Dielectric properties and impedance spectroscopy of NASICON type Na3_3Zr2_2Si2_2PO12_{12}

We report the temperature dependent dielectric properties and impedance spectroscopy investigation of Na$_3$Zr$_2$Si$_2$PO$_{12}$ in the frequency range of 20 Hz--2 MHz. The Rietveld refinement of x-ray diffraction pattern confirms the monoclinic phase with C2/c space group. The {\it d.c.} resistivity behavior shows its strong insulating nature at low temperatures, and follows Arrhenius law of thermal conduction with an activation energy of 0.68 eV. The decrease in electric permittivity ($\epsilon_r$) with frequency is explained based on the space polarization mechanism and its increment with temperature by thermal activation of charge carriers. The dielectric loss (D=tan$\delta$) peak follows the Arrhenius law of thermal activation with an energy of 0.25 eV. We observe an enhancement in {\it a.c.} conductivity with frequency and temperature due to the decrease in the activation energy, which results in enhancing the conduction between defect states. Further, we observe an abrupt increase in the {\it a.c.} conductivity at high frequencies, which is explained using the universal Jonschers power law. The analysis of {\it a.c.} conductivity shows two types of conduction mechanisms namely correlated barrier hopping and non-overlapping small polaron tunnelling in the measured temperature range. The imaginary part of the electric modulus confirms the non-Debye type relaxation in the sample. The shifting of the relaxation peak towards higher frequency side with an increase in temperature ensures its thermally activated nature. The scaling behavior of the electric modulus shows similar type of relaxation over the measured temperature range. The combined analysis of electric modulus and impedance with frequency shows the short-range mobility of charge carriers.Comment: submitte

Malignant melanoma and oral contraceptive use among women in California.

Women who had used oral contraceptives, particularly long-term users, were found to have higher rates of malignant melanoma and of a past history of skin cancer than those who had never used oral contraceptives. This excess was confined to lesions of the lower limb. The association between oral contraceptive use and melanoma was noted in 3 separate sets of data, although it was statistically significant only in one. The possibility that this relationship is indirect because, for example, oral contraceptive users are more likely than never-users to be exposed to sunlight and thus to develop malignant melanoma, cannot be excluded

UC-394 AI Limitations

Our project, AI Limitations, explores the application of AI, in our case ChatGPT, in creating an online auction website. It investigates the boundaries of ChatGPT\u27s capabilities and highlights its potential, while recognizing limitations in generating precise guidance for completing complex tasks. The project combines research, programming, and documentation, providing valuable insights into AI\u27s role in project development

Public health engagement: detection of suspicious skin lesions, screening and referral behaviour of UK based chiropractors.

BACKGROUND: UK morbidity and mortality rates from skin cancer are increasing despite existing preventative strategies involving education and early detection. Manual therapists are ideally placed to support these goals as they see greater quantities of exposed patient skin more often than most other healthcare professionals. The purpose of this study therefore was to ascertain the ability of manual therapists to detect, screen and refer suspicious skin lesions. METHOD: A web-based questionnaire and quiz was used in a sample of UK chiropractic student clinicians and registered chiropractors to gather data during 2011 concerning skin screening and referral behaviors for suspicious skin lesions. RESULTS: A total of 120 questionnaires were included. Eighty one percent of participants agreed that screening for suspicious skin lesions was part of their clinical role, with nearly all (94%) assessing their patients for lesions during examination. Over 90% of the participants reported regularly having the opportunity for skin examination; with nearly all (98%) agreeing they would refer patients with suspicious skin lesions to a medical practitioner. A third of respondents had referred a total of 80 suspicious lesions within the last 12 months with 67% warranting further investigation. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly all respondents agreed that screening patients for suspicious skin lesions was part of their clinical role, with a significant number already referring patients with lesions

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, other lipid-lowering medication, antiplatelet therapy, and the risk of venous thrombosis

Background: Statins [3-hydroxymethyl-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors] and antiplatelet therapy reduce the risk of atherosclerotic disease. Besides a reduction of lipid levels, statins might also have antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory properties, and anti-platelet therapy reduces clot formation. We have studied the risk of venous thrombosis with use of statins, other lipid-lowering medication, and antiplatelet therapy. Materials and methods: Patients with a first episode of deep vein thrombosis in the leg or pulmonary embolism between March 1999 and September 2004 were included in a large population-based case–control study (MEGA study). Control subjects were partners of patients (53%) or recruited via a random-digit-dialing method (47%). Participants reported different all-medication use in a questionnaire. Results: Of 4538 patients, 154 used statins (3.3%), as did 354 of 5914 control subjects (5.7%). The use of statins [odds ratio (OR) 0.45; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.36–0.56] but not other lipid-lowering medications (OR 1.22; 95% CI 0.62–2.43), was associated with a reduced venous thrombosis risk as compared with individuals who did not use any lipid-lowering medication, after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, atherosclerotic disease, antiplatelet therapy and use of vitamin K antagonists. Different types and various durations of statin therapy were all associated with a decreased venous thrombosis risk. Antiplatelet therapy also reduced venous thrombosis risk (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.42–0.74). However, sensitivity analyses suggested that this effect is most likely explained by a so-called ‘healthy user effect’. Simultaneous use of medication most strongly reduced venous thrombosis risk. Conclusion: These results suggest that the use of various types of statins is associated with a reduced risk of venous thrombosis, whereas antiplatelet therapy and other lipid-lowering medications are not.\u

Undetected anomalies in foetuses with a prenatal diagnosis of isolated cleft

The aim of this study was to determine the rate of undetected additional anomalies following a prenatal diagnosis of isolated oral cleft. Data of all infants with a prenatal diagnosis of isolated oral cleft born between 2000 and 2015 were studied retrospectively. Additional anomalies detected after birth were categorized as minor or major and included structural and chromosomal anomalies. Isolated clefts of the lip (CL), lip and alveolus (CLA) and lip, alveolus, and palate (CLAP) were diagnosed prenatally in 176 live-born infants. The type of cleft was more extensive after birth in 34/176 (19.3%) and less extensive in 16/176 (9.1%) newborns. Additional anomalies were diagnosed in 24 infants (13.6%), of which 12 (6.8%) were categorized as major. The latter included two submicroscopic chromosome anomalies and two gene mutations. Postnatal additional anomalies occurred more frequently in CLA and CLAP than in CL, and more in bilateral than in unilateral clefts. Major anomalies are still found in infants with a prenatal diagnosis of an isolated oral cleft. The prevalence of additional anomalies seems to be related to the type and bilaterality of the cleft, and this should be considered during prenatal counselling

Gender Differences in Russian Colour Naming

In the present study we explored Russian colour naming in a web-based psycholinguistic experiment (http://www.colournaming.com). Colour singletons representing the Munsell Color Solid (N=600 in total) were presented on a computer monitor and named using an unconstrained colour-naming method. Respondents were Russian speakers (N=713). For gender-split equal-size samples (NF=333, NM=333) we estimated and compared (i) location of centroids of 12 Russian basic colour terms (BCTs); (ii) the number of words in colour descriptors; (iii) occurrences of BCTs most frequent non-BCTs. We found a close correspondence between females’ and males’ BCT centroids. Among individual BCTs, the highest inter-gender agreement was for seryj ‘grey’ and goluboj ‘light blue’, while the lowest was for sinij ‘dark blue’ and krasnyj ‘red’. Females revealed a significantly richer repertory of distinct colour descriptors, with great variety of monolexemic non-BCTs and “fancy” colour names; in comparison, males offered relatively more BCTs or their compounds. Along with these measures, we gauged denotata of most frequent CTs, reflected by linguistic segmentation of colour space, by employing a synthetic observer trained by gender-specific responses. This psycholinguistic representation revealed females’ more refined linguistic segmentation, compared to males, with higher linguistic density predominantly along the redgreen axis of colour space

Comparison of metal-dependent catalysis by HIV-1 and ASV integrase proteins using a new and rapid, moderate throughput assay for joining activity in solution

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>HIV-1 integrase (IN) is an attractive target for the development of drugs to treat AIDS, and inhibitors of this viral enzyme are already in the clinic. Nevertheless, there is a continuing need to devise new approaches to block the activity of this viral protein because of the emergence of resistant strains. To facilitate the biochemical analysis of wild-type IN and its derivatives, and to measure the potency of prospective inhibitory compounds, a rapid, moderate throughput solution assay was developed for IN-catalyzed joining of viral and target DNAs, based on the detection of a fluorescent tag.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A detailed, step-by-step description of the new joining assay is provided. The reactions are run in solution, the products captured on streptavidin beads, and activity is measured by release of a fluorescent tag. The procedure can be scaled up for the analysis of numerous samples, and is substantially more rapid and sensitive than the standard radioactive gel methods. The new assay is validated and its utility demonstrated via a detailed comparison of the Mg⁺⁺- and Mn⁺⁺-dependent activities of the IN proteins from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and the avian sarcoma virus (ASV). The results confirm that ASV IN is considerably more active than HIV-1 IN, but with both enzymes the initial rates of joining, and the product yields, are higher in the presence of Mn⁺⁺than Mg⁺⁺. Although the pH optima for these two enzymes are similar with Mn⁺⁺, they differ significantly in the presence of Mg⁺⁺, which is likely due to differences in the molecular environment of the binding region of this physiologically relevant divalent cation. This interpretation is strengthened by the observation that a compound that can inhibit HIV-1 IN in the presence of either metal cofactors is only effective against ASV in the presence of Mn⁺⁺.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A simplified, assay for measuring the joining activity of retroviral IN in solution is described, which offers several advantages over previous methods and the standard radioactive gel analyses. Based on comparisons of signal to background ratios, the assay is 10–30 times more sensitive than gel analysis, allows more rapid and accurate biochemical analyses of IN catalytic activity, and moderate throughput screening of inhibitory compounds. The assay is validated, and its utility demonstrated in a comparison of the metal-dependent activities of HIV-1 and ASV IN proteins.</p

Porewater methane transport within the gas vesicles of diurnally migrating Chaoborus spp.: An energetic advantage

We show that diurnally migrating Chaoborus sp. (phantom midge larvae), which can be highly abundant in eutrophic lakes with anoxic bottom, utilises sediment methane to inflate their tracheal sacs, which provides positive buoyancy to aid vertical migration. This process also effectively transports sediment methane bypassing oxidation to the upper water column, adding to the total methane outflux to the atmosphere