104 research outputs found
Thermal conductivity of MgB in the superconducting state
We present thermal conductivity measurements on very pure and dense bulk
samples, as indicated by residual resistivity values as low as 0.5 mW cm and
thermal conductivity values higher than 200 W/mK. In the normal state we found
that the Wiedemann Franz law, in its generalized form, works well suggesting
that phonons do not contribute to the heat transport. The thermal conductivity
in the superconducting state has been analysed by using a two-gap model. Thank
to the large gap anisotropy we were able to evaluate quantitatively intraband
scattering relaxation times of and bands, which depend on the
disorder in different way; namely, as the disorder increases, it reduces more
effectively the relaxation times of than of bands, as
suggested by a recent calculation [1].Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure
RVB Contribution to Superconductivity in
We view as electronically equivalent to (non-staggered) graphite
( layer) that has undergone a zero gap semiconductor to a superconductor
phase transition by a large c-axis (chemical) pressure due to layers.
Further, like the \ppi bonded planar organic molecules, graphite is an old
resonating valence bond (RVB) system. The RVB's are the `preexisting cooper
pairs' in the `parental' zero gap semiconducting (graphite) sheets that
manifests themselves as a superconducting ground state of the transformed
metal. Some consequences are pointed out.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure, RevTex. Based on a talk given at the Institute
Seminar Week, IMSc, Madras (12-16, Feb. 2001
Muon-spin-relaxation study of the magnetic penetration depth in MgB2
The magnetic vortex lattice (VL) of polycrystalline MgB2 has been
investigated by transverse-field muon-spin-relaxation (TF-MuSR). The evolution
of TF-MuSR depolarization rate, sigma, that is proportional to the second
moment of the field distribution of the VL has been studied as a function of
temperature and applied magnetic field. The low temperature value s exhibits a
pronounced peak near Hext = 75 mT. This behavior is characteristic of strong
pinning induced distortions of the VL which put into question the
interpretation of the low-field TF-MuSR data in terms of the magnetic
penetration depth lambda(T). An approximately constant value of sigma, such as
expected for an ideal VL in the London-limit, is observed at higher fields of
Hext > 0.4 T. The TF-MuSR data at Hext = 0.6 T are analyzed in terms of a
two-gap model. We obtain values for the gap size of D1 = 6.0 meV (2D1/kBTc =
3.6), D2 = 2.6 meV (2D2/kBTc = 1.6), a comparable spectral weight of the two
bands and a zero temperature value for the magnetic penetration depth of lambda
= 100 nm. In addition, we performed MuSR-measurements in zero external field
(ZF-MuSR). We obtain evidence that the muon site (at low temperature) is
located on a ring surrounding the center of the boron hexagon. Muon diffusion
sets in already at rather low temperature of T > 10 K. The nuclear magnetic
moments can account for the observed relaxation rate and no evidence for
electronic magnetic moments has been obtained.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure
Infection Risk in the First Year After ABO-incompatible Kidney Transplantation: A Nationwide Prospective Cohort Study.
BACKGROUND
ABO-incompatible (ABOi) kidney transplantation (KT) expands the kidney donor pool and may help to overcome organ shortage. Nonetheless, concerns about infectious complications associated with ABOi-KT have been raised.
METHODS
In a nationwide cohort (Swiss Transplant Cohort Study), we compared the risk for infectious complications among ABOi and ABO-compatible (ABOc) renal transplant recipients. Infections needed to fulfill rigorous, prespecified criteria to be classified as clinically relevant. Unadjusted and adjusted competing risk regression models were used to compare the time to the first clinically relevant infection among ABOi-KT and ABOc-KT recipients. Inverse probability weighted generalized mixed-effects Poisson regression was used to estimate incidence rate ratios for infection.
RESULTS
We included 757 living-donor KT recipients (639 ABOc; 118 ABOi) and identified 717 infection episodes. The spectrum of causative pathogens and the anatomical sites affected by infections were similar between ABOi-KT and ABOc-KT recipients. There was no significant difference in time to first posttransplant infection between ABOi-KT and ABOc-KT recipients (subhazard ratio, 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93-1.66; P = 0.142). At 1 y, the crude infection rate was 1.11 (95% CI, 0.93-1.33) episodes per patient-year for ABOi patients and 0.94 (95% CI, 0.86-1.01) for ABOc-KT recipients. Inverse probability weighted infection rates were similar between groups (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.83-1.52; P = 0.461).
CONCLUSIONS
The burden of infections during the first year posttransplant was high but not relevantly different in ABOi-KT and ABOc-KT recipients. Our results highlight that concerns regarding infectious complications should not affect the implementation of ABOi-KT programs
Instances and connectors : issues for a second generation process language
This work is supported by UK EPSRC grants GR/L34433 and GR/L32699Over the past decade a variety of process languages have been defined, used and evaluated. It is now possible to consider second generation languages based on this experience. Rather than develop a second generation wish list this position paper explores two issues: instances and connectors. Instances relate to the relationship between a process model as a description and the, possibly multiple, enacting instances which are created from it. Connectors refers to the issue of concurrency control and achieving a higher level of abstraction in how parts of a model interact. We believe that these issues are key to developing systems which can effectively support business processes, and that they have not received sufficient attention within the process modelling community. Through exploring these issues we also illustrate our approach to designing a second generation process language.Postprin
Caenorhabditis elegans N-glycan Core β-galactoside Confers Sensitivity towards Nematotoxic Fungal Galectin CGL2
The physiological role of fungal galectins has remained elusive. Here, we show that feeding of a mushroom galectin, Coprinopsis cinerea CGL2, to Caenorhabditis elegans inhibited development and reproduction and ultimately resulted in killing of this nematode. The lack of toxicity of a carbohydrate-binding defective CGL2 variant and the resistance of a C. elegans mutant defective in GDP-fucose biosynthesis suggested that CGL2-mediated nematotoxicity depends on the interaction between the galectin and a fucose-containing glycoconjugate. A screen for CGL2-resistant worm mutants identified this glycoconjugate as a Galβ1,4Fucα1,6 modification of C. elegans N-glycan cores. Analysis of N-glycan structures in wild type and CGL2-resistant nematodes confirmed this finding and allowed the identification of a novel putative glycosyltransferase required for the biosynthesis of this glycoepitope. The X-ray crystal structure of a complex between CGL2 and the Galβ1,4Fucα1,6GlcNAc trisaccharide at 1.5 Å resolution revealed the biophysical basis for this interaction. Our results suggest that fungal galectins play a role in the defense of fungi against predators by binding to specific glycoconjugates of these organisms
Physical Property Characterization of Bulk MgB2 Superconductor
We report synthesis, structure/micro-structure, resistivity under magnetic
field [R(T)H], Raman spectra, thermoelectric power S(T), thermal conductivity
K(T), and magnetization of ambient pressure argon annealed polycrystalline bulk
samples of MgB2, processed under identical conditions. The compound
crystallizes in hexagonal structure with space group P6/mmm. Transmission
electron microscopy (TEM) reveals electron micrographs showing various types of
defect features along with the presence of 3-4nm thick amorphous layers forming
the grain boundaries of otherwise crystalline MgB2. Raman spectra of the
compound at room temperature exhibited characteristic phonon peak at 600 cm-1.
Superconductivity is observed at 37.2K by magnetic susceptibility C(T),
resistivity R(T), thermoelectric power S(T), and thermal conductivity K(T)
measurements. The power law fitting of R(T) give rise to Debye temperature at
1400K which is found consistent with the theoretical fitting of S(T),
exhibiting ThetaD of 1410K and carrier density of 3.81x 1028/m3. Thermal
conductivity K(T) shows a jump at 38K, i.e., at Tc, which was missing in some
earlier reports. Critical current density (Jc) of up to 105 A/cm2 in 1-2T
(Tesla) fields at temperatures (T) of up to 10K is seen from magnetization
measurements. The irreversibility field, defined as the field related to
merging of M(H) loops is found to be 78, 68 and 42 kOe at 4, 10 and 20K
respectively. The superconducting performance parameters viz. irreversibility
field (Hirr) and critical current density Jc(H) of the studied MgB2 are
improved profoundly with addition of nano-SiC and nano-Diamond. The physical
property parameters measured for polycrystalline MgB2 are compared with earlier
reports and a consolidated insight of various physical properties is presented.Comment: 41 pages TEXT+Fig
Immune monitoring-guided vs fixed duration of antiviral prophylaxis against cytomegalovirus in solid-organ transplant recipients. A Multicenter, Randomized Clinical Trial.
BACKGROUND
The use of assays detecting cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific T-cell-mediated immunity may individualize the duration of antiviral prophylaxis in transplant recipients.
METHODS
In this open-label randomized trial, adult kidney and liver transplant recipients from six centers in Switzerland were enrolled if they were CMV-seronegative with seropositive donors or CMV-seropositive receiving anti-thymocyte globulins. Patients were randomized to a duration of antiviral prophylaxis based on immune-monitoring (intervention) or a fixed duration (control). Patients in the control group were planned to receive 180 days (CMV-seronegative) or 90 days (CMV-seropositive) of valganciclovir. Patients were assessed monthly with a CMV-specific interferon gamma release assay (T-Track® CMV); prophylaxis in the intervention group was stopped if the assay was positive. The primary outcomes were the proportion of patients with clinically significant CMV infection and reduction in days of prophylaxis. Between-group differences were adjusted for CMV serostatus.
RESULTS
Overall, 193 patients were randomized (92 in the immune-monitoring and 101 in the control group) of which 185 had evaluation of the primary endpoint (87 and 98 patients, respectively). Clinically significant CMV infection occurred in 26/87 (adjusted percentage, 30.9%) in the immune-monitoring group and in 32/98 (adjusted percentage, 31.1%) in the control group (adjusted risk difference -0.1, 95%CI -13.0%, 12.7%; p = 0.064). The duration of antiviral prophylaxis was shorter in the immune-monitoring group (adjusted difference -26.0 days, 95%-CI -41.1 to -10.8 days, p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Immune monitoring resulted in a significant reduction of antiviral prophylaxis, but we were unable to establish noninferiority of this approach on the co-primary endpoint of CMV infection
Rare coding variants in genes encoding GABA_A receptors in genetic generalised epilepsies: an exome-based case-control study
BACKGROUND: Genetic generalised epilepsy is the most common type of inherited epilepsy. Despite a high concordance rate of 80% in monozygotic twins, the genetic background is still poorly understood. We aimed to investigate the burden of rare genetic variants in genetic generalised epilepsy. METHODS: For this exome-based case-control study, we used three different genetic generalised epilepsy case cohorts and three independent control cohorts, all of European descent. Cases included in the study were clinically evaluated for genetic generalised epilepsy. Whole-exome sequencing was done for the discovery case cohort, a validation case cohort, and two independent control cohorts. The replication case cohort underwent targeted next-generation sequencing of the 19 known genes encoding subunits of GABAA receptors and was compared to the respective GABAA receptor variants of a third independent control cohort. Functional investigations were done with automated two-microelectrode voltage clamping in Xenopus laevis oocytes. FINDINGS: Statistical comparison of 152 familial index cases with genetic generalised epilepsy in the discovery cohort to 549 ethnically matched controls suggested an enrichment of rare missense (Nonsyn) variants in the ensemble of 19 genes encoding GABAA receptors in cases (odds ratio [OR] 2·40 [95% CI 1·41-4·10]; pNonsyn=0·0014, adjusted pNonsyn=0·019). Enrichment for these genes was validated in a whole-exome sequencing cohort of 357 sporadic and familial genetic generalised epilepsy cases and 1485 independent controls (OR 1·46 [95% CI 1·05-2·03]; pNonsyn=0·0081, adjusted pNonsyn=0·016). Comparison of genes encoding GABAA receptors in the independent replication cohort of 583 familial and sporadic genetic generalised epilepsy index cases, based on candidate-gene panel sequencing, with a third independent control cohort of 635 controls confirmed the overall enrichment of rare missense variants for 15 GABAA receptor genes in cases compared with controls (OR 1·46 [95% CI 1·02-2·08]; pNonsyn=0·013, adjusted pNonsyn=0·027). Functional studies for two selected genes (GABRB2 and GABRA5) showed significant loss-of-function effects with reduced current amplitudes in four of seven tested variants compared with wild-type receptors. INTERPRETATION: Functionally relevant variants in genes encoding GABAA receptor subunits constitute a significant risk factor for genetic generalised epilepsy. Examination of the role of specific gene groups and pathways can disentangle the complex genetic architecture of genetic generalised epilepsy. FUNDING: EuroEPINOMICS (European Science Foundation through national funding organisations), Epicure and EpiPGX (Sixth Framework Programme and Seventh Framework Programme of the European Commission), Research Unit FOR2715 (German Research Foundation and Luxembourg National Research Fund)
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