The Hydration Structure at Yttria-Stabilized Cubic Zirconia (110)-Water Interface with Sub-Angstrom Resolution

The interfacial hydration structure of yttria-stabilized cubic zirconia (110) surface in contact with water was determined with ~0.5 Å resolution by high-resolution X-ray reflectivity measurement. The terminal layer shows a reduced electron density compared to the following substrate lattice layers, which indicates there are additional defects generated by metal depletion as well as intrinsic oxygen vacancies, both of which are apparently filled by water species. Above this top surface layer, two additional adsorbed layers are observed forming a characteristic interfacial hydration structure. The first adsorbed layer shows abnormally high density as pure water and likely includes metal species, whereas the second layer consists of pure water. The observed interfacial hydration structure seems responsible for local equilibration of the defective surface in water and eventually regulating the long-term degradation processes. The multitude of water interactions with the zirconia surface results in the complex but highly ordered interfacial structure constituting the reaction front.ope

An overview of the current status of CMB observations

In this paper we briefly review the current status of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) observations, summarising the latest results obtained from CMB experiments, both in intensity and polarization, and the constraints imposed on the cosmological parameters. We also present a summary of current and future CMB experiments, with a special focus on the quest for the CMB B-mode polarization.Comment: Latest CMB results have been included. References added. To appear in "Highlights of Spanish Astrophysics V", Proceedings of the VIII Scientific Meeting of the Spanish Astronomical Society (SEA) held in Santander, 7-11 July, 200

Synthesis and Spectral Studies of CdTe–Dendrimer Conjugates

In order to couple high cellular uptake and target specificity of dendrimer molecule with excellent optical properties of semiconductor nanoparticles, the interaction of cysteine-capped CdTe quantum dots with dendrimer was investigated through spectroscopic techniques. NH2-terminated dendrimer molecule quenched the photoluminescence of CdTe quantum dots. The binding constants and binding capacity were calculated, and the nature of binding was found to be noncovalent. Significant decrease in luminescence intensity of CdTe quantum dots owing to noncovalent binding with dendrimer limits further utilization of these nanoassemblies. Hence, an attempt is made, for the first time, to synthesize stable, highly luminescent, covalently linked CdTe–Dendrimer conjugate in aqueous medium using glutaric dialdehyde (G) linker. Conjugate has been characterized through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. In this strategy, photoluminescence quantum efficiency of CdTe quantum dots with narrow emission bandwidths remained unaffected after formation of the conjugate

A Risk Score to Predict Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in an Elderly Spanish Mediterranean Population at High Cardiovascular Risk

Abstract Introduction: To develop and test a diabetes risk score to predict incident diabetes in an elderly Spanish Mediterranean population at high cardiovascular risk. Materials and Methods: A diabetes risk score was derived from a subset of 1381 nondiabetic individuals from three centres of the PREDIMED study (derivation sample). Multivariate Cox regression model ß-coefficients were used to weigh each risk factor. PREDIMED-personal Score included body-mass-index, smoking status, family history of type 2 diabetes, alcohol consumption and hypertension as categorical variables; PREDIMED-clinical Score included also high blood glucose. We tested the predictive capability of these scores in the DE-PLAN-CAT cohort (validation sample). The discrimination of Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC), German Diabetes Risk Score (GDRS) and our scores was assessed with the area under curve (AUC). Results: The PREDIMED-clinical Score varied from 0 to 14 points. In the subset of the PREDIMED study, 155 individuals developed diabetes during the 4.75-years follow-up. The PREDIMED-clinical score at a cutoff of $6 had sensitivity of 72.2%, and specificity of 72.5%, whereas AUC was 0.78. The AUC of the PREDIMED-clinical Score was 0.66 in the validation sample (sensitivity = 85.4%; specificity = 26.6%), and was significantly higher than the FINDRISC and the GDRS in both the derivation and validation samples. Discussion: We identified classical risk factors for diabetes and developed the PREDIMED-clinical Score to determine those individuals at high risk of developing diabetes in elderly individuals at high cardiovascular risk. The predictive capability of the PREDIMED-clinical Score was significantly higher than the FINDRISC and GDRS, and also used fewer items in the questionnaire

A comunicação da suspensão de cirurgias pediátricas: sentimentos dos familiares envolvidos no processo

A hospitalização é uma experiência complexa, sendo agravada no caso de necessidade de intervenção cirúrgica, principalmente quando o paciente é criança. Quando a cirurgia é suspensa, paciente e seus familiares podem apresentar sentimentos de insegurança, angústia e ansiedade. Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar e descrever a percepção de quinze mães e/ou responsáveis por crianças de 0 a 18 anos, internadas em um hospital, após receberem a notícia de que a cirurgia de seu filho foi suspensa. É um estudo descritivo, qualitativo, que utilizou o referencial teórico da Comunicação Interpessoal e o metodológico da Análise de Conteúdo. Os resultados evidenciaram que as suspensões de cirurgias pediátricas são fatos presentes na instituição, que trazem repercussões ao paciente e familiares, e à organização institucional; que a comunicação entre profissionais da saúde, pacientes e familiares é inadequada; que a atuação do enfermeiro na notícia da suspensão da cirurgia precisa ser efetiva.La hospitalización es una experiencia compleja, agravada en el caso de ser necesaria una intervención quirúrgica, en particular cuando el enfermo es un niño. Cuando la cirugía es suspendida, el enfermo y sus familiares pueden manifestar sentimientos de inseguridad, angustia y ansiedad. Este estudio tuve como objetivo identificar e describir la percepción de quince madres y/o responsables por niños con edades entre 0 y 18 años internados en un hospital después de recibir la noticia de que la cirugía de su hijo fue suspendida. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo cualitativo que utilizó el referencial teórico de la Comunicación Interpersonal y la metodología del Análisis de Contenido. Los resultados evidenciaron que las suspensiones de cirugías pediátricas son hechos presentes en la institución, que traen repercusiones al enfermo y familiares y en la propia organización institucional, que la comunicación entre profesionales de la salud, enfermos y familiares es inadecuada y que la actuación del enfermero en la noticia de la suspensión de la cirugía debe ser necesariamente efectiva.Hospitalization is a complex experience; this can be made worse if surgical intervention is required, especially when the patient is a child. When surgery is suspended, patient and family can experience feelings of insecurity, distress, and anxiety. The objective of this study was to identify and describe the perceptions of fifteen mothers or guardians of children between 0 and 18 years old admitted in a teaching hospital, after receiving news that surgery for their child was suspended. This was a descriptive qualitative study which used Interpersonal Communication as theoretical reference and Analysis of Content as the methodology. Results showed that suspension of pediatric surgery in our institution causes repercussions to patients, their families, and institution organisation; that communication between health team professionals, patients and families is inadequate; and that the nurses' participation in informing surgery suspension must be effective

Bird-spiders (Arachnida, Mygalomorphae) as perceived by the inhabitants of the village of Pedra Branca, Bahia State, Brazil

This paper deals with the conceptions, knowledge and attitudes of the inhabitants of the county of Pedra Branca, Bahia State, on mygalomorph spiders locally known as 'caranguejeiras' (bird-spiders). It is launched here a new filed within ethnozoology: ethnoarachnology, which is defined as the transdisciplinary study of the relationships between human beings and bird-spiders. Data were collected from February to June 2005 by means of open-ended interviews carried out with 30 individuals, which ages ranged from 13 to 86 years old. It was recorded some traditional knowledge regarding the following items: taxonomy, biology, habitat, ecology, seasonality, and behavior. Results show that bird-spiders are classified as "insects". The most commented aspect of the interaction between bird-spiders and inhabitants of Pedra Branca is related to their dangerousness, since they said these spiders are very venomous and can cause health problems. In general, the traditional zoological knowledge of Pedra Branca's inhabitants concerning these spiders is coherent with the academic knowledge

Common genetic variants of the ion channel transient receptor potential membrane melastatin 6 and 7 (TRPM6 and TRPM7), magnesium intake, and risk of type 2 diabetes in women

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ion channel transient receptor potential membrane melastatin 6 and 7 (TRPM6 and TRPM7) play a central role in magnesium homeostasis, which is critical for maintaining glucose and insulin metabolism. However, it is unclear whether common genetic variation in <it>TRPM6 </it>and <it>TRPM7 </it>contributes to risk of type 2 diabetes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a nested case-control study in the Women's Health Study. During a median of 10 years of follow-up, 359 incident diabetes cases were diagnosed and matched by age and ethnicity with 359 controls. We analyzed 20 haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in <it>TRPM6 </it>and 5 common SNPs in <it>TRPM7 </it>for their association with diabetes risk.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Overall, there was no robust and significant association between any single SNP and diabetes risk. Neither was there any evidence of association between common <it>TRPM6 </it>and <it>TRPM7 </it>haplotypes and diabetes risk. Our haplotype analyses suggested a significant risk of type 2 diabetes among carriers of both the rare alleles from two non-synomous SNPs in <it>TRPM6 </it>(Val1393Ile in exon 26 [rs3750425] and Lys1584Glu in exon 27 [rs2274924]) when their magnesium intake was lower than 250 mg per day. Compared with non-carriers, women who were carriers of the haplotype 1393Ile-1584Glu had an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (OR, 4.92, 95% CI, 1.05–23.0) only when they had low magnesium intake (<250 mg/day).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results provide suggestive evidence that two common non-synonymous <it>TRPM6 </it>coding region variants, Ile1393Val and Lys1584Glu polymorphisms, might confer susceptibility to type 2 diabetes in women with low magnesium intake. Further replication in large-scale studies is warranted.</p