Controlling colloidal phase transitions with critical Casimir forces

The critical Casimir effect provides a thermodynamic analogue of the well-known quantum mechanical Casimir effect. It acts between two surfaces immersed in a critical binary liquid mixture, and results from the confinement of concentration fluctuations of the solvent. Unlike the quantum mechanical effect, the magnitude and range of this attraction can be adjusted with temperature via the solvent correlation length, thus offering new opportunities for the assembly of nano and micron-scale structures. Here, we demonstrate the active assembly control of equilibrium phases using critical Casimir forces. We guide colloidal particles into analogues of molecular liquid and solid phases via exquisite control over their interactions. By measuring the critical Casimir particle pair potential directly from density fluctuations in the colloidal gas, we obtain insight into liquefaction at small scales: We apply the Van der Waals model of molecular liquefaction and show that the colloidal gas-liquid condensation is accurately described by the Van der Waals theory, even on the scale of a few particles. These results open up new possibilities in the active assembly control of micro and nanostructures

Field investigations and reactive transport modelling of biodegrading coal tar compounds at a complex former manufactured gas plant

Groundwater contamination by coal tar and other aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures is a global issue with significant environmental and public health implications. Coal tar, a dense liquid, can persist as a long-term source of groundwater pollution when it infiltrates the subsurface after being deposited on the ground's surface. Hydrocarbons dissolve from the coal tar into the groundwater, where they undergo complex physical, biological and chemical transformations that depend on site-specific conditions. This study focuses on the Griftpark, a former gas manufacturing site in Utrecht, that is severely contaminated with coal tar. The site features numerous chemical and physical complexities, that lead to a lack of comprehensive field data. Our research seeks to provide valuable knowledge for risk assessments and remediation strategies for such complex sites that are common in the real world, but not often studied in the academically. Our findings demonstrate that employing conventional investigation techniques yields valuable information about physical, chemical and biological conditions at the site. Subsequently, we developed a numerical reactive transport model that effectively captures and qualitatively describes significant subsurface processes. The model highlights the potential effectiveness of monitored natural attenuation, a method that relies on naturally occurring processes (including degradation facilitated by microbes) to reduce contaminant concentrations, as a management option for Griftpark. Success depends on factors like the volume of contaminated soil and degradation rates. This study underscores the value of combining field research and numerical modeling to gain insights into complex sites like Griftpark. Such insights support the transition from active management to natural attenuation, contributing to more sustainable and cost-effective groundwater remediation strategies

Motor skills, visual perception and visual-motor integration in children and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Background: Motor skill deficits are prevalent among children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) however, little is known about the underlying mechanism of these deficits. In response to this gap, this study investigated how visual perception (VP) and visual-motor integration (VMI) are associated with motor skills among children and youth with ASD. Methods: Sixty-seven individuals with ASD and sixty-seven age- and gender-matched individuals without ASD (age range: 9.83–15.13 years) participated. Motor skills were assessed with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) and VP and VMI with the respective components of the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration-6 (Beery VMI-6). Results: Significantly more children and youth with ASD were in the red and orange zone of the MABC-2 traffic-lighting system for the total MABC-2 and the Aiming and Catching and Balance components compared to the children and youth without ASD. Both groups did not differ on the VP and VMI components of the Beery VMI-6. Pearson correlations between VP and VMI, and motor skills were weak but significant for the individuals without ASD, but not for the ASD group. Conclusion: The current study added to the evidence about motor skill deficits among children and youth with ASD. VP and VMI were not related to motor skills, suggesting that these functions – as measured in the current study – are no underlying mechanisms of motor skill deficits of children with ASD and average intelligence. Diagnostic implications are provided for the evidence of motor skill deficits among children and youth with ASD

Epidemiology, treatment, costs, and longterm outcomes of patients with fireworksrelated injuries (ROCKET); A multicenter prospective observational case series

Objective People in the Netherlands are legally allowed to celebrate New Year's Eve with consumer fireworks. The aim of this study was to provide detailed information about the patient and injury characteristics, medical and societal costs, and clinical and functional outcome in patients with injuries resulting from this tradition. Methods A multicenter, prospective, observational case series performed in the Southwest Netherlands trauma region, which reflects 15% of the country and includes a level I trauma center, a specialized burn center, a specialized eye hospital, and 13 general hospitals. All patients with any injury caused by consumer fireworks, treated at a Dutch hospital between December 1, 2017 and January 31, 2018, were eligible for inclusion. Exclusion criteria were unknown contact information or insufficient understanding of Dutch or English language. The primary outcome measure was injury characteristics. Secondary outcome measures included treatment, direct medical and indirect societal costs, and clinical and functional outcome until one year after trauma. Results 54 out of 63 eligible patients agreed to participate in this study. The majority were males (N = 50; 93%), 50% were children below 16 years of age, and 46% were bystanders. Injuries were mainly located to the upper extremity or eyes, and were mostly burns (N = 38; 48%) of partial thickness (N = 32; 84%). Fifteen (28%) patients were admitted and 11 (20%) patients needed surgical treatment. The mean total costs per patient were 6,320 (95% CI 3,400 to 9,245). The most important cost category was hospital admission. Only few patients reported complaints in patient-reported quality of life and functional outcome after 12 months follow-up. Conclusion This study found that young males are most vulnerable for fireworks injuries and that most injuries consist of burns, located to the arm and hand, and eye injuries. On the long-term only few patients experienced

Ocular and extra-ocular features of patients with Leber congenital amaurosis and mutations in CEP290

Contains fulltext : 108895.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)PURPOSE: This study investigated the centrosomal protein, 290-KD (CEP290) associated genotype and ocular and extra-ocular phenotype in 18 patients with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). METHODS: Eighteen patients with LCA from 14 families with mutations in the CEP290 gene were identified with sequencing or with heteroduplex analysis. Ophthalmic examinations were performed on all patients. Scans of the central nervous system were reassessed in three patients and obtained in two. Renal function was evaluated in all patients. Ultrasonography of the kidneys was performed in six patients. RESULTS: Eight patients (from five families) carried the c.2991+1655A>G mutation homozygously. Nine solitary patients carried this variant combined with a nonsense, frameshift, or splice site mutation on the second allele. One new nonsense mutation was identified: c.1078C>T. Fourteen patients (from 12 families) had been completely blind from birth or had light perception. The best-recorded visual acuity was 20/200. Peripheral fundus changes appeared to be progressive with a relatively preserved posterior pole. Novel ophthalmic features for the CEP290 phenotype were Coats-like exudative vasculopathy in two patients, a small chorioretinal coloboma in one patient, and well defined, small, atrophic spots at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium causing a dot-like appearance in five patients. Some CEP290 patients exhibited systemic abnormalities. We found abnormal proprioception in two patients and mild mental retardation in one. One patient was infertile due to immobile spermatozoa. No renal abnormalities were detected. CONCLUSIONS: CEP290-associated LCA has a severe, progressive, and clinically identifiable phenotype. Distinct extra-ocular findings were noted, which may be attributed to ciliary dysfunction

LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF RPE65-ASSOCIATED INHERITED RETINAL DEGENERATIONS

PURPOSE: To study the disease course of RPE65-associated inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) as a function of the genotype, define a critical age for blindness, and identify potential modifiers. METHODS: Forty-five patients with IRD from 33 families with biallelic RPE65 mutations, 28 stemming from a genetic isolate. We collected retrospective data from medical charts. Coexisting variants in 108 IRD-associated genes were identified with Molecular Inversion Probe analysis. RESULTS: Most patients were diagnosed within the first years of life. Daytime visual function ranged from near-normal to blindness in the first four decades and met WHO criteria for blindness for visual acuity and visual field in the fifth decade. p.(Thr368His) was the most common variant (54%). Intrafamilial variability and interfamilial variability in disease severity and progression were observed. Molecular Inversion Probe analysis confirmed all RPE65 variants and identified one additional variant in LRAT and one in EYS in two separate patients. CONCLUSION: All patients with RPE65-associated IRDs developed symptoms within the first year of life. Visual function in childhood and adolescence varied but deteriorated inevitably toward blindness after age 40. In this study, genotype was not predictive of clinical course. The variance in severity of disease could not be explained by double hits in other IRD genes

Cross-Sectional Exploration of Plasma Biomarkers of Alzheimer\u27s Disease in Down Syndrome: Early Data from the Longitudinal Investigation for Enhancing Down Syndrome Research (LIFE-DSR) Study

With improved healthcare, the Down syndrome (DS) population is both growing and aging rapidly. However, with longevity comes a very high risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The LIFE-DSR study (NCT04149197) is a longitudinal natural history study recruiting 270 adults with DS over the age of 25. The study is designed to characterize trajectories of change in DS-associated AD (DS-AD). The current study reports its cross-sectional analysis of the first 90 subjects enrolled. Plasma biomarkers phosphorylated tau protein (p-tau), neurofilament light chain (NfL), amyloid β peptides (Aβ1-40, Aβ1-42), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were undertaken with previously published methods. The clinical data from the baseline visit include demographics as well as the cognitive measures under the Severe Impairment Battery (SIB) and Down Syndrome Mental Status Examination (DS-MSE). Biomarker distributions are described with strong statistical associations observed with participant age. The biomarker data contributes to understanding DS-AD across the spectrum of disease. Collectively, the biomarker data show evidence of DS-AD progression beginning at approximately 40 years of age. Exploring these data across the full LIFE-DSR longitudinal study population will be an important resource in understanding the onset, progression, and clinical profiles of DS-AD pathophysiology

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Cosmological parameters from three seasons of data

We present constraints on cosmological and astrophysical parameters from high-resolution microwave background maps at 148 GHz and 218 GHz made by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) in three seasons of observations from 2008 to 2010. A model of primary cosmological and secondary foreground parameters is fit to the map power spectra and lensing deflection power spectrum, including contributions from both the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (tSZ) effect and the kinematic Sunyaev-Zeldovich (kSZ) effect, Poisson and correlated anisotropy from unresolved infrared sources, radio sources, and the correlation between the tSZ effect and infrared sources. The power ell^2 C_ell/2pi of the thermal SZ power spectrum at 148 GHz is measured to be 3.4 +\- 1.4 muK^2 at ell=3000, while the corresponding amplitude of the kinematic SZ power spectrum has a 95% confidence level upper limit of 8.6 muK^2. Combining ACT power spectra with the WMAP 7-year temperature and polarization power spectra, we find excellent consistency with the LCDM model. We constrain the number of effective relativistic degrees of freedom in the early universe to be Neff=2.79 +\- 0.56, in agreement with the canonical value of Neff=3.046 for three massless neutrinos. We constrain the sum of the neutrino masses to be Sigma m_nu < 0.39 eV at 95% confidence when combining ACT and WMAP 7-year data with BAO and Hubble constant measurements. We constrain the amount of primordial helium to be Yp = 0.225 +\- 0.034, and measure no variation in the fine structure constant alpha since recombination, with alpha/alpha0 = 1.004 +/- 0.005. We also find no evidence for any running of the scalar spectral index, dns/dlnk = -0.004 +\- 0.012.Comment: 26 pages, 22 figures. This paper is a companion to Das et al. (2013) and Dunkley et al. (2013). Matches published JCAP versio

Vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia including Alzheimer's disease

AbstractScientific evidence continues to demonstrate the linkage of vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia such as Alzheimer's disease. In December, 2013, the Alzheimer's Association, with scientific input from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute from the National Institutes of Health, convened scientific experts to discuss the research gaps in our understanding of how vascular factors contribute to Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. This manuscript summarizes the meeting and the resultant discussion, including an outline of next steps needed to move this area of research forward