Effect of short range order on electronic and magnetic properties of disordered Co based alloys

We here study electronic structure and magnetic properties of disordered CoPd and CoPt alloys using Augmented Space Recursion technique coupled with the tight-binding linearized muffin tin orbital (TB-LMTO) method. Effect of short range ordering present in disordered phase of alloys on electronic and magnetic properties has been discussed. We present results for magnetic moments, Curie temperatures and electronic band energies with varying degrees of short range order for different concentrations of Co and try to understand and compare the magnetic properties and ordering phenomena in these systems.Comment: 15 pages,17 postscript figures,uses own style file

PEG Branched Polymer for Functionalization of Nanomaterials with Ultralong Blood Circulation

Nanomaterials have been actively pursued for biological and medical applications in recent years. Here, we report the synthesis of several new poly(ethylene glycol) grafted branched-polymers for functionalization of various nanomaterials including carbon nanotubes, gold nanoparticles (NP) and gold nanorods (NRs), affording high aqueous solubility and stability for these materials. We synthesize different surfactant polymers based upon poly-(g-glutamic acid) (gPGA) and poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene) (PMHC18). We use the abundant free carboxylic acid groups of gPGA for attaching lipophilic species such as pyrene or phospholipid, which bind to nanomaterials via robust physisorption. Additionally, the remaining carboxylic acids on gPGA or the amine-reactive anhydrides of PMHC18 are then PEGylated, providing extended hydrophilic groups, affording polymeric amphiphiles. We show that single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), Au NPs and NRs functionalized by the polymers exhibit high stability in aqueous solutions at different pHs, at elevated temperatures and in serum. Morever, the polymer-coated SWNTs exhibit remarkably long blood circulation (t1/2 22.1 h) upon intravenous injection into mice, far exceeding the previous record of 5.4 h. The ultra-long blood circulation time suggests greatly delayed clearance of nanomaterials by the reticuloendothelial system (RES) of mice, a highly desired property for in vivo applications of nanomaterials, including imaging and drug delivery

Quasi-stationary regime of a branching random walk in presence of an absorbing wall

A branching random walk in presence of an absorbing wall moving at a constant velocity $v$ undergoes a phase transition as the velocity $v$ of the wall varies. Below the critical velocity $v_c$, the population has a non-zero survival probability and when the population survives its size grows exponentially. We investigate the histories of the population conditioned on having a single survivor at some final time $T$. We study the quasi-stationary regime for $v<v_c$ when $T$ is large. To do so, one can construct a modified stochastic process which is equivalent to the original process conditioned on having a single survivor at final time $T$. We then use this construction to show that the properties of the quasi-stationary regime are universal when $v\to v_c$. We also solve exactly a simple version of the problem, the exponential model, for which the study of the quasi-stationary regime can be reduced to the analysis of a single one-dimensional map.Comment: 2 figures, minor corrections, one reference adde

Paleoseismic History of the Dead Sea Fault Zone

International audienceThe aim of this entry is to describe the DSF as a transform plate boundary pointing out the rate of activedeformation, fault segmentation, and geometrical complexities as a control of earthquake ruptures. Thedistribution of large historical earthquakes from a revisited seismicity catalogue using detailedmacroseismic maps allows the correlation between the location of past earthquakes and fault segments.The recent results of paleoearthquake investigations (paleoseismic and archeoseismic) with a recurrenceinterval of large events and long-term slip rate are presented and discussed along with the identification ofseismic gaps along the fault. Finally, the implications for the seismic hazard assessment are also discussed

Integrins as therapeutic targets: lessons and opportunities.

The integrins are a large family of cell adhesion molecules that are essential for the regulation of cell growth and function. The identification of key roles for integrins in a diverse range of diseases, including cancer, infection, thrombosis and autoimmune disorders, has revealed their substantial potential as therapeutic targets. However, so far, pharmacological inhibitors for only three integrins have received marketing approval. This article discusses the structure and function of integrins, their roles in disease and the chequered history of the approved integrin antagonists. Recent advances in the understanding of integrin function, ligand interaction and signalling pathways suggest novel strategies for inhibiting integrin function that could help harness their full potential as therapeutic targets

Towards precision medicine:What are the stratification hypotheses to identify homogeneous inflammatory subgroups

Diverse lines of research testify a link, presumably causal, between immune dysregulation and the development, course and clinical outcome of psychiatric disorders. However, there is a large heterogeneity among the patients? individual immune profile and this heterogeneity prevents the development of precise diagnostic tools and the identification of therapeutic targets. The aim of this review was to delineate possible subgroups of patients on the basis of clinical dimensions, investigating whether they could lead to particular immune signatures and tailored treatments. We discuss six clinical entry points; genetic liability to immune dysregula-tion, childhood maltreatment, metabolic syndrome, cognitive dysfunction, negative symptoms and treatment resistance. We describe the associated immune signature and outline the effects of anti-inflammatory drugs so far. Finally, we discuss advantages of this approach, challenges and future research directions. (c) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The statistical analysis of a clinical trial when a protocol amendment changed the inclusion criteria

Abstract Background Sometimes, protocol amendments that change the inclusion and exclusion criteria are required in clinical trials. Then, the patient populations before and after the amendment may differ. Methods We propose to perform separate statistical tests for the different phases, i.e. for the patients recruited before and after the amendment, and to combine the tests using Fisher's combination test. After a significant combination test a multiple testing procedure can be applied to identify the phase(s) to which a proof of efficacy refers. We assume that the amendment(s) are not based on any type of unblinded data. The proposed method is investigated within a simulation study. Results The proposed combination approach is superior to the 'naïve' strategy to ignore the differences between the phases and pooling the data to perform just one statistical test. This superiority disappears when there are hardly any differences between the two phases. Conclusion When one or more protocol amendments change the inclusion and exclusion criteria, one should realize that the populations may differ. In this case, separate tests for the different phases together with a combination test are a powerful method that can be applied in a variety of settings. The (first) amendment should specify the combination test to be applied in order to combine the different phases.</p