Electric field effect modulation of transition temperature, mobile carrier density and in-plane penetration depth in NdBa2Cu3O(7-delta) thin films

We explore the relationship between the critical temperature, T_c, the mobile areal carrier density, n_2D, and the zero temperature magnetic in-plane penetration depth, lambda_ab(0), in very thin underdoped NdBa2Cu3O{7-delta} films near the superconductor to insulator transition using the electric field effect technique. We observe that T_c depends linearly on both, n_2D and lambda_ab(0), the signature of a quantum superconductor to insulator (QSI) transition in two dimensions with znu-bar where z is the dynamic and nu-bar the critical exponent of the in-plane correlation length.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Observation of Three-dimensional Long-range Order in Smaller Ion Coulomb Crystals in an rf Trap

Three-dimensional long-range ordered structures in smaller and near-spherically symmetric Coulomb crystals of ^{40}Ca^+ ions confined in a linear rf Paul trap have been observed when the number of ions exceeds ~1000 ions. This result is unexpected from ground state molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, but found to be in agreement with MD simulations of metastable ion configurations. Previously, three-dimensional long-range ordered structures have only been reported in Penning traps in systems of ~50,000 ions or more.Comment: 5 pages; 4 figures; to appear in Phys. Rev. Lett.; changed content

Impact of the Ultrasonic scalpel on the amount of drained lymph after axillary or inguinal lymphadenectomy.

Seroma formation and lymphoedema are frequently encountered complications after radical lymph node dissection (RLND). Attempts to reduce the lymphatic morbidity include the use of Ultrasonic Scalpel. The aim of the present analysis was to assess the impact of the ultrasonic scalpel on the amount of drained lymph after lymph node dissection. Patients listed for a RLND or completion lymph node dissection (CLND) were enrolled in a prospective randomized trial to compare the impact of two surgical dissection techniques (USS versus control) on the amount of drained lymph. The lymph drained in 24 h was collected. Our primary endpoint was to compare the daily amount of drained lymph between the two groups. Secondary endpoints were the comparison of drained lymph with the BMI of the patients, the gender and the surgical site (axilla, groin). Eighty patients were randomly assigned to the USS group or the Control (C) group. No difference was measured in the total amount of lymph drained (USS: 2908 ± 2453 ml vs. C: 3898 ± 5791 ml; p-value = 0.382). The result was also similar after adjusting for gender, age, and BMI. A significant higher amount of lymph was measured after inguinal dissection with USS compared to axillary (p < 0.001). The study suggests that the use of Harmonic scalpel did not influence the amount of lymph drained after RLND and not support the theory that USS induces oversealing of lymphatics. Clinical Trial NCT02476357 . Registered 20 of February 2015

Events in the affective city: Affect, attention and alignment in two ordinary urban events

In a representational regime, planned urban events are used by urban planners to render urban projects visible and acceptable. As a corollary of the focus of urban studies on their representational dimension and in spite of a burgeoning literature on the notion of affective urbanism, the experiential character of events remains surprisingly unexplored. This paper argues that an ordinary regime of events is mobilised by city-makers to act on the embodied, affective experience of the city and on the ways urban dwellers know and act upon the city. By analysing planned urban events in their embodied, experiential dimension, we focus on the ways in which, through the design of ephemeral material dispositives, urbanists attempt to encourage citizens to incorporate ways of knowing and acting on space and on the modalities of knowing and acting that are at play. We stage an encounter between critical event studies and Ingoldian approaches to affect and attention, examining two urban events in a Swiss canton. We show how intense encounters with urban matter are staged in an attempt to modulate affects, guide attention, and produce alignment with a specific political project, asking urban dwellers either to embody a project still in the making or to cultivate expectations regarding an already-written future

KO-Homology and Type I String Theory

We study the classification of D-branes and Ramond-Ramond fields in Type I string theory by developing a geometric description of KO-homology. We define an analytic version of KO-homology using KK-theory of real C*-algebras, and construct explicitly the isomorphism between geometric and analytic KO-homology. The construction involves recasting the Cl(n)-index theorem and a certain geometric invariant into a homological framework which is used, along with a definition of the real Chern character in KO-homology, to derive cohomological index formulas. We show that this invariant also naturally assigns torsion charges to non-BPS states in Type I string theory, in the construction of classes of D-branes in terms of topological KO-cycles. The formalism naturally captures the coupling of Ramond-Ramond fields to background D-branes which cancel global anomalies in the string theory path integral. We show that this is related to a physical interpretation of bivariant KK-theory in terms of decay processes on spacetime-filling branes. We also provide a construction of the holonomies of Ramond-Ramond fields in Type II string theory in terms of topological K-chains.Comment: 40 pages; v4: Clarifying comments added, more detailed proof of main isomorphism theorem given; Final version to be published in Reviews in Mathematical Physic

A family case of fertile human 45,X,psu dic(15;Y) males

We report on a familial case including four male probands from three generations with a 45,X,psu dic(15;Y)(p11.2;q12) karyotype. 45,X is usually associated with a female phenotype and only rarely with maleness, due to translocation of small Y chromosomal fragments to autosomes. These male patients are commonly infertile because of missing azoospermia factor regions from the Y long arm. In our familial case we found a pseudodicentric translocation chromosome, that contains almost the entire chromosomes 15 and Y. The translocation took place in an unknown male ancestor of our probands and has no apparent effect on fertility and phenotype of the carrier. FISH analysis demonstrated the deletion of the pseudoautosomal region 2 (PAR2) from the Y chromosome and the loss of the nucleolus organizing region (NOR) from chromosome 15. The formation of the psu dic(15;Y) chromosome is a reciprocal event to the formation of the satellited Y chromosome (Yqs). Statistically, the formation of 45,X,psu dic(15;Y) (p11.2;q12) is as likely as the formation of Yqs. Nevertheless, it has not been described yet. This can be explained by the dicentricity of this translocation chromosome that usually leads to mitotic instability and meiotic imbalances. A second event, a stable inactivation of one of the two centromeres is obligatory to enable the transmission of the translocation chromosome and thus a stably reduced chromosome number from father to every son in this family

Metabolomics reveals biomarkers in human urine and plasma to predict cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) activity.

Individualized assessment of cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) activity is usually performed through phenotyping following administration of a probe drug to measure the enzyme's activity. To avoid any iatrogenic harm (allergic drug reaction, dosing error) related to the probe drug, the development of non-burdensome tools for real-time phenotyping of CYP2D6 could significantly contribute to precision medicine. This study focuses on the identification of markers of the CYP2D6 enzyme in human biofluids using an LC-high-resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolomic approach. Plasma and urine samples from healthy volunteers were analysed before and after intake of a daily dose of paroxetine 20 mg over 7 days. CYP2D6 genotyping and phenotyping, using single oral dose of dextromethorphan 5 mg, were also performed in all participants. We report four metabolites of solanidine and two unknown compounds as possible novel CYP2D6 markers. Mean relative intensities of these features were significantly reduced during the inhibition session compared with the control session (n = 37). Semi-quantitative analysis showed that the largest decrease (-85%) was observed for the ion m/z 432.3108 normalized to solanidine (m/z 398.3417). Mean relative intensities of these ions were significantly higher in the CYP2D6 normal-ultrarapid metabolizer group (n = 37) compared with the poor metabolizer group (n = 6). Solanidine intensity was more than 15 times higher in CYP2D6-deficient individuals compared with other volunteers. The applied untargeted metabolomic strategy identified potential novel markers capable of semi-quantitatively predicting CYP2D6 activity, a promising discovery for personalized medicine

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS): translation and validation study of the Iranian version

BACKGROUND: The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a widely used instrument to measure postnatal depression. This study aimed to translate and to test the reliability and validity of the EPDS in Iran. METHODS: The English language version of the EPDS was translated into Persian (Iranian language) and was used in this study. The questionnaire was administered to a consecutive sample of 100 women with normal (n = 50) and caesarean section (n = 50) deliveries at two points in time: 6 to 8 weeks and 12 to 14 weeks after delivery. Statistical analysis was performed to test the reliability and validity of the EPDS. RESULTS: Overall 22% of women at time 1 and 18% at time 2 reported experiencing postpartum depression. In general, the Iranian version of the EPDS was found to be acceptable to almost all women. Cronbach's alpha coefficient (to test reliability) was found to be 0.77 at time 1 and 0.86 at time 2. In addition, test-rest reliability was performed and the intraclass correlation coefficient was found to be 0.80. Validity as performed using known groups comparison showed satisfactory results. The questionnaire discriminated well between sub-groups of women differing in mode of delivery in the expected direction. The factor analysis indicated a three-factor structure that jointly accounted for 58% of the variance. CONCLUSION: This preliminary validation study of the Iranian version of the EPDS proved that it is an acceptable, reliable and valid measure of postnatal depression. It seems that the EPDS not only measures postpartum depression but also may be measuring something more

Ambipolar gate effect and low temperature magnetoresistance of ultrathin La0.8Ca0.2MnO3 Films

Ultrathin La0.8Ca0.2MnO3 films have been measured in a field-effect geometry. The electric field due to the gate produces a large ambipolar decrease in resistance at low temperatures. This is attributed to the development of a pseudogap in the density of states and the couple of localized charge to strain. The gate effect and mangetoresistance are interpreted in a consistent framework. The implications for the low temperature behavior of a manganite film in the two dimensional limit are discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure