Ab initio structure modeling of complex thin-film oxides: thermodynamical stability of TiC/thin-film alumina

We present an efficient and general method to identify promising candidate configurations for thin-film oxides and to determine structural characteristics of (metastable) thin-film structures using ab initio calculations. At the heart of this method is the complexity of the oxide bulk structure, from which a large number of thin films with structural building blocks, that is motifs, from metastable bulk oxide systems can be extracted. These span a coarse but well-defined network of initial configurations for which density functional theory (DFT) calculations predict and implement dramatic atomic relaxations in the corresponding, resulting thin-film candidates. The network of thin-film candidates (for various film thicknesses and stoichiometries) can be ordered according to their variation in ab initio total energy or in ab initio equilibrium Gibbs free energy. Analysis of the relaxed atomic structures for the most favored structures gives insight into the nature of stable and metastable thin-film oxides. We investigate ultrathin alumina nucleated on TiC as a model system to illustrate this method.Comment: Submitted to PRB; 16 pages, 11 figure

Notes

Notes by W. D. Rollison, E. L. Hessmer, John M. Ruberto, William M. Cain, and John V. Leddy

VISUOMOTOR INTEGRATION SKILLS IN CHILDREN AFFECTED BY OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA SYNDROME: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Introduction: Sleep related breathing disorders (SRBD) consist of frequent and repetitive episodes of pharyngeal obstruction during sleep, with consequent intermittent hypoxia, sleep architecture fragmentation, daytime sleepiness and/or behavioural problems and executive impairment in children. When untreated, SRBD and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) mainly, may impact school performance, cognition, metabolism, and cardiovascular function. Aim of the present study is assessing the visuomotor integration skills in children affected by OSA. Materials and methods: 57 subjects affected by mild-to severe OSA, PSG diagnosed according to international diagnostic criteria, (31 males and 26 females) (mean age 10.8; SD \ub1 2.49) and 83 healthy children (45 males and 38 females) (mean age 9.95; SD \ub1 1.87; p = 0.725). All subjects underwent assessment of motor coordination skills with Movement-ABC tests and visual-motor integration ability with Visual Motor Integration (VMI) test. Results: The subjects with OSA show a worse average performances in all items of Movement ABC (p <0.001) respect of controls. Specifically, children with OSAS show significantly higher values of total points (p <0.001), manual dexterity (p <0.001), ball skills (p <0.001) and balance (p <0.001). Accordingly, the average centile in OSA children at the MABC-test is significantly reduced compared with controls (p <0.001). (Table 1) On the other hand, the VMI test evaluation among children with OSAS shows worst result in total Visuo-Motor Integration (p <0.001), and in Motor Coordination sub-item (p <0.001) than controls. (Table 1). Conclusion: Our results also support for children and adolescents the hypothesis that executive functioning deficits might be linked primarily to the degree of severity nocturnal hypoxemia rather than daytime sleepiness, although several other studies are needed

Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum essential oil prevented biofilm formation and showed antibacterial activity against planktonic and sessile bacterial cells

Essential oils from six different populations of Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum were compared for their antibiofilm properties. The six essential oils (A to F) were characterized by a combination of gas chromatography with flame ionization detector and gas chromatography with mass spectrometer detector analyses. All oils showed weak activity against the planktonic form of a group of Staphylococcus aureus strains and against a Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442 reference strain. The ability to inhibit biofilm formation was investigated at sub-MIC levels of 200, 100, and 50 m g/ml by staining sessile cells with safranin. Sample E showed the highest average effectiveness against all tested strains at 50 m g/ml and had inhibition percentages ranging from 30 to 52%. In the screening that used preformed biofilm from the reference strain P. aeruginosa, essential oils A through E were inactive at 200 m g/ml; F was active with a percentage of inhibition equal to 53.2%. Oregano essential oil can inhibit the formation of biofilms of various food pathogens and food spoilage organisms.Essential oils from six different populations of Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum were compared for their antibiofilm properties. The six essential oils (A to F) were characterized by a combination of gas chromatography with flame ionization detector and gas chromatography with mass spectrometer detector analyses. All oils showed weak activity against the planktonic form of a group of Staphylococcus aureus strains and against a Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442 reference strain. The ability to inhibit biofilm formation was investigated at sub-MIC levels of 200, 100, and 50 m g/ml by staining sessile cells with safranin. Sample E showed the highest average effectiveness against all tested strains at 50 m g/ml and had inhibition percentages ranging from 30 to 52%. In the screening that used preformed biofilm from the reference strain P. aeruginosa, essential oils A through E were inactive at 200 m g/ml; F was active with a percentage of inhibition equal to 53.2%. Oregano essential oil can inhibit the formation of biofilms of various food pathogens and food spoilage organisms

Effectiveness and safety of Nintendo Wii Fit PlusTM training in children with migraine without aura: a preliminary study

Background: Migraine without aura (MoA) is a painful syndrome, particularly in childhood; it is often accompanied by severe impairments, including emotional dysfunction, absenteeism from school, and poor academic performance, as well as issues relating to poor cognitive function, sleep habits, and motor coordination. Materials and methods: The study population consisted of 71 patients affected by MoA (32 females, 39 males) (mean age: 9.13±1.94 years); the control group consisted of 93 normally developing children (44 females, 49 males) (mean age: 8.97±2.03 years) recruited in the Campania school region. The entire population underwent a clinical evaluation to assess total intelligence quotient level, visual-motor integration (VMI) skills, and motor coordination performance, the later using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC). Children underwent training using the Wii-balance board and Nintendo Wii Fit Plus™ software (Nintendo Co, Ltd, Kyoto, Japan); training lasted for 12 weeks and consisted of three 30-minute sessions per week at their home. Results: The two starting populations (MoA and controls) were not significantly different for age (P=0.899) and sex (P=0.611). M-ABC and VMI performances at baseline (T0) were significantly different in dexterity, balance, and total score for M-ABC (P,0.001) and visual (P=0.003) and motor (P,0.001) tasks for VMI. After 3 months of Wii training (T1), MoA children showed a significant improvement in M-ABC global performance (P,0.001), M-ABC dexterity (P,0.001), M-ABC balance (P,0.001), and VMI motor task (P,0.001). Conclusion: Our study reported the positive effects of the Nintendo Wii Fit PlusTM system as a rehabilitative device for the visuomotor and balance skills impairments among children affected by MoA, even if further research and longer follow-up are needed

Calculo Hidrológico de un embalse con fines de riego en la Provincia de Corrientes

La cuenca del arroyo Seco se desarrolla con orientación norte - sur en el centro de la provmc1a de Corrientes. Funciona como subcuenca del sistema del arroyo Curupicay que descarga en la cuenca del río Miriñay. El objeto principal de este trabajo es la ejecución de una presa sobre el cauce del arroyo Seco, realizando el estudio hidrológico del curso superficial y su cuenca hidrográfica con el fin de justificar su construcción y aplicarlo a un sistema productivo de arroz. Para ello se efectuó el levantamiento digital de la topografía y las áreas de drenaje del arroyo, para luego trazar la divisoria de la subcuenca y obtener la superficie de aporte hacia la presa. La cuestión hidrológica fue abordada calculando de escurrimiento por el método sintético de la Curva Número, comprobándose por medio del balance hídrico por el método de Thomthwite. Finalmente se ha verificado la estabilidad de la presa con un grado de seguridad (Fs = 4,3 > 1,5 para obras hidráulicas menores) que satisface las condiciones impuestas en los reglamentos existentes. La presa aquí proyectada, garantiza el riego de entre 300 a 400 ha adicionales, dependiendo de la estrategia y la eficiencia del riego

Life events and primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis: A pediatric pilot study

Introduction: The association between primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (PMNE) and behavioral disorders was highlighted frequently, suggesting psychiatric origin. On the other hand, there is no difference between the incidence of mental disorders in children with PMNE and controls, although the psychological genesis could provide additional secondary forms, in which the child might react to stressful events with the resumption of involuntary urination at night, with a possible alteration of bowel control due to a high vulnerability to stressors. The purpose of this study is assessing the stressful events of life in a sample of children with PMNE. Materials and methods: 56 subjects with PMNE, (37 males and 19 females) (mean 10.87 years; SD \ub1 1.68) were recruited consecutively. All subjects were evaluated for the presence of stressful events (ICU) with test Coddington Life Events Scales (CLES). The control group consists of 98 typically developing children (65 males, 33 females) (p = 0.855) (mean 11.3 years; SD \ub1 1.85; p = 0.594). Results: Individuals with enuresis do not show a significant difference in the prevalence of stressful events than the control group (42.85% vs 41.83%; Chi-square = 0.002; p = 0,963) (table 1). Conclusions: These results for the first time show that PMNE can be regarded as an independent state by stress factors, suggesting that it itself represents a stress factor that can affect the proper psychological and neuropsychological development in children