Observation of Wannier-Stark localization at the surface of BaTiO3_3 films by photoemission

Observation of Bloch oscillations and Wannier-Stark localization of charge carriers is typically impossible in single-crystals, because an electric field higher than the breakdown voltage is required. In BaTiO$_3$ however, high intrinsic electric fields are present due to its ferroelectric properties. With angle-resolved photoemission we directly probe the Wannier-Stark localized surface states of the BaTiO$_3$ film-vacuum interface and show that this effect extends to thin SrTiO$_3$ overlayers. The electrons are found to be localized along the in-plane polarization direction of the BaTiO$_3$ film

Transesophageal echocardiography in cryptogenic stroke and patent foramen ovale: analysis of putative high-risk features from the risk of paradoxical embolism database

BACKGROUND Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is associated with cryptogenic stroke (CS), although the pathogenicity of a discovered PFO in the setting of CS is typically unclear. Transesophageal echocardiography features such as PFO size, associated hypermobile septum, and presence of a right-to-left shunt at rest have all been proposed as markers of risk. The association of these transesophageal echocardiography features with other markers of pathogenicity has not been examined. METHODS AND RESULTS We used a recently derived score based on clinical and neuroimaging features to stratify patients with PFO and CS by the probability that their stroke is PFO-attributable. We examined whether high-risk transesophageal echocardiography features are seen more frequently in patients more likely to have had a PFO-attributable stroke (n=637) compared with those less likely to have a PFO-attributable stroke (n=657). Large physiologic shunt size was not more frequently seen among those with probable PFO-attributable strokes (odds ratio [OR], 0.92; P=0.53). The presence of neither a hypermobile septum nor a right-to-left shunt at rest was detected more often in those with a probable PFO-attributable stroke (OR, 0.80; P=0.45; OR, 1.15; P=0.11, respectively). CONCLUSIONS We found no evidence that the proposed transesophageal echocardiography risk markers of large PFO size, hypermobile septum, and presence of right-to-left shunt at rest are associated with clinical features suggesting that a CS is PFO-attributable. Additional tools to describe PFOs may be useful in helping to determine whether an observed PFO is incidental or pathogenically related to CS

Diagnosing mucopolysaccharidosis IVA

Mucopolysaccharidosis IVA (MPS IVA; Morquio A syndrome) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder resulting from a deficiency of N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase (GALNS) activity. Diagnosis can be challenging and requires agreement of clinical, radiographic, and laboratory findings. A group of biochemical genetics laboratory directors and clinicians involved in the diagnosis of MPS IVA, convened by BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., met to develop recommendations for diagnosis. The following conclusions were reached. Due to the wide variation and subtleties of radiographic findings, imaging of multiple body regions is recommended. Urinary glycosaminoglycan analysis is particularly problematic for MPS IVA and it is strongly recommended to proceed to enzyme activity testing even if urine appears normal when there is clinical suspicion of MPS IVA. Enzyme activity testing of GALNS is essential in diagnosing MPS IVA. Additional analyses to confirm sample integrity and rule out MPS IVB, multiple sulfatase deficiency, and mucolipidoses types II/III are critical as part of enzyme activity testing. Leukocytes or cultured dermal fibroblasts are strongly recommended for enzyme activity testing to confirm screening results. Molecular testing may also be used to confirm the diagnosis in many patients. However, two known or probable causative mutations may not be identified in all cases of MPS IVA. A diagnostic testing algorithm is presented which attempts to streamline this complex testing process

Neutron scattering study of the 2D dipolar magnet ErBr3 and the 2D quantum spin liquid system YbBr3

In recent years, a lot of effort was made to investigate materials with a honeycomb lattice, experimentally as well as theoretically. Both electronic and magnetic honeycomb systems are studied to explore their rich variety of phenomena. Graphene is a good example for an electronic system that possess Dirac fermions and exhibits topological effects like the quantum Hall effect. In particular, the topological properties of materials are regarded as promising to result in novel technological applications. Magnetic equivalents to graphene also show topological properties. Among the topological states are some of the elusive quantum spin liquids that are regarded to hold potential for building fault-tolerant quantum computers. Here, I present the investigation of the two-dimensional van der Waals magnets ErBr3 and YbBr3 The materials are isostructural and form an undistorted honeycomb lattice of magnetic ions. ErBr3 is governed by dipolar interactions only and forms a continuously degenerate non-collinear ground-state with the spins restricted to the honeycomb plane. The ground-states correspond to specific spin structures what allows to reversibly manipulate the spin-wave dispersion between a magnetic phase with Dirac excitations and a phase with non-trivial valley Chern number. YbBr3, in contrast, is a collinear antiferromagnet with competing nearest and next-nearest neighbor interactions that remains only short-range correlated down to at least T = 100 mK. The spin-excitations show a broad continuum at the Brillouin zone boundary and are evidence for a quantum spin liquid phase near a quantum critical point. The results point towards fluctuations on the honeycomb plaquette as origin of the continuum

Observation of plaquette fuctuations in the spin-1/2 honeycomb lattice YbBr3

Quantum spin liquid materials are widely studied to improve our understanding of quantum entangled spin correlations in the absence of magnetic long-range order at T = 0 K. However, it is a challenging task to unambiguously identify a quantum spin liquid since it is difficult to measure quantum entanglement directly. Fortunately, neutron scattering is capable to measure fractionalized excitations that are a characteristic of quantum spin liquids. We studied YbBr3 by neutron scattering whose magnetism is a realization of an effective S = 1/2 Heisenberg honeycomb lattice where nearest and next-nearest neighbor interactions compete. YbBr3 avoids order down to at least T = 100 mK and features a dynamic spin-spin correlation function with broad continuum scattering typical of quantum spin liquids near a quantum critical point. The continuum in the spin spectrum is consistent with plaquette type fluctuations. Our study is the experimental demonstration that strong quantum fluctuations can exist on the honeycomb lattice even in the absence of Kitaev-type interactions, and opens a new perspective on quantum spin liquids

Supporting data for "Helicobacter pylori induces short term trained immunity in monocytes via accumulation of NF-кB proteins"

<p>This data repository contains several datasets supplementing the paper "Helicobacter pylori induces short term trained immunity in monocytes via accumulation of NF-кB proteins" by Frauenlob et al. (2023)</p&gt

The acute effect in performing common range of motion tests in healthy young adults: a prospective study

In the application of range of motion (ROM) tests there is little agreement on the number of repetitions to be measured and the number of preceding warm-up protocols. In stretch training a plateau in ROM gains can be seen after four to five repetitions. With increasing number of repetitions, the gain in ROM is reduced. This study examines the question of whether such an effect occurs in common ROM tests. Twenty-two healthy sport students (10 m/12 f.) with an average age of 25.3 ± 1.94 years (average height 174.1 ± 9.8 cm; weight 66.6 ± 11.3 kg and BMI 21.9 ± 2.0 kg/cm2) volunteered in this study. Each subject performed five ROM tests in a randomized order—measured either via a tape measure or a digital inclinometer: Tape measure was used to evaluate the Fingertip-to-Floor test (FtF) and the Lateral Inclination test (LI). Retroflexion of the trunk modified after Janda (RF), Thomas test (TT) and a Shoulder test modified after Janda (ST) were evaluated with a digital inclinometer. In order to show general acute effects within 20 repetitions we performed ANOVA/Friedman-test with multiple comparisons. A non-linear regression was then performed to identify a plateau formation. Significance level was set at 5%. In seven out of eight ROM tests (five tests in total with three tests measured both left and right sides) significant flexibility gains were observed (FtF: p < 0.001; LI-left/right: p < 0.001/0.001; RF: p = 0.009; ST-left/right: p < 0.001/p = 0.003; TT-left: p < 0.001). A non-linear regression with random effects was successfully applied on FtF, RF, LI-left/right, ST-left and TT-left and thus, indicate a gradual decline in the amount of gained ROM. An acute effect was observed in most ROM tests, which is characterized by a gradual decline of ROM gain. For those tests, we can state that the acute effect described in the stretching literature also applies to the performance of typical ROM tests. Since a non-linear behavior was shown, it is the decision of the practitioner to weigh up between measurement accuracy and expenditure. Researchers and practitioners should consider this when applying ROM assessments to healthy young adults