Magic wavelengths for the 6s^2\,^1S_0-6s6p\,^3P_1^o transition in ytterbium atom

The static and dynamic electric-dipole polarizabilities of the 6s^2\,^1S_0 and 6s6p\,^3P_1^o states of Yb are calculated by using the relativistic ab initio method. Focusing on the red detuning region to the 6s^2\,^1S_0-6s6p\,^3P_1^o transition, we find two magic wavelengths at 1035.7(2) nm and 612.9(2) nm for the 6s^2\,^1S_0-6s6p\,^3P_1^o, M_J=0 transition and three magic wavelengthes at 1517.68(6) nm, 1036.0(3) nm and 858(12) nm for the 6s^2\,^1S_0-6s6p\,^3P_1^o, M_J=\pm1 transitions. Such magic wavelengths are of particular interest for attaining the state-insensitive cooling, trapping, and quantum manipulation of neutral Yb atom.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure

The psychometric properties of the quick inventory of depressive symptomatology-self-report (QIDS-SR) in patients with HBV-related liver disease

Background: Comorbid depression in Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is common. Developing accurate and time efficient tools to measure depressive symptoms in HBV is important for research and clinical practice in China. Aims: This study tested the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR) in HBV patients. Methods: The study recruited 245 depressed patients with HBV and related liver disease. The severity of depressive symptoms was assessed with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the QIDS-SR. Results: Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) was 0.796 for QIDS-SR. The QIDS-SR total score was significantly correlated with the MADRS total score (r=0.698, p. Conclusions: The QIDS-SR (Chinese version) has good psychometric properties in HBV patients and appears to be useful in assessing depression in clinical settings

Combination of capecitabine and ludartin inhibits colon cancer growth in mice

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of capecitabine and ludartin in the treatment of colon cancer in mice.Methods: Mice model of colon cancer was used in this study. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (Qrt-PCR) was used to quantify the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA. Micro-vessel density was assessed using immunohistochemical analysis.Results: When administered separately, capecitabine and ludartin treatments significantly suppressed tumor growth in the mice model of colon cancer for 4 weeks, compared to control group. Coadministration of capecitabine and ludartin significantly inhibited tumor growth for 6 weeks (p < 0.05). Symptoms of colon cancer such as weight loss, skin discoloration and leukopenia were observed in untreated control group. However, these symptoms were completely absent in the group treated with combination of capecitabine and ludartin. The combined treatment also prevented colon cancer-induced increase in white blood cell (WBC) count, and increased median survival time of colon cancer mice from 38 to 55 days. Expression of VEGF in combination (capecitabine + ludartin) treatment group was significantly lower than in the control, i.e., untreated group (p ˂ 0.05). The combination treatment group also had significantly lower micro-vessel density in the tumor tissues, compared to the  ntreated control mice (p < 0.05).Conclusion: These results show that a combination treatment of capecitabine and ludartin effectively inhibits colon tumor growth and angiogenesis in mice via a mechanism involving suppression of VEGF expression. Thus, capecitabine and ludartin combination is a potentially  uitable treatment for colon cancer.Keywords: Colon cancer, Mice, Ludartin, Leukopenia, VEGF expression, Angiogenesi

The chaperone activity of trigger factor is distinct from its isomerase activity during co-expression with adenylate kinase in Escherichia coli

AbstractTo investigate the molecular chaperone function of trigger factor (TF) and its relationship with isomerase activity in vivo, the assisted folding of adenylate kinase (AK) by TF in Escherichia coli was examined by measuring the amounts of soluble AK produced during co-expression. When the mutant of chicken AK, P17G, is expressed in plasmid pBVAK, 95% of the protein is found in inclusion bodies. Co-expression of AK with TF was achieved using a plasmid pBVAT that allowed expression of TF and AK in the same plasmid under separate control. Co-expression with TF resulted in an increase in the amount of soluble AK, with a higher increase when TF was expressed at higher levels in the cell. Co-expression of AK with the two TF mutants, Y221G and F233Y, in which peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase activity was 1% of wild-type, gave the same results as wild-type TF. This provides in vivo evidence that the molecular chaperone activity of TF is distinct from its isomerase activity

Análisis de Rasch de la Escala Hospitalaria de Ansiedad y Depresión (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) en pacientes con depresión mayor

The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is a widely used screening tool for depression and anxiety in patients with medical illnesses. This study aimed to explore the psychometric properties of the HADS in screening for patients with major depression using item response theory method.A total of 460 patients with major depression completed the HADS. Rasch analyses were used to examine unidimensionality, item fit, local dependency, reliability, ordering of categories, differential item functioning (DIF)and targeting. The HADS showed a two-dimensional construct.All items fit the Rasch model.Three pairs of items showed minor but inconsiderate local dependency. Both subscales had acceptable reliability.None of the items displayed disordered categoriesor DIF.All items werewelltargeted, and participants with high and low levels of distress were less targeted than those with moderate levels of distress.Finally, a conversion table to transform the raw scores into interval measures was generated. The HADS demonstrated adequate psychometric properties in assessing depression and anxiety in patients with major depression. It was more appropriate for assessing moderate than high or low levels of distress.The conversion table can be used for more precise measurement.These results may pave the way for efficient and sensitive methods of ana-lyzing depression symptom response in research and in clinical practice.La Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) [Escala Hospitalaria de Ansiedad y Depresión] es una herramienta ampliamente utilizada para detección de la depresión y la ansiedad en pacientes con enfermedades médicas. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo explorar las propiedades psicométricas de la HADS en la detección de pacientes con depresión mayor utilizando el método de la teoría de respuesta al ítem. Un total de 460 pacientes con depresión mayor completaron el HADS. Se utilizó el análisis de Rasch para examinar la unidimensionalidad, el ajuste de los ítems, la dependencia local, la confiabilidad, el orden de las categorías, el funcionamiento diferencial de los ítems (DIF) y la focalización. La HADS mostró una construcción bidimensional. Todos los ítems se ajustaban al modelo de Rasch. Tres pares de ítems mostraron una dependencia local menor pero desconsiderada. Ambas subescalas tuvieron una confiabilidad aceptable. Ninguno de los ítems mostró categorías desordenadas o DIF. Todos los ítems estaban bien dirigidos y los participantes con niveles altos y bajos de angustia fueron menos objetivo que aquellos con niveles moderados de angustia. Finalmente, se generó una tabla de conversión para transformar las puntuaciones brutas en medidas de intervalo. El HADS demostró propiedades psicométricas adecuadas para evaluar la depresión y la ansiedad en pacientes con depresión mayor. Fue más apropiado para evaluar niveles de angustia moderados que altos o bajos. La tabla de con-versión se puede utilizar para una medición más precisa. Estos resultados pueden allanar el camino para métodos eficientes y sensibles para analizar la respuesta a los síntomas de depresión en la investigación y en la práctica clínica

Exploration of High Entropy Ceramics (HECs) with Computational Thermodynamics - A Case Study with LaMnO3±δ

The concept of the new category materials high entropy ceramics (HECs) has been proposed several years ago, which is directly borrowed from high entropy alloys (HEAs). It quickly attracts a lot of interests and displays promising properties. However, there is no clear definition of HECs differentiating it from HEAs, as it is still in its early research stage. In the current work, we are trying to use the classic perovskite LaMnO3±δ (LMO) to demonstrate the fundamental differences between HECs and HEAs. We have adopted the integrated defect chemistry and CALPHAD approach to investigate the mixing behavior and how it is affected by the control parameters, i.e. PO2, T, and composition. We have developed a new way to visualize the mixing behavior of the species including the cations, anions, and defects (vacancies), which linked the mixing behavior to the thermo-chemical properties including enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs energy. It was found that entropy plays the most important role on the mixing behavior in LMO. The present work paves the way for the HECs investigation and the design of new HECs for the various applications

Characterization of a cryptic plasmid pSM429 and its application for heterologous expression in psychrophilic Pseudoalteromonas

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Pseudoalteromonas </it>is an important genus widespread in marine environment, and a lot of psychrophilic <it>Pseudoalteromonas </it>strains thrive in deep sea and polar sea. By now, there are only a few genetic systems for <it>Pseudoalteromonas </it>reported and no commercial <it>Pseudoalteromonas </it>genetic system is available, which impedes the study of <it>Pseudoalteromonas</it>, especially for psychrophilic strains. The aim of this study is to develop a heterologous expression system for psychrophilic <it>Pseudoalteromonas</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A cryptic plasmid pSM429 isolated from psychrophilic <it>Pseudoalteromonas </it>sp. BSi20429 from the Arctic sea ice, was sequenced and characterized. The plasmid pSM429 is 3874 bp in length, with a G+C content of 28%. Four putative open reading frames (ORFs) were identified on pSM429. Based on homology, the ORF4 was predicted to encode a replication initiation (Rep) protein. A shuttle vector (<it>Escherichia coli, Pseudoalteromonas</it>), pWD, was constructed by ligating pSM429 and pUC19 and inserting a chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) cassette conferring chloramphenicol resistance. To determine the minimal replicon of pSM429 and to check the functionality of identified ORFs, various pWD derivatives were constructed. All derivatives except the two smallest ones were shown to allow replication in <it>Pseudoalteromonas </it>sp. SM20429, a plasmid-cured strain of <it>Pseudoalteromonas </it>sp. BSi20429, suggesting that the <it>orf4 </it>and its flanking intergenic regions are essential for plasmid replication. Although not essential, the sequence including some repeats between <it>orf1 </it>and <it>orf2 </it>plays important roles in segregational stability of the plasmid. With the aid of pWD-derived plasmid pWD2, the erythromycin resistance gene and the <it>cd </it>gene encoding the catalytic domain of a cold-adapted cellulase were successfully expressed in <it>Pseudoalteromonas </it>sp. SM20429.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Plasmid pSM429 was isolated and characterized, and the regions essential for plasmid replication and stability were determined, helping the development of pSM429-based shuttle vectors. The shuttle vectors pWD and its derivatives could be used as cloning vectors for <it>Pseudoalteromonas</it>, offering new perspectives in the genetic manipulation of <it>Pseudoalteromonas </it>strains. With the aid of pWD-derived vector and its host, the erythromycin resistance gene and the <it>cd </it>gene of a cold-adapted protein were successfully expressed, indicating that the potential use of this system for recombinant protein production, especially for cold-adapted proteins.</p

Análisis de Rasch de la Escala Hospitalaria de Ansiedad y Depresión (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) en pacientes con depresión mayor

The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is a widely used screening tool for depression and anxiety in patients with medical illnesses. This study aimed to explore the psychometric properties of the HADS in screening for patients with major depression using item response theory method. A total of 460 patients with major depression completed the HADS. Rasch analyses were used to examine unidimensionality, item fit, local dependency, reliability, ordering of categories, differential item functioning (DIF) and targeting. The HADS showed a two-dimensional construct. All items fit the Rasch model. Three pairs of items showed minor but inconsiderate local dependency. Both subscales had acceptable reliability. None of the items displayed disordered categories or DIF. All items were well targeted, and participants with high and low levels of distress were less targeted than those with moderate levels of distress. Finally, a conversion table to transform the raw scores into interval measures was generated. The HADS demonstrated adequate psychometric properties in assessing depression and anxiety in patients with major depression. It was more appropriate for assessing moderate than high or low levels of distress. The conversion table can be used for more precise measurement. These results may pave the way for efficient and sensitive methods of analyzing depression symptom response in research and in clinical practice.La Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) [Escala Hospitalaria de Ansiedad y Depresión] es una herramienta ampliamente utilizada para detección de la depresión y la ansiedad en pacientes con enfermedades médicas. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo explorar las propiedades psicométricas de la HADS en la detección de pacientes con depresión mayor utilizando el método de la teoría de respuesta al ítem. Un total de 460 pacientes con depresión mayor completaron el HADS. Se utilizó el análisis de Rasch para examinar la unidimensionalidad, el ajuste de los ítems, la dependencia local, la confiabilidad, el orden de las categorías, el funcionamiento diferencial de los ítems (DIF) y la focalización. La HADS mostró una construcción bidimensional. Todos los ítems se ajustaban al modelo de Rasch. Tres pares de ítems mostraron una dependencia local menor pero desconsiderada. Ambas subescalas tuvieron una confiabilidad aceptable. Ninguno de los ítems mostró categorías desordenadas o DIF. Todos los ítems estaban bien dirigidos y los participantes con niveles altos y bajos de angustia fueron menos objetivo que aquellos con niveles moderados de angustia. Finalmente, se generó una tabla de conversión para transformar las puntuaciones brutas en medidas de intervalo. El HADS demostró propiedades psicométricas adecuadas para evaluar la depresión y la ansiedad en pacientes con depresión mayor. Fue más apropiado para evaluar niveles de angustia moderados que altos o bajos. La tabla de conversión se puede utilizar para una medición más precisa. Estos resultados pueden allanar el camino para métodos eficientes y sensibles para analizar la respuesta a los síntomas de depresión en la investigación y en la práctica clínica