Successive phase transitions and phase diagrams of the quasi-two-dimensional triangular antiferromagnet Rb4Mn(MoO4)3

Comprehensive experimental studies by magnetic, thermal and neutron measurements have clarified that Rb4Mn(MoO4)3 is a model system of a quasi-2D triangular Heisenberg antiferromagnet with an easy-axis anisotropy, exhibiting successive transitions across an intermediate collinear phase. As a rare case for geometrically frustrated magnetism, quantitative agreement between experiment and theory is found for complete, anisotropic phase diagrams as well as magnetic properties.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

fac-Bis(acetonitrile-κN)tricarbonyl­(trifluoro­acetato-κO)rhenium(I)

In the title compound, [Re(CF3COO)(CH3CN)2(CO)3], the Re atom has a distorted octa­hedral configuration. The two acetonitrile mol­ecules and two of the three carbonyl groups occupy the equatorial plane of the complex, with the third carbonyl ligand and the trifluoroacetato ligand in the axial positions. The three carbonyl ligands are arranged in a fac configuration around the Re atom. The CF3 segment of the trifluoroacetato ligand shows rotational disorder and the refined site-occupancy factors of the disordered parts are ca 0.5/0.5. The crystal structure is stabilized by C—H⋯O and C—H⋯F hydrogen bonds

Peripheral photoplethysmography variability analysis of sepsis patients

Sepsis is associated with impairment in autonomic regulatory function. This work investigates the application of heart rate and photoplethysmogram (PPG) waveform variability analysis in differentiating two categories of sepsis, namely systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and severe sepsis. Electrocardiogram-derived heart period (RRi) and PPG waveforms, measured from fingertips (Fin-PPG) and earlobes (Ear-PPG), of Emergency Department sepsis patients (n = 28) with different disease severity, were analysed by spectral technique, and were compared to control subjects (n = 10) in supine and 80° head-up tilted positions. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was applied to adjust for the confounding factor of age. Low-frequency (LF, 0.04-0.15 Hz), mid-frequency (MF, 0.09-0.15 Hz) and high-frequency (HF, 0.15-0.60 Hz) powers were computed. The normalised MF power in Ear-PPG (MFnu Ear) was significantly reduced in severe sepsis patients with hyperlactataemia (lactate > 2 mmol/l), compared to SIRS patients (P 0.05), suggesting that there may be a link between 0.1 Hz ear blood flow oscillation and tissue metabolic changes in sepsis, in addition to autonomic factors. The study highlighted the value of PPG spectral analysis in the non-invasive assessment of peripheral vascular regulation in sepsis patients, with potential implications in monitoring the progression of sepsis

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Targeted nasal vaccination provides antibody-independent protection against Staphylococcus aureus.

Despite showing promise in preclinical models, anti-Staphylococcus aureus vaccines have failed in clinical trials. To date, approaches have focused on neutralizing/opsonizing antibodies; however, vaccines exclusively inducing cellular immunity have not been studied to formally test whether a cellular-only response can protect against infection. We demonstrate that nasal vaccination with targeted nanoparticles loaded with Staphylococcus aureus antigen protects against acute systemic S. aureus infection in the absence of any antigen-specific antibodies. These findings can help inform future developments in staphylococcal vaccine development and studies into the requirements for protective immunity against S. aureus

Discovering prescription patterns in pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome patients

OBJECTIVE: Pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) is a complex neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by an abrupt onset of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and/or severe eating restrictions, along with at least two concomitant debilitating cognitive, behavioral, or neurological symptoms. A wide range of pharmacological interventions along with behavioral and environmental modifications, and psychotherapies have been adopted to treat symptoms and underlying etiologies. Our goal was to develop a data-driven approach to identify treatment patterns in this cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cohort study, we extracted medical prescription histories from electronic health records. We developed a modified dynamic programming approach to perform global alignment of those medication histories. Our approach is unique since it considers time gaps in prescription patterns as part of the similarity strategy. RESULTS: This study included 43 consecutive new-onset pre-pubertal patients who had at least 3 clinic visits. Our algorithm identified six clusters with distinct medication usage history which may represent clinician\u27s practice of treating PANS of different severities and etiologies i.e., two most severe groups requiring high dose intravenous steroids; two arthritic or inflammatory groups requiring prolonged nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID); and two mild relapsing/remitting group treated with a short course of NSAID. The psychometric scores as outcomes in each cluster generally improved within the first two years. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our algorithm shows potential to improve our knowledge of treatment patterns in the PANS cohort, while helping clinicians understand how patients respond to a combination of drugs

Targeted Nasal Vaccination Provides Antibody-Independent Protection Against Staphylococcus aureus

Despite showing promise in preclinical models, anti-Staphylococcus aureus vaccines have failed in clinical trials. To date, approaches have focused on neutralizing/opsonizing antibodies; however, vaccines exclusively inducing cellular immunity have not been studied to formally test whether a cellular-only response can protect against infection. We demonstrate that nasal vaccination with targeted nanoparticles loaded with Staphylococcus aureus antigen protects against acute systemic S. aureus infection in the absence of any antigen-specific antibodies. These findings can help inform future developments in staphylococcal vaccine development and studies into the requirements for protective immunity against S. aureu

HDAC6 Regulates Glucocorticoid Receptor Signaling in Serotonin Pathways with Critical Impact on Stress Resilience

Genetic variations in certain components of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) chaperone complex have been associated with the development of stress-related affective disorders and individual variability in therapeutic responses to antidepressants. Mechanisms that link GR chaperoning and stress susceptibility are not well understood. Here, we show that the effects of glucocorticoid hormones on socioaffective behaviors are critically regulated via reversible acetylation of Hsp90, a key component of the GR chaperone complex. We provide pharmacological and genetic evidence indicating that the cytoplasmic lysine deacetylase HDAC6 controls Hsp90 acetylation in the brain, and thereby modulates Hsp90–GR protein–protein interactions, as well as hormone- and stress-induced GR translocation, with a critical impact on GR downstream signaling and behavior. Pet1-Cre-driven deletion of HDAC6 in serotonin neurons, the densest HDAC6-expressing cell group in the mouse brain, dramatically reduced acute anxiogenic effects of the glucocorticoid hormone corticosterone in the open-field, elevated plus maze, and social interaction tests. Serotonin-selective depletion of HDAC6 also blocked the expression of social avoidance in mice exposed to chronic social defeat and concurrently prevented the electrophysiological and morphological changes induced, in serotonin neurons, by this murine model of traumatic stress. Together, these results identify HDAC6 inhibition as a potential new strategy for proresilience and antidepressant interventions through regulation of the Hsp90–GR heterocomplex and focal prevention of GR signaling in serotonin pathways. Our data thus uncover an alternate mechanism by which pan-HDAC inhibitors may regulate stress-related behaviors independently of their action on histones

From scalar to string confinement

We outline a connection between scalar quark confinement, a phenomenologically successful concept heretofore lacking fundamental justification, and QCD. Although scalar confinement does not follow from QCD, there is an interesting and close relationship between them. We develop a simple model intermediate between scalar confinement and the QCD string for illustrative purposes. Finally, we find the bound state masses of scalar, time-component vector, and string confinement analytically through semi-classical quantization.Comment: ReVTeX, 9 pages, 5 figure

The effects of corporate social performance on the cost of corporate debt and credit ratings

This study investigates the differential impact that various dimensions of corporate social performance have on the pricing of corporate debt as well as the assessment of the credit quality of specific bond issues. The empirical analysis, based on an extensive longitudinal data set, suggests that overall, good performance is rewarded and corporate social transgressions are penalized through lower and higher corporate bond yield spreads, respectively. Similar conclusions can be drawn when focusing on either the bond rating assigned to a specific debt issue or the probability of it being considered to be an asset of speculative grade