Mechanisms of arsenic clustering in silicon

A model of arsenic clustering in silicon is proposed and analyzed. The main feature of the proposed model is the assumption that negatively charged arsenic complexes play a dominant role in the clustering process. To confirm this assumption, electron density and concentration of impurity atoms incorporated into the clusters are calculated as functions of the total arsenic concentration. A number of the negatively charged clusters incorporating a point defect and one or more arsenic atoms are investigated. It is shown that for the doubly negatively charged clusters or for clusters incorporating more than one arsenic atom the electron density reaches a maximum value and then monotonically and slowly decreases as total arsenic concentration increases. In the case of doubly negatively charged cluster incorporating two arsenic atoms, the calculated electron density agrees well with the experimental data. Agreement with the experiment confirms the conclusion that two arsenic atoms participate in the cluster formation. Among all present models, the proposed model of clustering by formation of doubly negatively charged cluster incorporating two arsenic atoms gives the best fit to the experimental data and can be used in simulation of high concentration arsenic diffusion.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures. Revised and shortened version of the paper has been published in Phys. Rev. B, Vol.74 (3), art. no. 035205 (2006

Family functioning but not social capital is associated with better mental health in adolescents affected by violence and displacement by armed conflict in Colombia

Background: The effect of the Colombian armed conflict on the mental health of adolescents is still poorly understood. Aims: Given social interventions are most likely to inform policy, we tested whether two potential intervention targets, family functioning and social capital, were associated with mental health in Colombian adolescents, and whether this was moderated by experience of violence and displacement. Methods: We examined the cross-sectional association between family functioning, cognitive social capital, structural social capital and 12-month prevalence of Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) diagnosed psychiatric disorder, using data on 12 to 17-year-old adolescents (N = 1,754) from the 2015 National Mental Health Survey of Colombia, a nationally representative epidemiological study. We tested whether associations survived cumulative adjustment for demographic confounders, experience of non-specific violence and harm and displacement by armed conflict. Results: Neither structural nor cognitive social capital were associated with better mental health. Better family functioning was associated with reduced risk of poor mental health in an unadjusted analysis (OR 0.90 [0.85–0.96]), and after cumulative adjustments for demographic confounders (OR 0.91 [0.86–0.97]), non-specific violence and harm (OR 0.91 [0.86–0.97]) and social capital variables (OR 0.91 [0.85–0.97]). In the final model, each additional point on the family APGAR scale was associated with a 9% reduced odds of any CIDI diagnosed disorder in the last 12 months. Conclusions: Better family functioning was associated with better mental health outcomes for all adolescents. This effect remained present in those affected by the armed conflict even after accounting for potential confounders

Comparison of reflectance confocal microscopy and line-field optical coherence tomography for the identification of keratinocyte skin tumours

Background: Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) and line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) are non-invasive imaging devices that can help in the clinical diagnosis of actinic keratosis (AK) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). No studies are available on the comparison between these two technologies for the identification of the different features of keratinocyte skin tumours. Objectives: To compare RCM and LC-OCT findings in AK and SCC. Methods: A retrospective multicenter study was conducted. Tumours were imaged with RCM and LC-OCT devices before surgery, and the diagnosis was confirmed by histological examinations. LC-OCT and RCM criteria for AK/SCC were identified, and their presence/absence was evaluated in all study lesions. Gwet AC1 concordance index was calculated to compare RCM and LC-OCT. Results: We included 52 patients with 33 AKs and 19 SCCs. Irregular epidermis was visible in most tumours and with a good degree of agreement between RCM and LC-OCT (Gwet's AC1 0.74). Parakeratosis, dyskeratotic keratinocytes and both linear dilated and glomerular vessels were better visible at LC-OCT than RCM (p < 0.001). Erosion/ulceration was identified with both methods in more than half of the cases with a good degree of agreement (Gwet AC1 0.62). Conclusions: Our results suggest that both LC-OCT and hand-held RCM can help clinicians in the identification of AK and SCC, providing an in vivo and non-invasive identification of an irregular epidermis. LC-OCT proved to be more effective in identifying parakeratosis, dyskeratotic keratinocytes and vessels in this series

Increased C-reactive protein concentration and suicidal behavior in people with psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide. Identifying factors associated with suicidality (suicidal ideation [SI]/suicidal behavior) could increase our understanding of the pathophysiological underpinnings of suicide and improve its prevention. Methods: We conducted a systematic review (PubMed/PsycInfo/Cochrane databases, up to September 2020) and random-effect meta-analysis including observational studies comparing peripheral C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in suicidal versus non-suicidal patients affected by any psychiatric disorder and healthy controls (HC). Primary outcome was the CRP standardized mean difference (SMD) between patients with high suicidality versus those with absent or low suicidality. Secondary outcomes were SMD of CRP levels between those with suicide attempt versus no suicide attempt, as well as between those with (high) versus low or absent SI. Quality of included studies was measured with Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Results: Out of initial 550 references, 21 observational studies involving 7682 subjects (7445 with mood disorders or first-episode psychosis, 237 HC) were included. A significant association of CRP levels with suicidality (SMD 0.688, 95% CI 0.476–0.9, p < 0.001) emerged. CRP levels were higher in individuals with high SI (SMD 1.145, 95% CI 0.273–2.018, p = 0.010) and in those with suicide attempt (SMD 0.549, 95%CI 0.363–0.735, p < 0.001) than non-suicidal individuals (either patients or HC). Main analyses were confirmed in sensitivity analysis (removing HC), and after adjusting for publication bias. The cross-sectional design of included studies, and the high heterogeneity of diagnosis and treatment limit the generalizability of these results. Median quality of included studies was high. Conclusion: CRP is associated with higher suicidality in patients with mental disorders. Large cohort studies longitudinally monitoring CRP levels are needed to explore its longitudinal association with suicidality

Personality traits and night eating syndrome in women with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder

Purpose: Previous research suggests that eating disorders may be associated with certain personality profiles; however, there is limited research investigating associations with night eating syndrome (NES). This research suggests harm avoidance personality trait is higher in NES individuals than in the general population, however, evidence of associations with other personality traits is inconsistent. To understand which personality traits are associated with NES symptoms, the current study aimed to improve understanding of the relationship between NES symptoms and a range of personality traits, addressing limitations in the earlier literature in this area by controlling for common confounders. Methods: Baseline data were analysed from an outpatient psychotherapy trial for 111 women with bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder. Pre-treatment measures of personality traits (measured with the Temperament and character inventory—revised) and NES symptoms (measured with the Night eating questionnaire) were used. Regression analyses tested associations between these variables, adjusting for potential confounders, including age and ethnicity. Results: Low cooperativeness scores were associated with greater NES symptoms in the multivariable model (mean difference: −0.10, 95% confidence intervals: −0.20 to −0.01, p = 0.033). There was weak evidence of associations between both high harm avoidance and low self-directedness personality traits and greater NES symptoms. Conclusions: This study adds to the limited research measuring associations between a range of personality traits and NES, addressing limitations of previous research. Weak evidence for an association between high harm avoidance and low self-directedness and increased NES symptoms was found. A novel association was found between low cooperativeness and greater NES symptoms. Further research is needed to validate its presence in those with and without comorbid eating disorders and to examine the relative change in NES, eating disorder symptoms and personality scores in treatments focusing on cooperativeness. Level of evidence: Level IV (cross-sectional data from a randomised controlled trial, CTB/04/08/139)

The State of the Art in Language Workbenches. Conclusions from the Language Workbench Challenge

Language workbenches are tools that provide high-level mechanisms for the implementation of (domain-specific) languages. Language workbenches are an active area of research that also receives many contributions from industry. To compare and discuss existing language workbenches, the annual Language Workbench Challenge was launched in 2011. Each year, participants are challenged to realize a given domain-specific language with their workbenches as a basis for discussion and comparison. In this paper, we describe the state of the art of language workbenches as observed in the previous editions of the Language Workbench Challenge. In particular, we capture the design space of language workbenches in a feature model and show where in this design space the participants of the 2013 Language Workbench Challenge reside. We compare these workbenches based on a DSL for questionnaires that was realized in all workbenches

Disability and participation in breast and bowel cancer screening in England: a large prospective study.

BACKGROUND: There is limited information about participation in organised population-wide screening programmes by people with disabilities. METHODS: Data from the National Health Service routine screening programmes in England were linked to information on disability reported by the Million Women Study cohort participants. RESULTS: Of the 473 185 women offered routine breast or bowel cancer screening, 23% reported some disability. Women with disabilities were less likely than other women to participate in breast cancer screening (RR=0.64, 95% CI: 0.62-0.65) and in bowel cancer screening (RR=0.75, 0.73-0.76). Difficulties with self-care or vision were associated with the greatest reduction in screening participation. CONCLUSION: Participation in routine cancer screening programmes in England is reduced in people with disabilities and participation varies by type of disability

Microarray-based identification and RT-PCR test screening for epithelial-specific mRNAs in peripheral blood of patients with colon cancer

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of screening for colorectal cancer using a simple blood-based assay for the detection of tumor cells disseminated in the circulation at an early stage of the disease is gaining positive feedback from several lines of research. This method seems able to reduce colorectal cancer mortality and may replace colonoscopy as the most effective means of detecting colonic lesions. METHODS: In this work, we present a new microarray-based high-throughput screening method to identifying candidate marker mRNAs for the early detection of epithelial cells diluted in peripheral blood cells. This method includes 1. direct comparison of different samples of colonic mucosa and of blood cells to identify consistent epithelial-specific mRNAs from among 20,000 cDNA assayed by microarray slides; 2. identification of candidate marker mRNAs by data analysis, which allowed selection of only 10 putative differentially expressed genes; 3. Selection of some of the most suitable mRNAs (TMEM69, RANBP3 and PRSS22) that were assayed in blood samples from normal subjects and patients with colon cancer as possible markers for the presence of epithelial cells in the blood, using reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Our present results seem to provide an indication, for the first time obtained by genome-scale screening, that a suitable and consistent colon epithelium mRNA marker may be difficult to identify. CONCLUSION: The design of new approaches to identify such markers is warranted