162 research outputs found
Bypassing the structural bottleneck in the ultrafast melting of electronic order
The emergent properties of quantum materials, such as symmetry-broken phases
and associated spectral gaps, can be effectively manipulated by ultrashort
photon pulses. Impulsive optical excitation generally results in a complex
non-equilibrium electron and lattice dynamics that involves multiple processes
on distinct timescales, and a common conception is that for times shorter than
about 100 fs the gap in the electronic spectrum is not seriously affected by
lattice vibrations. Here, we directly monitor the photo-induced collapse of the
spectral gap in a canonical charge-density-wave material, blue bronze
Rb0.3MoO3. We find that ultra-fast (about 60 fs) vibrational disordering due to
efficient hot-electron energy dissipation quenches the gap significantly faster
than the typical structural bottleneck time corresponding to one half-cycle
oscillation (about 315 fs) of the coherent charge-density-wave amplitude mode.
This result not only demonstrates the importance of incoherent lattice motion
in the photo-induced quenching of electronic order, but also resolves the
perennial debate about the nature of the spectral gap in a coupled
electron-lattice system
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Ultrafast modulation of the chemical potential in BaFe2As2 by coherent phonons
Time- and angle-resolved extreme ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy is used to study the electronic structure dynamics in BaFe2As2 around the high-symmetry points Πand M. A global oscillation of the Fermi level at the frequency of the A1g(As) phonon mode is observed. It is argued that this behavior reflects a modulation of the effective chemical potential in the photoexcited surface region that arises from the high sensitivity of the band structure near the Fermi level to the A1g(As) phonon mode combined with a low electron diffusivity perpendicular to the layers. The results establish a novel way to tune the electronic properties of iron pnictides: coherent control of the effective chemical potential. The results further suggest that the equilibration time for the effective chemical potential needs to be considered in the ultrafast electronic structure dynamics of materials with weak interlayer coupling. © 2014 American Physical Society
Extreme timescale core-level spectroscopy with tailored XUV pulses
A new approach for few-femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy
in condensed matter that balances the combined needs for both temporal and
energy resolution is demonstrated. Here, the method is designed to investigate
a prototypical Mott insulator, tantalum disulphide (1T-TaS2), which transforms
from its charge-density-wave ordered Mott insulating state to a conducting
state in a matter of femtoseconds. The signature to be observed through the
phase transition is a charge-density-wave induced splitting of the Ta 4f
core-levels, which can be resolved with sub-eV spectral resolution. Combining
this spectral resolution with few-femtosecond time resolution enables the
collapse of the charge ordered Mott state to be clocked. Precise knowledge of
the sub-20-femtosecond dynamics will provide new insight into the physical
mechanism behind the collapse and may reveal Mott physics on the timescale of
electronic hopping.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figure
Ultrafast doublon dynamics in photoexcited -
Strongly correlated materials exhibit intriguing properties caused by intertwined microscopic interactions that are hard to disentangle in equilibrium. Employing nonequilibrium time-resolved photoemission spectroscopy on the quasi-two- dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenide 1T-TaS2, we identify a spectroscopic signature of doubly occupied sites (doublons) that reflects fundamental Mott physics. Doublon-hole recombination is estimated to occur on timescales of electronic hopping â/Jâ14 fs. Despite strong electron-phonon coupling, the dynamics can be explained by purely electronic effects captured by the single-band Hubbard model under the assumption of weak hole doping, in agreement with our static sample characterization. This sensitive interplay of static doping and vicinity to the metal- insulator transition suggests a way to modify doublon relaxation on the few- femtosecond timescale
High plasma guanidinoacetate-to-homoarginine ratio is associated with high all-cause and cardiovascular mortality rate in adult renal transplant recipients
l-Arginine:glycine amidinotransferase (AGAT) is the main producer of the creatine precursor, guanidinoacetate (GAA), and l-homoarginine (hArg). We and others previously reported lower levels of circulating and urinary hArg in renal transplant recipients (RTR) compared to healthy subjects. In adults, hArg emerged as a novel risk factor for renal and cardiovascular adverse outcome. Urinary GAA was found to be lower in children and adolescents with kidney transplants compared to healthy controls. Whether GAA is also a risk factor in the renal and cardiovascular systems of adults, is not yet known. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the significance of circulating GAA and the GAA-to-hArg molar ratio (GAA/hArg) in adult RTR. We hypothesized that GAA/hArg represents a measure of the balanced state of the AGAT activity in the kidneys, and would prospectively allow assessing a potential association between GAA/hArg and long-term outcome in RTR. The median follow-up period was 5.4 years. Confounders and potential mediators of GAA/hArg associations were evaluated with multivariate linear regression analyses, and the association with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality or death-censored graft loss was studied with Cox regression analyses. The study cohort consisted of 686 stable RTR and 140 healthy kidney donors. Median plasma GAA concentration was significantly lower in the RTR compared to the kidney donors before kidney donation: 2.19 [1.77-2.70] mu M vs. 2.78 [2.89-3.35] mu M (P <0.001). In cross-sectional multivariable analyses in RTR, HDL cholesterol showed the strongest association with GAA/hArg. In prospective analyses in RTR, GAA/hArg was associated with a higher risk for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio (HR): 1.35 [95% CI 1.19-1.53]) and cardiovascular mortality (HR: 1.46 [95% CI 1.24-1.73]), independent of potential confounders. GAA but not GAA/hArg was associated with death-censored graft loss in crude survival and Cox regression analyses. The association of GAA and death-censored graft loss was lost after adjustment for eGFR. Our study suggests that in the kidneys of RTR, the AGAT-catalyzed biosynthesis of GAA is decreased. That high GAA/hArg is associated with a higher risk for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality may suggest that low plasma hArg is a stronger contributor to these adverse outcomes in RTR than GAA
Manipulation of oral medication for children by parents and nurses occurs frequently and is often not supported by instructions
Aim: Due to a lack of age-appropriate formulations, administration of drugs to children
remains a challenge. This study aimed to identify the problems experienced in both the
outpatient setting and the clinical setting.
Methods: Between June 2017 and January 2018, we performed a cross-sectional,
prospective study at the Sophia Childrenâs Hospital, The Netherlands. The study comprised
of a structured interview on drug manipulations with parents visiting the outpatient clinic,
and an observational study of drug manipulations by nurses at the wards.
Results: A total of 201 questionnaires were collected, accounting for 571 drugs and 169
manipulations (30%). Drug substances that were most often mentioned as manipulated
were macrogol (n = 23), esomeprazole (n = 15), paracetamol (n = 8), methylphenidate
(n = 7) and melatonin (n = 7). Of all manipulated medicines, 93/169 (55%) were
manipulated according to the instructions or recommendations of the Summary of Product
Characteristics (SmPC) or patient information leaflet. During the observational study,
manipulation was performed by 21/35 of observed nurses (60%), of whom 11 deviated
from the hospital protocol for manipulation or SmPC (52%).
Conclusion: Manipulation was a widely used method to administer drugs to children.
Validated information regarding manipulation of drugs for both parents and nursing staff is
needed
Randomized elimination and prolongation of ACE inhibitors and ARBs in coronavirus 2019 (REPLACE COVID) Trial Protocol
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS- CoV- 2), the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19), is associated with high incidence of multiorgan dysfunction and death. Angiotensin- converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which facilitates SARS- CoV- 2 host cell entry, may be impacted by angiotensin- converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), two commonly used antihypertensive classes. In a multicenter, international randomized controlled trial that began enrollment on March 31, 2020, participants are randomized to continuation vs withdrawal of their long- term outpatient ACEI or ARB upon hospitalization with COVID- 19. The primary outcome is a hierarchical global rank score incorporating time to death, duration of mechanical ventilation, duration of renal replacement or vasopressor therapy, and multiorgan dysfunction severity. Approval for the study has been obtained from the Institutional Review Board of each participating institution, and all participants will provide informed consent. A data safety monitoring board has been assembled to provide independent oversight of the project.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163400/2/jch14011_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163400/1/jch14011.pd
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