Temperature as an external field for colloid-polymer mixtures : "quenching" by heating and "melting" by cooling

We investigate the response to temperature of a well-known colloid-polymer mixture. At room temperature, the critical value of the second virial coefficient of the effective interaction for the Asakura-Oosawa model predicts the onset of gelation with remarkable accuracy. Upon cooling the system, the effective attractions between colloids induced by polymer depletion are reduced, because the polymer radius of gyration is decreases as the theta-temperature is approached. Paradoxically, this raises the effective temperature, leading to "melting" of colloidal gels. We find the Asakura-Oosawa model of effective colloid interactions with a simple description of the polymer temperature response provides a quantitative description of the fluid-gel transition. Further we present evidence for enhancement of crystallisation rates near the metastable critical point.Comment: 13 page

Genome-wide screening for DNA variants associated with reading and language traits

This research was funded by: Max Planck Society, the University of St Andrews - Grant Number: 018696, US National Institutes of Health - Grant Number: P50 HD027802, Wellcome Trust - Grant Number: 090532/Z/09/Z, and Medical Research Council Hub Grant Grant Number: G0900747 91070Reading and language abilities are heritable traits that are likely to share some genetic influences with each other. To identify pleiotropic genetic variants affecting these traits, we first performed a genome‐wide association scan (GWAS) meta‐analysis using three richly characterized datasets comprising individuals with histories of reading or language problems, and their siblings. GWAS was performed in a total of 1862 participants using the first principal component computed from several quantitative measures of reading‐ and language‐related abilities, both before and after adjustment for performance IQ. We identified novel suggestive associations at the SNPs rs59197085 and rs5995177 (uncorrected P ≈ 10–7 for each SNP), located respectively at the CCDC136/FLNC and RBFOX2 genes. Each of these SNPs then showed evidence for effects across multiple reading and language traits in univariate association testing against the individual traits. FLNC encodes a structural protein involved in cytoskeleton remodelling, while RBFOX2 is an important regulator of alternative splicing in neurons. The CCDC136/FLNC locus showed association with a comparable reading/language measure in an independent sample of 6434 participants from the general population, although involving distinct alleles of the associated SNP. Our datasets will form an important part of on‐going international efforts to identify genes contributing to reading and language skills.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy

The development and assessment of a scale to measure the experience of an anorexic voice in anorexia nervosa

The anorexic voice (AV) is defined as a critical internal dialogue which has been implicated in the development and maintenance of anorexia nervosa (AN). Systematic research to explore this further requires a valid and reliable measurement tool. This study aimed to develop and assess the validity of the Experience of an Anorexic VoicE Questionnaire (EAVE-Q). EAVE-Q items were developed and checked for face and content validity through cognitive interviews with seven individuals diagnosed with AN. Participants with a diagnosis of AN (N = 148) completed the EAVE-Q, sociodemographic questions and measures of mood and quality of life to assess internal consistency and construct 3 validity. Forty-nine participants completed the EAVE-Q twice more to assess test-retest reliability. The EAVE-Q had good face and content validity and good acceptability. Principal axis factoring resulted in an 18-item scale organised into five domains with high internal consistency (α = .70 to α = .85). Domains correlated significantly with eating disorder symptoms, psychological distress and quality of life. The EAVE-Q did not discriminate between participants on the basis of body mass index. Test-retest reliability was moderate. Although the factor structure of the EAVE-Q requires replication in other AN samples, the EAVE-Q is the first measure of a critical internal dialogue in AN. It is hoped that it will aid future research to increase understanding of AN and the continued development of person-centred treatments

The osteology of ‘Periptychus carinidens’: a robust, ungulate-like placental mammal (Mammalia: Periptychidae) from the Paleocene of North America

Periptychus is the archetypal genus of Periptychidae, a clade of prolific Paleocene 'condylarth' mammals from North America that were among the first placental mammals to radiate after the end-Cretaceous extinction, remarkable for their distinctive dental anatomy. A comprehensive understanding of the anatomy of Periptychus has been hindered by a lack of cranial and postcranial material and only cursory description of existing material. We comprehensively describe the cranial, dental and postcranial anatomy of Periptychus carinidens based on new fossil material from the early Paleocene (Torrejonian) of New Mexico, USA. The cranial anatomy of Periptychus is broadly concurrent with the inferred plesiomorphic eutherian condition, albeit more robust in overall construction. The rostrum is moderately elongate with no constriction, the facial region is broad, and the braincase is small with a well-exposed mastoid on the posterolateral corner and tall sagittal and nuchal crests. The dentition of Periptychus is characterized by strongly crenulated enamel, enlarged upper and lower premolars with a tall centralised paracone/protoconid. The postcranial skeleton of Periptychus is that of a robust, medium-sized (~20 Kg) stout-limbed animal that was incipiently mediportal and adopted a plantigrade stance. The structure of the fore- and hindlimb of Periptychus corresponds to that of a typically terrestrial mammal, while morphological features of the forelimb such as the low tubercles of the humerus, long and prominent deltopectoral crest, pronounced medial epicondyle, and hemispherical capitulum indicate some scansorial and/or fossorial ability. Most striking is the strongly dorsoplantarly compressed astragalus of Periptychus, which in combination with the distal crus and calcaneal morphology indicates a moderately mobile cruropedal joint. The anatomy of Periptychus is unique and lacks any extant analogue; it combines a basic early placental body plan with numerous unique specializations in its dental, cranial and postcranial anatomy that exemplify the ability of mammals to adapt and evolve following catastrophic environmental upheaval

Convergent genetic linkage and associations to language, speech and reading measures in families of probands with Specific Language Impairment

We analyzed genetic linkage and association of measures of language, speech and reading phenotypes to candidate regions in a single set of families ascertained for SLI. Sib-pair and family-based analyses were carried out for candidate gene loci for Reading Disability (RD) on chromosomes 1p36, 3p12-q13, 6p22, and 15q21, and the speech-language candidate region on 7q31 in a sample of 322 participants ascertained for Specific Language Impairment (SLI). Replication or suggestive replication of linkage was obtained in all of these regions, but the evidence suggests that the genetic influences may not be identical for the three domains. In particular, linkage analysis replicated the influence of genes on chromosome 6p for all three domains, but association analysis indicated that only one of the candidate genes for reading disability, KIAA0319, had a strong effect on language phenotypes. The findings are consistent with a multiple gene model of the comorbidity between language impairments and reading disability and have implications for neurocognitive developmental models and maturational processes

First-principles quantum transport modeling of spin-transfer and spin-orbit torques in magnetic multilayers

We review a unified approach for computing: (i) spin-transfer torque in magnetic trilayers like spin-valves and magnetic tunnel junction, where injected charge current flows perpendicularly to interfaces; and (ii) spin-orbit torque in magnetic bilayers of the type ferromagnet/spin-orbit-coupled-material, where injected charge current flows parallel to the interface. Our approach requires to construct the torque operator for a given Hamiltonian of the device and the steady-state nonequilibrium density matrix, where the latter is expressed in terms of the nonequilibrium Green's functions and split into three contributions. Tracing these contributions with the torque operator automatically yields field-like and damping-like components of spin-transfer torque or spin-orbit torque vector, which is particularly advantageous for spin-orbit torque where the direction of these components depends on the unknown-in-advance orientation of the current-driven nonequilibrium spin density in the presence of spin-orbit coupling. We provide illustrative examples by computing spin-transfer torque in a one-dimensional toy model of a magnetic tunnel junction and realistic Co/Cu/Co spin-valve, both of which are described by first-principles Hamiltonians obtained from noncollinear density functional theory calculations; as well as spin-orbit torque in a ferromagnetic layer described by a tight-binding Hamiltonian which includes spin-orbit proximity effect within ferromagnetic monolayers assumed to be generated by the adjacent monolayer transition metal dichalcogenide.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures, PDFLaTeX; prepared for Springer Handbook of Materials Modeling, Volume 2 Applications: Current and Emerging Material

Use of SMS texts for facilitating access to online alcohol interventions: a feasibility study

A41 Use of SMS texts for facilitating access to online alcohol interventions: a feasibility study In: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2017, 12(Suppl 1): A4

Global wealth disparities drive adherence to COVID-safe pathways in head and neck cancer surgery

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Meta-analyses identify DNA methylation associated with kidney function and damage

Chronic kidney disease is a major public health burden. Elevated urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio is a measure of kidney damage, and used to diagnose and stage chronic kidney disease. To extend the knowledge on regulatory mechanisms related to kidney function and disease, we conducted a blood-based epigenome-wide association study for estimated glomerular filtration rate (n = 33,605) and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (n = 15,068) and detected 69 and seven CpG sites where DNA methylation was associated with the respective trait. The majority of these findings showed directionally consistent associations with the respective clinical outcomes chronic kidney disease and moderately increased albuminuria. Associations of DNA methylation with kidney function, such as CpGs at JAZF1, PELI1 and CHD2 were validated in kidney tissue. Methylation at PHRF1, LDB2, CSRNP1 and IRF5 indicated causal effects on kidney function. Enrichment analyses revealed pathways related to hemostasis and blood cell migration for estimated glomerular filtration rate, and immune cell activation and response for urinary albumin-to-creatinineratio-associated CpGs