Probing the local structure: macromolecular combs in external fields

Recent experimental methods allow to monitor the response of macromolecules to locally applied fields, complementing usual, mesoscopic techniques. Based on the Rouse-model and its extension to generalized Gaussian structures (GGS), we follow here the stretching of comb macromolecules under local fields. This leads to a wealth of informations about the structure: Namely, given the inhomogeneous architecture of combs, the dynamics and amount of stretching depend strongly on the position of the monomer on which the external fields act. We discuss both the theoretical and the experimental implications of our findings, given that micromanipulations can be supplemented by fluorescence measurements, which are very sensitive to changes in the intramolecular distances.Comment: 16 pages, 5 pdf figures, to appear in Chem. Phy

'Stuff it': Respectability and the voice of resistance in letter to brezhnev

Exploring Letter to Brezhnev through concepts of respectability as feminine cultural capital this article suggests that the film’s affective impulse stems from its representation of a female, working class experience under Thatcherism. This experience is articulated through two structures of feeling derived from the intersecting conventions of social realism, and the consumerist and romantic tropes of the ‘woman’s film’. Through this intersection the daily abjection of women through degrading work or unemployment is traced, whilst being counterpointed to the escapist pleasures of a ‘night out’ constituted through the spatial and aesthetic shifts of the narrative, and the feminisation of the ‘jack the lad’ staple of British screen culture. In this way, Letter to Brezhnev exposes the centrality of respectability to women’s social mobility, or lack of it, thus offering a powerful critique of Thatcherite ideologies and women’s position as primary consumers within them. The article also offers a corrective to existing scholarship that has focussed on cinematic representations of a crisis of masculinity under Thatcherism to the neglect of its corrosive impact on feminine respectability

Differences in bleeding behavior after endoscopic band ligation: a retrospective analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) is generally accepted as the treatment of choice for bleeding from esophageal varices. It is also used for secondary prophylaxis of esophageal variceal hemorrhage. However, there is no data or guidelines concerning endoscopic control of ligation ulcers. We conducted a retrospective study of EBL procedures analyzing bleeding complications after EBL.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We retrospectively analyzed data from patients who underwent EBL. We analyzed several data points, including indication for the procedure, bleeding events and the time interval between EBL and bleeding.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>255 patients and 387 ligation sessions were included in the analysis. We observed an overall bleeding rate after EBL of 7.8%. Bleeding events after elective treatment (3.9%) were significantly lower than those after treatment for acute variceal hemorrhage (12.1%). The number of bleeding events from ligation ulcers and variceal rebleeding was 14 and 15, respectively. The bleeding rate from the ligation site in the group who underwent emergency ligation was 7.1% and 0.5% in the group who underwent elective ligation. Incidence of variceal rebleeding did not vary significantly. Seventy-five percent of all bleeding episodes after elective treatment occurred within four days after EBL. 20/22 of bleeding events after emergency ligation occured within 11 days after treatment. Elective EBL has a lower risk of bleeding from treatment-induced ulceration than emergency ligation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Patients who underwent EBL for treatment of acute variceal bleeding should be kept under medical surveillance for 11 days. After elective EBL, it may be reasonable to restrict the period of surveillance to four days or even perform the procedure in an out-patient setting.</p

Effects of Local Anthropogenic Changes on Potential Malaria Vector Anopheles hyrcanus and West Nile Virus Vector Culex modestus, Camargue, France

Sixty years of environmental modifications have led to strong and rapid effects on the abundance of vector populations

CMB Telescopes and Optical Systems

The cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) is now firmly established as a fundamental and essential probe of the geometry, constituents, and birth of the Universe. The CMB is a potent observable because it can be measured with precision and accuracy. Just as importantly, theoretical models of the Universe can predict the characteristics of the CMB to high accuracy, and those predictions can be directly compared to observations. There are multiple aspects associated with making a precise measurement. In this review, we focus on optical components for the instrumentation used to measure the CMB polarization and temperature anisotropy. We begin with an overview of general considerations for CMB observations and discuss common concepts used in the community. We next consider a variety of alternatives available for a designer of a CMB telescope. Our discussion is guided by the ground and balloon-based instruments that have been implemented over the years. In the same vein, we compare the arc-minute resolution Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and the South Pole Telescope (SPT). CMB interferometers are presented briefly. We conclude with a comparison of the four CMB satellites, Relikt, COBE, WMAP, and Planck, to demonstrate a remarkable evolution in design, sensitivity, resolution, and complexity over the past thirty years.Comment: To appear in: Planets, Stars and Stellar Systems (PSSS), Volume 1: Telescopes and Instrumentatio

Oral and pharyngeal cancer in South Asians and non-South Asians in relation to socioeconomic deprivation in South East England.

From UK Thames Cancer Registry data, after controlling for socioeconomic deprivation of area of residence, South Asian males showed a higher relative risk of oral (1.36; 95% CI: 1.11, 1.67), but not of pharyngeal cancer than non-South Asian males, whereas South Asian females had much higher risks of these cancers (3.67; 95% CI: 2.97, 4.53 and 2.06; 95% CI: 1.44, 2.93), respectively, than non-South Asians

Lifestyle and geographic insights into the distinct gut microbiota in elderly women from two different geographic locations

BACKGROUND: A large number of microorganisms reside within the gastrointestinal tract, especially in the colon, and play important roles in human health and disease. The composition of the human gut microbiota is determined by intrinsic host factors and environmental factors. While investigating environmental factors to promote human health is of great interest, few studies have focused on their effect on the gut microbiota. This study aimed to investigate differences in gut microbiota composition according to lifestyle and geographical area, even in people with similar genetic background. METHODS: We enrolled ten and nine elderly women in their seventies from island and inland areas, respectively. Fecal samples were obtained from individuals, and bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA genes were analyzed by next-generation sequencing to define the gut microbiota composition. We assessed their diet, which can influence the gut microbial community. We also conducted physical examination and determined the physical activity levels of the subjects. RESULTS: The inland subjects had a significantly higher rectal temperature, systolic blood pressure, and heart rate and a significantly lower physical activity score than the island subjects. Fecal samples from the island group showed a tendency to have greater microbial diversity than those from the inland group. Interestingly, the microbial community composition differed significantly between the two groups. Catenibacterium was enriched in subjects from the island area. Catenibacterium showed a negative correlation with rectal temperature and a positive correlation with the dietary level of animal fat. In contrast, Butyricimonas was enriched in the inland subjects. A positive correlation was found between Butyricimonas and mean arterial pressure. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified differences in the gut microbiota composition between elderly women from different parts of South Korea, and our findings suggest that further studies of the human gut microbiota should evaluate aspects of the living environment