410 research outputs found
Single-particle spectral function for the classical one-component plasma
The spectral function for an electron one-component plasma is calculated
self-consistently using the GW0 approximation for the single-particle
self-energy. In this way, correlation effects which go beyond the mean-field
description of the plasma are contained, i.e. the collisional damping of
single-particle states, the dynamical screening of the interaction and the
appearance of collective plasma modes. Secondly, a novel non-perturbative
analytic solution for the on-shell GW0 self-energy as a function of momentum is
presented. It reproduces the numerical data for the spectral function with a
relative error of less than 10% in the regime where the Debye screening
parameter is smaller than the inverse Bohr radius, kappa<1/a_B. In the limit of
low density, the non-perturbative self-energy behaves as n^(1/4), whereas a
perturbation expansion leads to the unphysical result of a density independent
self-energy [W. Fennel and H. P. Wilfer, Ann. Phys. Lpz._32_, 265 (1974)]. The
derived expression will greatly facilitate the calculation of observables in
correlated plasmas (transport properties, equation of state) that need the
spectral function as an input quantity. This is demonstrated for the shift of
the chemical potential, which is computed from the analytical formulae and
compared to the GW0-result. At a plasma temperature of 100 eV and densities
below 10^21 cm^-3, both approaches deviate less than 10% from each other.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. E v2:
added section V (application of presented formalism to chemical potential of
the OCP
Levels of self-consistency in the GW approximation
We perform calculations on atoms and diatomic molecules at different
levels of self-consistency and investigate the effects of self-consistency on
total energies, ionization potentials and on particle number conservation. We
further propose a partially self-consistent scheme in which we keep the
correlation part of the self-energy fixed within the self-consistency cycle.
This approximation is compared to the fully self-consistent results and to
the and the approximations. Total energies, ionization
potentials and two-electron removal energies obtained with our partially
self-consistent approximation are in excellent agreement with fully
self-consistent results while requiring only a fraction of the
computational effort. We also find that self-consistent and partially
self-consistent schemes provide ionization energies of similar quality as the
values but yield better total energies and energy differences.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, 3 table
From Fatalism to Mitigation: a Conceptual Framework for Mitigating Fetal Programming of Chronic Disease by Maternal Obesity
Prenatal development is recognized as a critical period in the etiology of obesity and cardiometabolic disease. Potential strategies to reduce maternal obesity-induced risk later in life have been largely overlooked. In this paper, we first propose a conceptual framework for the role of public health and preventive medicine in mitigating the effects of fetal programming. Second, we review a small but growing body of research (through August 2015) that examines interactive effects of maternal obesity and two public health foci – diet and physical activity – in the offspring. Results of the review support the hypothesis that diet and physical activity after early life can attenuate disease susceptibility induced by maternal obesity, but human evidence is scant. Based on the review, we identify major gaps relevant for prevention research, such as characterizing the type and dose response of dietary and physical activity exposures that modify the adverse effects of maternal obesity in the offspring. Third, we discuss potential implications of interactions between maternal obesity and postnatal dietary and physical activity exposures for interventions to mitigate maternal obesity-induced risk among children. Our conceptual framework, evidence review, and future research directions offer a platform to develop, test, and implement fetal programming mitigation strategies for the current and future generations of children
Effects of radiation damage and inelastic scattering on single-particle imaging of hydrated proteins with an X-ray Free-Electron Laser
We present a computational case study of X-ray single-particle imaging of hydrated proteins on an example of 2-Nitrogenase–Iron protein covered with water layers of various thickness, using a start-to-end simulation platform and experimental parameters of the SPB/SFX instrument at the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser facility. The simulations identify an optimal thickness of the water layer at which the effective resolution for imaging the hydrated sample becomes significantly higher than for the non-hydrated sample. This effect is lost when the water layer becomes too thick. Even though the detailed results presented pertain to the specific sample studied, the trends which we identify should also hold in a general case. We expect these findings will guide future single-particle imaging experiments using hydrated proteins
Cluster virial expansion for the equation of state of partially ionized hydrogen plasma
We study the contribution of electron-atom interaction to the equation of
state for partially ionized hydrogen plasma using the cluster-virial expansion.
For the first time, we use the Beth-Uhlenbeck approach to calculate the second
virial coefficient for the electron-atom (bound cluster) pair from the
corresponding scattering phase-shifts and binding energies. Experimental
scattering cross-sections as well as phase-shifts calculated on the basis of
different pseudopotential models are used as an input for the Beth-Uhlenbeck
formula. By including Pauli blocking and screening in the phase-shift
calculation, we generalize the cluster-virial expansion in order to cover also
near solid density plasmas. We present results for the electron-atom
contribution to the virial expansion and the corresponding equation of state,
i.e. pressure, composition, and chemical potential as a function of density and
temperature. These results are compared with semi-empirical approaches to the
thermodynamics of partially ionized plasmas. Avoiding any ill-founded input
quantities, the Beth-Uhlenbeck second virial coefficient for the electron-atom
interaction represents a benchmark for other, semi-empirical approaches.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, and 5 tables, resubmitted to PR
REDD+ on the rocks? Conflict over forest and politics of justice in Vietnam
In Vietnam, villagers involved in a REDD+ (reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) pilot protect areas with rocks which have barely a tree on them. The apparent paradox indicates how actual practices differ from general ideas about REDD+ due to ongoing conflict over forest, and how contestations over the meaning of justice are a core element in negotiations over REDD+. We explore these politics of justice by examining how the actors involved in the REDD+ pilot negotiate the particular subjects, dimensions, and authority of justice considered relevant, and show how politics of justice are implicit to practical decisions in project implementation. Contestations over the meaning of justice are an important element in the practices and processes constituting REDD+ at global, national and local levels, challenging uniform definitions of forest justice and how forests ought to be managed
Recommendations for Providers on Person-Centered Approaches to Assess and Improve Medication Adherence
Medication non-adherence is a significant clinical challenge that adversely affects psychosocial factors, costs, and outcomes that are shared by patients, family members, providers, healthcare systems, payers, and society. Patient-centered care (i.e., involving patients and their families in planning their health care) is increasingly emphasized as a promising approach for improving medication adherence, but clinician education around what this might look like in a busy primary care environment is lacking. We use a case study to demonstrate key skills such as motivational interviewing, counseling, and shared decision-making for clinicians interested in providing patient-centered care in efforts to improve medication adherence. Such patient-centered approaches hold considerable promise for addressing the high rates of non-adherence to medications for chronic conditions
Self-consistent Spectral Function for Non-Degenerate Coulomb Systems and Analytic Scaling Behaviour
Novel results for the self-consistent single-particle spectral function and
self-energy are presented for non-degenerate one-component Coulomb systems at
various densities and temperatures. The GW^0-method for the dynamical
self-energy is used to include many-particle correlations beyond the
quasi-particle approximation. The self-energy is analysed over a broad range of
densities and temperatures (n=10^17/cm^3-10^27/cm^3, T=10^2 eV/k_B-10^4
eV/k_B). The spectral function shows a systematic behaviour, which is
determined by collective plasma modes at small wavenumbers and converges
towards a quasi-particle resonance at higher wavenumbers. In the low density
limit, the numerical results comply with an analytic scaling law that is
presented for the first time. It predicts a power-law behaviour of the
imaginary part of the self-energy, Im Sigma ~ -n^(1/4). This resolves a long
time problem of the quasi-particle approximation which yields a finite
self-energy at vanishing density.Comment: 28 pages, 9 figure
Cardiovascular disease risk factors and psychological distress among Hispanics/Latinos: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)
Studies show that cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are correlated with psychological distress, yet research examining these relationships among Hispanic/Latinos is lacking. The population-based Hispanic Community Health Study/ Study of Latinos enrolled a cohort of Hispanic/Latino adults (N = 16,415) ages 18–74 years at time of recruitment, from four US metropolitan areas, between March 2008 to June 2011. Psychological distress (i.e., 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, 10 item Spielberger Trait Anxiety Scale, and a combined depression/anxiety score), socio-demographics (i.e., age, education, income, insurance, sex, and Hispanic/Latino background), acculturation (i.e., country of birth and language preference), and traditional CVD risk factors (i.e., dyslipidemia, obesity, current cigarette smoking, diabetes, and hypertension) were assessed at baseline. Associations between CVD risk factors and psychological distress measures by sex were examined using multiple linear regression models, accounting for complex survey design and sampling weights, and controlling for socio-demographic and acculturation covariates. In adjusted analyses, all three psychological distress measures were significantly related to smoking. For females, greater psychological distress was significantly related to obesity and current smoking. For males, diabetes and current smoking was associated with psychological distress. For males and females, dyslipidemia and hypertension were not associated with psychological distress after adjusting for other factors. Elevated depression and anxiety symptoms were associated with CVD risk factors for Hispanic/Latino men and women. However, these results were not consistent across Hispanic/Latino groups. As promoted by the integrative care model, psychosocial concerns should be considered in research on CVD risk and chronic disease prevention
Failure to replicate an association of SNPs in the oxidized LDL receptor gene (OLR1) with CAD
Abstract
Background
The lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor LOX-1 (encoded by OLR1) is believed to play a key role in atherogenesis and some reports suggest an association of OLR1 polymorphisms with myocardial infarction (MI). We tested whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in OLR1 are associated with clinically significant CAD in the Atherosclerotic Disease, VAscular FuNction, & Geneti C Epidemiology (ADVANCE) study.
Methods
ADVANCE is a population-based case-control study of subjects receiving care within Kaiser Permanente of Northern California including a subset of participants of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. We first resequenced the promoter, exonic, and splice site regions of OLR1 and then genotyped four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including a non-synonymous SNP (rs11053646, Lys167Asn) as well as an intronic SNP (rs3736232) previously associated with CAD.
Results
In 1,809 cases with clinical CAD and 1,734 controls, the minor allele of the coding SNP was nominally associated with a lower odds ratio (OR) of CAD across all ethnic groups studied (minimally adjusted OR 0.8, P = 0.007; fully adjusted OR 0.8, P = 0.01). The intronic SNP was nominally associated with an increased risk of CAD (minimally adjusted OR 1.12, p = 0.03; fully adjusted OR 1.13, P = 0.03). However, these associations were not replicated in over 13,200 individuals (including 1,470 cases) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.
Conclusion
Our results do not support the presence of an association between selected common SNPs in OLR1 and the risk of clinical CAD.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/112726/1/12881_2008_Article_317.pd
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