466 research outputs found
The identification and nature of bound exciton I-line PL systems in ZnO
The chemical identification of donor bound excitons in ZnO has been studied using radioactive ions. Implantations of 117Ag â which decays to radioactive Cd and In â have enabled the identification of the I2 optical feature as being the ionized donor counterpart of I9, one of the most prominent optical features in the photoluminescence spectrum of ZnO. Both of these lines are consistent with In occupying a Zn site
Surface modification of Al2O3âZrO2(Y2O3) eutectic oxides by laser melting: processing and wear resistance
Surface coatings of pseudo-binary Al2O3âZr2O3(Y2O3) eutectic oxides were produced by laser melting of the surface of conventionally sintered materials using a high-power diode laser. It was possible to obtain smooth, homogeneous, and crack-free coatings up to 50_7 mm2 in area by carefully controlling the processing conditions (laser power, traveling speed of the specimen, and substrate temperature). The surface treatment was aimed at creating a dense, wear-resistant coating based on the eutectic microstructure generated upon solidification. The microstructure of the coating was formed by elongated colonies, and was similar to that found in rods grown by the laser-heated floating zone method at the same growth rates. The laser-melted coating presented much higher hardness and wear resistance than the sintered materials, and the optimum mechanical properties were measured in samples treated at 500 mm/h with a laser line power of 65â80 W/cm. These samples presented a hardness and wear rate of 19.770.4 GPa and 3.8_10_6 mm3/N m, respectively, while those of the conventionally sintered materials were 14.37 0.2 GPa and 2.3_10_6 mm3/N m
Universal fluctuations in subdiffusive transport
Subdiffusive transport in tilted washboard potentials is studied within the
fractional Fokker-Planck equation approach, using the associated continuous
time random walk (CTRW) framework. The scaled subvelocity is shown to obey a
universal law, assuming the form of a stationary Levy-stable distribution. The
latter is defined by the index of subdiffusion alpha and the mean subvelocity
only, but interestingly depends neither on the bias strength nor on the
specific form of the potential. These scaled, universal subvelocity
fluctuations emerge due to the weak ergodicity breaking and are vanishing in
the limit of normal diffusion. The results of the analytical heuristic theory
are corroborated by Monte Carlo simulations of the underlying CTRW
Densidade da madeira de ĂĄrvores em savanas do norte da AmazĂŽnia brasileira
Densidade da madeira (DM) Ă© uma variĂĄvel importante para estimativas de estoques de carbono arbĂłreo em ecossistemas terrestres. Este tema Ă© pobremente investigado em ĂĄreas de savana da AmazĂŽnia brasileira. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a DM das oito principais espĂ©cies arbĂłreas que ocorrem na savana aberta de Roraima, a maior ĂĄrea de savana do norte do bioma AmazĂŽnia. Foram verificadas as variaçÔes na DM em função da espĂ©cie e dos diferentes diĂąmetros observados ao longo da dimensĂŁo vertical de 75 indivĂduos amostrados em seis sĂtios de coleta. Foi utilizado o mĂ©todo direto para obtenção de peças de madeira do fuste e da copa. Os resultados indicaram discrepĂąncia significativa interespecĂfica, sendo Roupala montana Aubl. a espĂ©cie de maior DM mĂ©dia (0,674 g cm-3). Foi detectado que existe variação significativa da DM entre as peças do fuste e da copa, independente da espĂ©cie e do sĂtio de coleta. A densidade da madeira de peças da copa com diĂąmetro entre 5 e 10 cm pode ser utilizada como preditora da DM mĂ©dia do indivĂduo arbĂłreo. NĂłs concluimos que a DM das oito espĂ©cies arbĂłreas investigadas possui variabilidade interespecĂfica, com discrepĂąncias entre a DM do fuste e das partes lenhosas da copa. As distinçÔes aqui detectadas devem ser considerados como uma importante ferramenta para melhorar as estimativas de estoque de carbono em ĂĄreas de savanas na AmazĂŽnia
Sustained VWFâADAMTSâ13 axis imbalance and endotheliopathy in long COVID syndrome is related to immune dysfunction
Background
Prolonged recovery is common after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, the pathophysiological mechanisms underpinning Long COVID syndrome remain unknown. VWF/ADAMTS-13 imbalance, dysregulated angiogenesis, and immunothrombosis are hallmarks of acute COVID-19. We hypothesized that VWF/ADAMTS-13 imbalance persists in convalescence together with endothelial cell (EC) activation and angiogenic disturbance. Additionally, we postulate that ongoing immune cell dysfunction may be linked to sustained EC and coagulation activation.
Patients and methods
Fifty patients were reviewed at a minimum of 6âweeks following acute COVID-19. ADAMTS-13, Weibel Palade Body (WPB) proteins, and angiogenesis-related proteins were assessed and clinical evaluation and immunophenotyping performed. Comparisons were made with healthy controls (n = 20) and acute COVID-19 patients (n = 36).
Results
ADAMTS-13 levels were reduced (p = 0.009) and the VWF-ADAMTS-13 ratio was increased in convalescence (p = 0.0004). Levels of platelet factor 4 (PF4), a putative protector of VWF, were also elevated (p = 0.0001). A non-significant increase in WPB proteins Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and Osteoprotegerin (OPG) was observed in convalescent patients and WPB markers correlated with EC parameters. Enhanced expression of 21 angiogenesis-related proteins was observed in convalescent COVID-19. Finally, immunophenotyping revealed significantly elevated intermediate monocytes and activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in convalescence, which correlated with thrombin generation and endotheliopathy markers, respectively.
Conclusion
Our data provide insights into sustained EC activation, dysregulated angiogenesis, and VWF/ADAMTS-13 axis imbalance in convalescent COVID-19. In keeping with the pivotal role of immunothrombosis in acute COVID-19, our findings support the hypothesis that abnormal T cell and monocyte populations may be important in the context of persistent EC activation and hemostatic dysfunction during convalescence
Young and Intermediate-age Distance Indicators
Distance measurements beyond geometrical and semi-geometrical methods, rely
mainly on standard candles. As the name suggests, these objects have known
luminosities by virtue of their intrinsic proprieties and play a major role in
our understanding of modern cosmology. The main caveats associated with
standard candles are their absolute calibration, contamination of the sample
from other sources and systematic uncertainties. The absolute calibration
mainly depends on their chemical composition and age. To understand the impact
of these effects on the distance scale, it is essential to develop methods
based on different sample of standard candles. Here we review the fundamental
properties of young and intermediate-age distance indicators such as Cepheids,
Mira variables and Red Clump stars and the recent developments in their
application as distance indicators.Comment: Review article, 63 pages (28 figures), Accepted for publication in
Space Science Reviews (Chapter 3 of a special collection resulting from the
May 2016 ISSI-BJ workshop on Astronomical Distance Determination in the Space
Age
A look at the other 90 per cent: Investigating British Sign Language vocabulary knowledge in deaf children from different language learning backgrounds
In this study we present new data on deaf children's receptive and expressive vocabulary knowledge in British Sign Language (BSL) from a sample consisting of children with deaf parents, children with hearing parents, and children with additional needs. Their performance on three BSL vocabulary tasks was compared with (previously reported findings from) a sample of deaf fluent signers. We use these data to assess the effects of some key demographic/ child variables on deaf signing children's vocabulary and discuss findings in the relation to the meaning of 'normative' data and samples for this heterogeneous population. Findings show no effect of the presence of additional disabilities on participants' scores for any of the three tasks. As expected, chronological age is the most significant factor in performance on all vocabulary tasks while the number of deaf relatives only becomes statistically significant for the form recall task. This study contributes to the field of sign language assessment by seeking to identify key variables in heterogeneity and how these variables affect signed vocabulary acquisition with the long-term objective of informing intervention
ADAMTS13 regulation of VWF multimer distribution in severe COVIDâ19
Background
Consistent with fulminant endothelial cell activation, elevated plasma von Willebrand factor (VWF) antigen levels have been reported in patients with COVID-19. The multimeric size and function of VWF are normally regulated through A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease with ThrombSpondin Motif type 1 motif, member 13 (ADAMTS-13)--mediated proteolysis.
Objectives
This study investigated the hypothesis that ADAMTS-13 regulation of VWF multimer distribution may be impaired in severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection contributing to the observed microvascular thrombosis.
Patients and Methods
Patients with COVID-19 (n = 23) were recruited from the Beaumont Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Dublin. Plasma VWF antigen, multimer distribution, ADAMTS-13 activity, and known inhibitors thereof were assessed.
Results
We observed markedly increased VWF collagen-binding activity in patients with severe COVID-19 compared to controls (median 509.1 versus 94.3 IU/dl). Conversely, plasma ADAMTS-13 activity was significantly reduced (median 68.2 IU/dl). In keeping with an increase in VWF:ADAMTS-13 ratio, abnormalities in VWF multimer distribution were common in patients with COVID-19, with reductions in high molecular weight VWF multimers. Terminal sialylation regulates VWF susceptibility to proteolysis by ADAMTS-13 and other proteases. We observed that both N- and O-linked sialylation were altered in severe COVID-19. Furthermore, plasma levels of the ADAMTS-13 inhibitors interleukin-6, thrombospondin-1, and platelet factor 4 were significantly elevated.
Conclusions
These findings support the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 is associated with profound quantitative and qualitative increases in plasma VWF levels, and a multifactorial down-regulation in ADAMTS-13 function. Further studies will be required to determine whether therapeutic interventions to correct ADAMTS-13-VWF multimer dysfunction may be useful in COVID-microvascular thrombosis and angiopathy
Membrane Cholesterol Strongly Influences Confined Diffusion of Prestin
Prestin is the membrane motor protein that drives outer hair cell (OHC) electromotility, a process that is essential for mammalian hearing. Prestin function is sensitive to membrane cholesterol levels, and numerous studies have suggested that prestin localizes in cholesterol-rich membrane microdomains. Previously, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching experiments were performed in HEK cells expressing prestin-GFP after cholesterol manipulations, and revealed evidence of transient confinement. To further characterize this apparent confined diffusion of prestin, we conjugated prestin to a photostable fluorophore (tetramethylrhodamine) and performed single-molecule fluorescence microscopy. Using single-particle tracking, we determined the microscopic diffusion coefficient from the full time course of the mean-squared deviation. Our results indicate that prestin undergoes diffusion in confinement regions, and that depletion of membrane cholesterol increases confinement size and decreases confinement strength. By interpreting the data in terms of a mathematical model of hop-diffusion, we quantified these cholesterol-induced changes in membrane organization. A complementary analysis of the distribution of squared displacements confirmed that cholesterol depletion reduces prestin confinement. These findings support the hypothesis that prestin function is intimately linked to membrane organization, and further promote a regulatory role for cholesterol in OHC and auditory function
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