patients. These results are invaluable for researchers studying changes of biological signals prone to the influence of breathing rate and rhythm (e.g., functional imaging)

Comparative Study on the Removal of Various Phenoxyalkanoic Acid Herbicides from Aqueous Solutions on Polycaprolactone and Activated Carbon

WOS: 000299135300005The removal of various phenoxyalkanoic acid herbicides as single solutes (2,4-D; 2,4-DP; 2,4-DB; 2,4,5-T; MCPA) from aqueous solutions were studied by using biodegradable poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL). A comparative study was achieved by using powdered and granular activated carbon as an adsorbent in a batch system. The equilibrium was studied at 25, 35, and 45 degrees C. The results were correlated by using Freundlich Langmuir, Temkin, Redlich-Peterson, and Sips equations. To determine the best fit isotherm, three error analysis methods were used to evaluate the data: correlation coefficient (R-2), residual root-mean-square error, and normalized deviation (Delta Q). The results show that all the isotherm models provide an appropriate fitting to the experimental data for the adsorption onto PCL. Adsorption of the studied herbicides onto granular activated carbon, powdered activated carbon, and poly(e-caprolactone) decreased in the order of 2,4-DB > 2,4,5-T > 2,4-DP > 2,4-D > MCPA. The thermodynamic parameters (Delta G degrees, Delta H degrees, Delta S degrees) for the adsorption process were calculated, and the results suggest that the nature of adsorption is endothermic and the process is spontaneous and favorable. Overall the results show that biodegradable poly(e-caprolactone) is a promising alternative adsorbent to be used in water treatment. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0000452. (C) 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.Institute for Technical Chemistry, Section for Water and Geotechnology Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe; TUBITAKTurkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK); EBILTEMEge University; Ege University Research CenterEge UniversityThe writers wish to express their thanks to Professor Dr. W. H. Holl and the Institute for Technical Chemistry, Section for Water and Geotechnology Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, for their support, which enabled this work. This project was supported by TUBITAK, EBILTEM, and Ege University Research Center

Downregulated MicroRNA-200a in Meningiomas Promotes Tumor Growth by Reducing E-Cadherin and Activating the Wnt/-Catenin Signaling Pathway

Meningiomas, one of the most common human brain tumors, are derived from arachnoidal cells associated with brain meninges, are usually benign, and are frequently associated with neurofibromatosis type 2. Here, we define a typical human meningioma microRNA (miRNA) profile and characterize the effects of one downregulated miRNA, miR-200a, on tumor growth. Elevated levels of miR-200a inhibited meningioma cell growth in culture and in a tumor model in vivo. Upregulation of miR-200a decreased the expression of transcription factors ZEB1 and SIP1, with consequent increased expression of E-cadherin, an adhesion protein associated with cell differentiation. Downregulation of miR-200a in meningiomas and arachnoidal cells resulted in increased expression of -catenin and cyclin D1 involved in cell proliferation. miR-200a was found to directly target -catenin mRNA, thereby inhibiting its translation and blocking Wnt/-catenin signaling, which is frequently involved in cancer. A direct correlation was found between the downregulation of miR-200a and the upregulation of -catenin in human meningioma samples. Thus, miR-200a appears to act as a multifunctional tumor suppressor miRNA in meningiomas through effects on the E-cadherin and Wnt/-catenin signaling pathways. This reveals a previously unrecognized signaling cascade involved in meningioma tumor development and highlights a novel molecular interaction between miR-200a and Wnt signaling, thereby providing insights into novel therapies for meningiomas