Structures and orientational transitions in thin films of tilted hexatic smectics

We present detailed systematic studies of structural transformations in thin liquid crystal films with the smectic-C to hexatic phase transition. For the first time all possible structures reported in the literature are observed for one material (5 O.6) at the variation of temperature and thickness. In unusual modulated structures the equilibrium period of stripes is twice with respect to the domain size. We interpret these patterns in the frame work of phenomenological Landau type theory, as equilibrium phenomena produced by a natural geometric frustration in a system having spontaneous splay distortion.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Clustering in light nuclei in fragmentation above 1 A GeV

The relativistic invariant approach is applied to analyzing the 3.3 A GeV $^{22}$Ne fragmentation in a nuclear track emulsion. New results on few-body dissociations have been obtained from the emulsion exposures to 2.1 A GeV $^{14}$N and 1.2 A GeV $^{9}$Be nuclei. It can be asserted that the use of the invariant approach is an effective means of obtaining conclusions about the behavior of systems involving a few He nuclei at a relative energy close to 1 MeV per nucleon. The first observations of fragmentation of 1.2 A GeV $^{8}$B and $^{9}$C nuclei in emulsion are described. The presented results allow one to justify the development of few-body aspects of nuclear astrophysics.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables, Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics-2, 16-20 May, 2005 (ATOMKI), Debrecen, Hungar

Flexoelectricity and piezoelectricity - reason for rich variety of phases in antiferroelectric liquid crystals

The free energy of antiferroelectric liquid crystal which takes into account polar order explicitly is presented. Steric, van der Waals, piezoelectric and flexoelectric interactions to the nearest layers and dipolar electrostatic interactions to the nearest and to the next nearest layers induce indirect tilt interactions with chiral and achiral properties, which extend to the third and to the fourth nearest layers. Chiral indirect interactions between tilts can be large and induce helicoidal modulations even in systems with negligible chiral van der Waals interactions. If indirect chiral interactions compete with chiral van der Waals interactions, the helix unwinding is possible. Although strength of microscopic interactions change monotonically with decreasing temperature, effective interlayer interactions change nonmonotonically and give rise to nonmonotouous change of modulation period through various phases. Increased enatiomeric excess i.e. increased chirality changes the phase sequence.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Importance of cellular immunity link for efficiency of replacement therapy in common variable immune deficiency

Lifetime use of IgG replacement therapy  is the standard of CVID treatment. However, full control over stabilization of chronic infection loci is not always achieved, even if this therapy  is continuously applied. The purpose  of this study was to carry out comparative analysis of changes  in cellular  component of adaptive and  innate immune response, depending on effectiveness of replacement therapy  of patients with infectious CVID  phenotype. The  observation group  consisted of 15 patients with  CVID  who  were  diagnosed since early childhood in 100% of cases. They had prolonged respiratory infections followed by the development of complications requiring continuous treatment with antibiotics.After  reaching mean  age of 15 years  old,  the  intensity of infection-associated antibody deficiency was 6-8  times  per year. After verification of the  diagnosis, the  patients received  replacement therapy, first at the saturation dose,  and,  after stabilization of IgG  at the level of 7-8 g/l,  at the monthly maintenance dose. The clinical  course  of the disease was traced  during  a full year of replacement therapy, and the cellular  immunity indices  were evaluated. In all patients, after a year of therapy  corresponding to clinical  guidelines, there  was an improvement in quality  of life indices, decreased rates of recurrent bacterial infections. At the same time, 40% of them continued to suffer, on average, 5.4±1.1 times a year and required long-term courses of antibiotic therapy. Evaluation of immune status did not reveal statistically significant  differences in IgG plasma saturation between the groups of patients with different treatment efficiency: 8.7 (8-9) g/l and 9.1 (8.5-10.5) g/l, at p = 0.5. The  differences related  to immune cell factors  in cases of smaller  effect of IVIG  therapy  are manifested in higher  relative  numbers of T effectors  containing lytic Granzyme B granules  and CD14+CD284+  monocytes, accompanied by lower spontaneous active  oxygen forms produced by neutrophils, lesser contents of CD16+ natural killers in peripheral blood.The obtained data illustrate the value of monitoring, not only serum  IgG  level, but also the parameters of the  cellular  immune response. Such  analysis  may be essential  as a prognostic criterion for efficacy  of IVIG therapy. Reduced levels of some parameters of innate immunity cells serves a basis to formulate the concept of combined treatment and usage of tools that alter functions of immunocompetent cells

The use of ultrasonic cavitation for near-surface structuring of robust and low-cost AlNi catalysts for hydrogen production

Ultrasonically induced shock waves stimulate intensive interparticle collisions in suspensions and create large local temperature gradients in AlNi particles. These trigger phase transformations at the surface rather than in the particle interior. We show that ultrasonic processing is an effective approach for developing the desired compositional gradients in nm-thick interfacial regions of metal alloys and formation of effective catalysts toward the hydrogen evolution reaction

Arquivar atividades em termos de autenticidade de documentos eletrônicos e variação do número de cópias

The article is devoted to the problems of archive activity during the digital era, which are conditioned from the authors' point of view by the introduction of electronic documents that have changed the content of paperwork and archiving key categories - authenticity and copy number variation, as well as related originality and authenticity. The technologies of work in the archive, always considered as a unique system of originals are based on the traditional understanding of these categories. Using the method of expert assessments during the determination of key category content, the authors conclude that the current activity of the archives is aimed at copy production activity increase, their management and the provision of authenticity, reliability, integrity and suitability for use. Nowadays the issue of document archiving requires the consolidation of state and non-state structure efforts to develop a new attitude to the authenticity of electronic documents, to change the usual nature of archival institution interaction with users and interested citizens, state authorities and administration, law enforcement and judicial system.El artículo está dedicado a los problemas de la actividad de archivo durante la era digital, que están condicionados desde el punto de vista de los autores por la introducción de documentos electrónicos que han cambiado el contenido del papeleo y las categorías clave de archivo: autenticidad y variación del número de copias, como así como la originalidad y autenticidad relacionadas. Las tecnologías de trabajo en el archivo, siempre consideradas como un sistema único de originales, se basan en el entendimiento tradicional de estas categorías. Usando el método de evaluaciones de expertos durante la determinación del contenido de la categoría clave, los autores concluyen que la actividad actual de los archivos está dirigida a aumentar la actividad de producción de copias, su gestión y la provisión de autenticidad, confiabilidad, integridad y adecuación para su uso. Hoy en día, el tema del archivo de documentos requiere la consolidación de los esfuerzos de la estructura estatal y no estatal para desarrollar una nueva actitud hacia la autenticidad de los documentos electrónicos, para cambiar la naturaleza habitual de la interacción de la institución archivística con los usuarios y ciudadanos interesados, las autoridades estatales, la administración y la ley.O artigo é dedicado aos problemas da atividade de arquivo durante a era digital, eles são condicionados a partir do ponto de vista dos autores para a introdução de documentos eletrônicos que mudaram o conteúdo de documentos e categorias de arquivos-chave: autenticidade e variação do número de cópias, bem como a originalidade e autenticidade relacionadas. Tecnologias de trabalho no arquivo, sempre considerado como um único sistema original, com base no entendimento tradicional destas categorias. Usando o método de avaliações de peritos para a determinação da categoria-chave, os autores concluem que a atividade de arquivos atual visa aumentar cópias atividade de produção, gestão e prestação de autenticidade, confiabilidade, integridade e adequação para uso. Hoje, a questão do arquivamento de documentos requer a consolidação dos esforços de estruturas estatais e não-estatais para desenvolver uma nova atitude em relação à autenticidade dos documentos eletrônicos, para mudar a natureza habitual da interação da instituição de arquivo utilizadores e cidadãos interessados, autoridades estatais, administração e direito

Periodontitis assessed with a new screening tool and oral health-related quality of life: cross-sectional findings among general-population adults

Introduction: Periodontitis, as a chronic, multifactorial inflammatory disease, has complex relationships with other diseases and ultimately with well-being. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between self-report periodontitis, as measured with the recently developed and validated modified Periodontal Screening Score (mPESS), and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQol) in a large population-based sample derived from the French NutriNet-Santé e-cohort. Methods: The sample was composed of 32,714 adults (75.5% women) with a mean age of 48.8 ± 13.9 years. Periodontitis was assessed based on age, smoking, and oral health status data obtained in 2011–2012, which allowed calculating the mPESS. An mPESS ≥ 5 was used to identify individuals at risk of severe periodontitis (main exposure). OHRQoL was measured with the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) (main outcome) and the total score was dichotomized for analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analyses, considering physical health status, dietary and lifestyle confounding variables, were performed. Results: Overall, 6407 participants (19.6%) were at a high risk of severe periodontitis. A total of 7383 participants (22.6%) presented a relatively poor OHRQoL (OHIP-14 > 8, highest quartile). In the multivariable model, each of the following variables was independently and significantly associated with lower OHRQoL: older age (50–64 years), female sex, obesity, snacking between meals, frequent consumption of soft drinks and sweets/chocolate, risk of severe periodontitis, and having < 20 natural teeth were significantly. An mPESS ≥ 5 showed the highest odds for relatively poor OHRQoL (OR = 3.45; 95% CI 3.21–3.72). Conclusion: The results support the association between periodontitis and OHRQoL in non-clinical samples. The use of mPESS could be tested in future prevention programs aiming at improving OHRQoL

Fragmentation of relativistic nuclei in peripheral interactions in nuclear track emulsion

The technique of nuclear track emulsions is used to explore the fragmentation of light relativistic nuclei down to the most peripheral interactions - nuclear "white" stars. A complete pattern of therelativistic dissociation of a $^8$B nucleus with target fragment accompaniment is presented. Relativistic dissociation $^{9}$Be$\to2\alpha$ is explored using significant statistics and a relative contribution of $^{8}$Be decays from 0$^+$ and 2$^+$ states is established. Target fragment accompaniments are shown for relativistic fragmentation $^{14}$N$\to$3He+H and $^{22}$Ne$\to$5He. The leading role of the electromagnetic dissociation on heavy nuclei with respect to break-ups on target protons is demonstrated in all these cases. It is possible to conclude that the peripheral dissociation of relativistic nuclei in nuclear track emulsion is a unique tool to study many-body systems composed of lightest nuclei and nucleons in the energy scale relevant for nuclear astrophysics.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, 4 tables, conference: Relativistic nuclear physics: from Nuclotron to LHC energies, Kiev, June 18-22, 200