Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of carbon monolith via a soft-template method using resorcinol and formaldehyde as carbon precursor and pluronic F127 as template

A new microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of carbon monolith is reported in this work. The process uses microwave heating at 100 °C under acidic condition by employing a triblock copolymer F127 as the template, and resorcinol–formaldehyde as the carbon precursor. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nitrogen sorption measurements, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray studies and thermogravimetic analysis were used to characterize the synthesized material. The carbon monolith is crack-free, mesoporous and has a high surface area of 697 m²/g. The results demonstrate that the microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis is a fast and simple approach to obtain carbon monoliths, as it reduces effectively the synthesis time from hours to a few minutes which could be an advantage in the large scale production of the material

Superconductivity and Field-Induced Magnetism in Pr2−x_{2-x}Cex_xCuO4_4 Single Crystals

We report muon-spin rotation/relaxation (muSR) measurements on single crystals of the electron-doped high-T_c superconductor Pr$_{2-x}$Ce$_x$CuO$_4$. In zero external magnetic field, superconductivity is found to coexist with Cu spins that are static on the muSR time scale. In an applied field, we observe a Knight shift that is primarily due to the magnetic moment induced on the Pr ions. Below the superconducting transition temperature T_c, an additional source of static magnetic order appears throughout the sample. This finding is consistent with antiferromagnetic ordering of the Cu spins in the presence of vortices. We also find that the temperature dependence of the in-plane magnetic penetration depth in the vortex state resembles that of the hole-doped cuprates at temperatures above ~ 0.2 T_c.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Convertible bond valuation in a jump diffusion setting with stochastic interest rates

This paper proposes an integrated pricing framework for convertible bonds, which comprises firm value evolving as an exponential jump diffusion, correlated stochastic interest rates movements and an efficient numerical pricing scheme. By construction, the proposed stochastic model fits in the framework of affine jump diffusion processes of Duffie et al. [Econometrica, 2000, 68, 1343–1376] with tractable behaviour. We define the firm’s optimal call policy and investigate its impact on the computed convertible bond prices. We illustrate the performance of the numerical scheme and highlight the effects originated by the inclusion of jumps, stochastic interest rates and a non-zero correlation structure between firm value and interest rates

Muon Spin Relaxation and Susceptibility Studies of Pure and Doped Spin 1/2 Kagom\'{e}-like system (Cux_xZn1−x_{1-x})3_{3}V2_{2}O7_7(OH)2_{2} 2H2_2O

Muon spin relaxation ($\mu$SR) and magnetic susceptibility measurements have been performed on the pure and diluted spin 1/2 kagom\'{e} system (Cu$_x$Zn$_{1-x}$)$_{3}$V$_{2}$O$_7$(OH)$_{2}$ 2H$_2$O. In the pure $x=1$ system we found a slowing down of Cu spin fluctuations with decreasing temperature towards $T \sim 1$ K, followed by slow and nearly temperature-independent spin fluctuations persisting down to $T$ = 50 mK, indicative of quantum fluctuations. No indication of static spin freezing was detected in either of the pure ($x$=1.0) or diluted samples. The observed magnitude of fluctuating fields indicates that the slow spin fluctuations represent an intrinsic property of kagom\'e network rather than impurity spins.Comment: 4 pges, 4 color figures, Phys. Rev. Lett. in pres

Parent-reported outcomes in young children with disorders/differences of sex development

Background: There is a paucity of tools that can be used in routine clinical practice to assess the psychosocial impact of Disorders/Differences of Sex Development (DSD) on parents and children. Objective: To evaluate the use of short Parent Self-Report and Parent Proxy-Report questionnaires that can be used in the outpatient setting. Methods: Previously validated DSD-specific and generic items were combined to develop a Parent Self-Report questionnaire and a Parent Proxy-Report questionnaire for children under 7 years. Of 111 children approached at one tertiary paediatric hospital, the parents of 95 children (86%) with DSD or other Endocrine conditions completed these questionnaires. Results: Questionnaires took under 10 min to complete and were found to be easy to understand. Compared to reference, fathers of children with DSD reported less stress associated with Clinic Visits (p = 0.02) and managing their child’s Medication (p = 0.04). However, parents of children with either DSD or other Endocrine conditions reported more symptoms of Depression (p = 0.03). Mothers of children with DSD reported greater Future Concerns in relation to their child’s condition (median SDS − 0.28; range − 2.14, 1.73) than mothers of children with other Endocrine conditions (SDS 1.17; − 2.00, 1.73) (p = 0.02). Similarly, fathers of children with DSD expressed greater Future Concerns (median SDS -1.60; − 4.21, 1.00) than fathers of children with other Endocrine conditions (SDS 0.48; − 2.13, 1.52) (p = 0.04). Conclusion: DSD was associated with greater parental concerns over the child’s future than other Endocrine conditions. Brief parent-report tools in DSD can be routinely used in the outpatient setting to assess and monitor parent and patient needs

Analytical solutions for two heteronuclear atoms in a ring trap

We consider two heteronuclear atoms interacting with a short-range $\delta$ potential and confined in a ring trap. By taking the Bethe-ansatz-type wavefunction and considering the periodic boundary condition properly, we derive analytical solutions for the heteronuclear system. The eigen-energies represented in terms of quasi-momentums can then be determined by solving a set of coupled equations. We present a number of results, which display different features from the case of identical atoms. Our result can be reduced to the well-known Lieb-Liniger solution when two interacting atoms have the same masses.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Clinical and clonal characteristics of monoclonal immunoglobulin M-associated type I cryoglobulinaemia

Monoclonal immunoglobulin M-associated type I cryoglobulinaemia is poorly characterised. We screened 534 patients with monoclonal IgM disorders over a 9-year period and identified 134 patients with IgM type I cryoglobulins. Of these, 76% had Waldenström macroglobulinaemia (WM), 5% had other non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and 19% had IgM monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Clinically relevant IgM-associated disorders (including cold agglutinin disease [CAD], anti-MAG antibodies, amyloidosis and Schnitzler syndrome) coexisted in 31%, more frequently in MGUS versus WM/NHL (72% vs. 22%/29%, p < 0.001). The majority of those with cryoglobulins and coexistent CAD/syndrome had the molecular characteristics of a CAD clone (wild-type MYD88 in 80%). A half of all patients had active manifestations at cryoglobulin detection: vasomotor (22%), cutaneous (16%), peripheral neuropathy (22%) and hyperviscosity (9%). 16/134 required treatment for cryoglobulin-related symptoms alone at a median of 38 days (range: 6–239) from cryoglobulin detection. At a median follow-up of 3 years (range: 0–10), 3-year cryoglobulinaemia-treatment-free survival was 77% (95% CI: 68%–84%). Age was the only predictor of overall survival. Predictors of cryoglobulinaemia-related treatment/death were hyperviscosity (HR: 73.01; 95% CI: 15.62–341.36, p < 0.0001) and cutaneous involvement (HR: 2.95; 95% CI: 1.13–7.71, p = 0.028). Type I IgM cryoglobulinaemia is more prevalent than previously described in IgM gammopathy and should be actively sought

Functional polymorphism in ABCA1 influences age of symptom onset in coronary artery disease patients

ATP-binding-cassette-transporter-A1 (ABCA1) plays a pivotal role in intracellular cholesterol removal, exerting a protective effect against atherosclerosis. ABCA1 gene severe mutations underlie Tangier disease, a rare Mendelian disorder that can lead to premature coronary artery disease (CAD), with age of CAD onset being two decades earlier in mutant homozygotes and one decade earlier in heterozygotes than in mutation non-carriers. It is unknown whether common polymorphisms in ABCA1 could influence age of symptom onset of CAD in the general population. We examined common promoter and non-synonymous coding polymorphisms in relation to age of symptom onset in a group of CAD patients (n = 1164), and also carried out in vitro assays to test effects of the promoter variations on ABCA1 promoter transcriptional activity and effects of the coding variations on ABCA1 function in mediating cellular cholesterol efflux. Age of symptom onset was found to be associated with the promoter − 407G > C polymorphism, being 2.82 years higher in C allele homozygotes than in G allele homozygotes and intermediate in heterozygotes (61.54, 59.79 and 58.72 years, respectively; P = 0.002). In agreement, patients carrying ABCA1 haplotypes containing the −407C allele had higher age of symptom onset. Patients of the G/G or G/C genotype of the −407G > C polymorphism had significant coronary artery stenosis (>75%) at a younger age than those of the C/C genotype (P = 0.003). Reporter gene assays showed that ABCA1 haplotypes bearing the −407C allele had higher promoter activity than haplotypes with the −407G allele. Functional analyses of the coding polymorphisms showed an effect of the V825I substitution on ABCA1 function, with the 825I variant having higher activity in mediating cholesterol efflux than the wild-type (825V). A trend towards higher symptom onset age in 825I allele carriers was observed. The data indicate an influence of common ABCA1 functional polymorphisms on age of symptom onset in CAD patient

Controlling a spillover pathway with the molecular cork effect

Spillover of reactants from one active site to another is important in heterogeneous catalysis and has recently been shown to enhance hydrogen storage in a variety of materials. The spillover of hydrogen is notoriously hard to detect or control. We report herein that the hydrogen spillover pathway on a Pd/Cu alloy can be controlled by reversible adsorption of a spectator molecule. Pd atoms in the Cu surface serve as hydrogen dissociation sites from which H atoms can spillover onto surrounding Cu regions. Selective adsorption of CO at these atomic Pd sites is shown to either prevent the uptake of hydrogen on, or inhibit its desorption from, the surface. In this way, the hydrogen coverage on the whole surface can be controlled by molecular adsorption at a minority site, which we term a ‘molecular cork’ effect. We show that the molecular cork effect is present during a surface catalysed hydrogenation reaction and illustrate how it can be used as a method for controlling uptake and release of hydrogen in a model storage syste