Ultracold Atoms as a Target: Absolute Scattering Cross-Section Measurements

We report on a new experimental platform for the measurement of absolute scattering cross-sections. The target atoms are trapped in an optical dipole trap and are exposed to an incident particle beam. The exponential decay of the atom number directly yields the absolute total scattering cross-section. The technique can be applied to any atomic or molecular species that can be prepared in an optical dipole trap and provides a large variety of possible scattering scenarios

Quantum Phases of Cold Polar Molecules in 2D Optical Lattices

We discuss the quantum phases of hard-core bosons on a two-dimensional square lattice interacting via repulsive dipole-dipole interactions, as realizable with polar molecules trapped in optical lattices. In the limit of small tunneling, we find evidence for a devil's staircase, where solid phases appear at all rational fillings of the underlying lattice. For finite tunneling, we establish the existence of extended regions of parameters where the groundstate is a supersolid, obtained by doping the solids either with particles or vacancies. Here the solid-superfluid quantum melting transition consists of two consecutive second-order transitions, with a supersolid as the intermediate phase. The effects of finite temperature and confining potentials relevant to experiments are discussed.Comment: replaced with published versio

Ukupna taložna tvar na području Primorsko-goranske županije u razdoblju 1975.-2008.

Dustfall measurements in Primorsko-goranska county started in 1975 in the Bakar Bay (Site 2 - Bakar and Site 3 - Kraljevica). The measurements were extended to the city of Rijeka (Site 1 - Rijeka) in 1982, to the nearby islands (Site 4 - Krk and Site 5 - Cres) in 1986, and inland to Gorski Kotar (Site 6 - Delnice and Site 7 - Lividraga) in 1995. This article brings the results of dustfall measurements from 1975 to 2008. Dustfall was low in the city, the nearby islands, and Gorski Kotar. Recommended and limit values were occasionally exceeded in the Bakar Bay due to emissions from the coke plant and harbour at Site 2 (1979-1997) and from the shipyard at Site 3. Lead content in the dustfall was below the national limits, save for two occasions at Site 2. Deposition of sulphur and nitrogen at the inland sites were below the respective critical load values.Ispitivanja ukupne taložne tvari u Primorsko-goranskoj županiji započela su 1975. godine na području Bakarskog zaljeva. Mjerenja su se 1982. god proširila na grad Rijeku, 1986. na otoke Krk i Cres, a 1995. i na područje Gorskog kotara. U radu su prikazani rezultati mjerenja ukupne taložne tvari u razdoblju 1975.-2008. na sedam odabranih postaja: u gradu Rijeci, dvije na području Bakarskog zaljeva (Bakar i Kraljevica), dvije na otocima (Krk i Cres) te dvije u Gorskom kotaru (Delnice i Lividraga). Analizirano je kretanje prosječnih godišnjih vrijednosti ukupno istaloženih tvari te u njima prisutnih količina sagorivog pepela, sulfata, nitrata, amonija i olova. Na području grada Rijeke, otoka Krka i Cresa te Gorskog kotara količina ukupne taložne tvari je niska. Količine ukupne taložne tvari povremeno su prelazile preporučenu graničnu vrijednost u Bakru (1979.-1994.), zbog emisija iz koksare i iz luke za rasuti teret te u Kraljevici, gdje se osamdesetih godina osjećao utjecaj koksare u Bakru, a od sredine devedesetih pojačani rad u brodogradilištu. Količine olova u taložnoj tvari su niske na svim postajama, osim povremenih skokova u Bakru, kada su prijeđene preporučene vrijednosti. Količine istaloženog sumpora i dušika na području Gorskog kotara ispod su odgovarajućih vrijednosti kritičnog opterećenja za ispitivana područja

Remarks on the Spectral Properties of Tight Binding and Kronig-Penney Models with Substitution Sequences

We comment on some recent investigations on the electronic properties of models associated to the Thue-Morse chain and point out that their conclusions are in contradiction with rigorously proven theorems and indicate some of the sources of these misinterpretations. We briefly review and explain the current status of mathematical results in this field and discuss some conjectures and open problems.Comment: 15,CPT-94/P.3003,tex,

Metabolic characterization of a rare genetic variation within APOC3 and its lipoprotein lipase-independent effects

Background— Plasma triglyceride levels have been implicated in atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Apolipoprotein C-III (APOC3) plays a key role in the hydrolysis of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins to remnant particles by lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and their uptake by the liver. A rare variant in APOC3(rs138326449) has been associated with triglyceride, very low–density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein levels, as well as risk of coronary heart disease. We aimed to characterize the impact of this locus across a broad set of mainly lipids-focused metabolic measures. Methods and Results— A high-throughput serum nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics platform was used to quantify 225 metabolic measures in 13 285 participants from 2 European population cohorts. We analyzed the effect of the APOC3 variant on the metabolic measures and used the common LPL(rs12678919) polymorphism to test for LPL-independent effects. Eighty-one metabolic measures showed evidence of association with APOC3(rs138326449). In addition to previously reported triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein associations, the variant was also associated with very low–density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein composition measures, other cholesterol measures, and fatty acids. Comparison of the APOC3 and LPL associations revealed that APOC3 association results for medium and very large very low–density lipoprotein composition are unlikely to be solely predictable by the action of APOC3 through LPL. Conclusions— We characterized the effects of the rare APOC3(rs138326449) loss of function mutation in lipoprotein metabolism, as well as the effects of LPL(rs12678919). Our results improve our understanding of the role of APOC3 in triglyceride metabolism, its LPL independent action, and the complex and correlated nature of human metabolites.The UK Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trus

Reproduction in Heteroteuthis dispar (Rüppell, 1844) (Mollusca: Cephalopoda): a sepiolid reproductive adaptation to an oceanic lifestyle

Small cephalopods of the genus Heteroteuthis are the most pelagic members in the family Sepiolidae. This study examines the reproductive biology of Heteroteuthis dispar (Rüppell, 1844), the first such study on any member of the genus, based on 46 specimens (27 females and 19 males) collected during the Mar-Eco cruise in the North Atlantic in the region of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in 2004, and compares it with reproductive features in the less pelagic members of the family. The unusually large spermatophores of the males have a very small ejaculatory apparatus and cement body, relative to the size of the sperm mass. Females first mate when they are still maturing: a large sperm mass (up to 3.4% of the female body mass), consisting of one to several spermatangia, was found in an internal seminal receptacle of the majority of the females examined regardless of their maturity state. The seminal receptacle has a unique form and position in this species. The receptacle is a thin-walled sac at the posterior end of the visceral mass that is an outpocketing of, and opens into, the visceropericardial coelom. Spermatangia and sperm from the spermatangia apparently enter into the visceropericardial coelom (which is mostly occupied by the ovary) from the seminal receptacle indicating that ova are fertilised internally, a strategy unknown for decapodiform cephalopods (squid and cuttlefish), but present in most octopods. Fecundity of Heteroteuthis dispar (1,100–1,300 oocytes) is much higher than in other sepiolids whereas the egg size (mean max. length ∼1.6 mm) is the smallest within the family. Spawning is continuous (sensu Rocha et al. in Biol Rev 76:291–304, 2001). These and other reproductive traits are discussed as being adaptations to an oceanic lifestyle

TiViPE Simulation of a Cortical Crossing Cell Model

Abstract. Many cells in cat and monkey visual cortex (area V1 and area 17) respond to gratings and bar patterns of different orientation between center and surround [18]. It has been shown that these cells respond on average 3.3 times stronger to a crossing pattern than to a single bar [16]. In this paper a computational model for a group of neurons that respond solely to crossing patterns is proposed, and has been implemented in visual programming environment TiViPE [10]. Simulations show that the operator responds very accurately to crossing patterns that have an angular difference between 2 bars of 40 degrees or more, the operator responds appropriately to bar widths that are bound by 50 to 200 percent of the preferred bar width and is insensitive to non-uniform illumination conditions, which appear to be consistent with the experimental results.

Healthy obesity and risk of accelerated functional decline and disability

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Some obese adults have a normal metabolic profile and are considered 'healthy', but whether they experience faster ageing than healthy normal-weight adults is unknown. We compared decline in physical function, worsening of bodily pain, and likelihood of future mobility limitation and disability between these groups. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This was a population-based observational study using repeated measures over 2 decades (Whitehall II cohort data). Normal-weight (body mass index (BMI) 18.5-24.9 kg/m(2)), overweight (25.0-29.9 kg/m(2)), and obese (⩾30.0 kg/m(2)) adults were considered metabolically healthy if they had 0 or 1 of 5 risk factors (hypertension, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high triacylglycerol, high blood glucose, and insulin resistance) in 1991/94. Decline in physical function and worsening of bodily pain based on change in Short Form Health Survey items using 8 repeated measures over 18.8 years (1991/94-2012/13) was compared between metabolic-BMI groups using linear mixed models. Odds of mobility limitation based on objective walking speed (slowest tertile) and of disability based on limitations in ⩾1 of 6 basic activities of daily living, each using 3 repeated measures over 8.3 years (2002/04-2012/13), were compared using logistic mixed models. RESULTS: In multivariable-adjusted mixed models on up to 6635 adults (initial mean age 50 years; 70% male), healthy normal-weight adults experienced a decline in physical function of -3.68 (95% CI=-4.19, -3.16) score units per decade; healthy obese adults showed an additional -3.48 (-4.88, -2.08) units decline. Healthy normal-weight adults experienced a -0.49 (-0.12, 1.11) score unit worsening of bodily pain per decade; healthy obese adults had an additional -2.23 (-0.69, -3.78) units worsening. Healthy obesity versus healthy normal-weight conferred 3.39 (2.29, 5.02) times higher odds of mobility limitation and 3.75 (1.94, 7.24) times higher odds of disability. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that obesity, even if metabolically healthy, accelerates age-related declines in functional ability and poses a threat to independence in older age.International Journal of Obesity accepted article preview online, 21 February 2017. doi:10.1038/ijo.2017.51

Dietary Protein Intake and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in Europe: The EPIC-INTERACT Case-Cohort Study

OBJECTIVEThe long-term association between dietary protein and type 2 diabetes incidence is uncertain. We aimed to investigate the association between total, animal, and plant protein intake and the incidence of type 2 diabetes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSThe prospective European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-InterAct case-cohort study consists of 12,403 incident type 2 diabetes cases and a stratified subcohort of 16,154 individuals from eight European countries, with an average follow-up time of 12.0 years. Pooled country-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CI of prentice-weighted Cox regression analyses were used to estimate type 2 diabetes incidence according to protein intake.RESULTSAfter adjustment for important diabetes risk factors and dietary factors, the incidence of type 2 diabetes was higher in those with high intake of total protein (per 10 g: HR 1.06 [95% CI 1.02-1.09], Ptrend 30 kg/m(2) (per 10 g animal protein: 1.19 [1.09-1.32]), and nonsignificant in men. Plant protein intake was not associated with type 2 diabetes (per 10 g: 1.04 [0.93-1.16], Ptrend = 0.098).CONCLUSIONSHigh total and animal protein intake was associated with a modest elevated risk of type 2 diabetes in a large cohort of European adults. In view of the rapidly increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes, limiting iso-energetic diets high in dietary proteins, particularly from animal sources, should be considered

Angiogenesis Markers Quantification in Breast Cancer and Their Correlation with Clinicopathological Prognostic Variables

Tumoural angiogenesis is essential for the growth and spread of breast cancer cells. Therefore the aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of angiogenesis markers in tumours and there reflecting levels in serum of breast cancer patients. Angiogenin, Ang2, fibroblast growth factor basic, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), platelet-derived growth factor-BB, and VEGF-A were measured using a FASTQuant angiogenic growth factor multiplex protein assay. We observed that breast cancer tumours exhibited high levels of PDGF-BB, bFGF and VEGF, and extremely high levels of TIMP-1 and Ang-2, whereas in serum we found significantly higher levels of Ang-2, PDGF-BB, bFGF, ICAM-1 and VEGF in patients with breast cancer compared to the benign breast diseases patients. Moreover, some of these angiogenesis markers evaluated in tumour and serum of breast cancer patients exhibited association with standard clinical parameters, ER status as well as MVD of tumours. Angiogenesis markers play important roles in tumour growth, invasion and metastasis. Our results suggest that analysis of angiogenesis markers in tumour and serum of breast cancer patients using multiplex protein assay can improve diagnosis and prognosis in this diseases