Interplay of nematic and magnetic orders in FeSe under pressure

We offer an explanation for the recently observed pressure-induced magnetic state in the iron-chalcogenide FeSe based on \textit{ab initio} estimates for the pressure evolution of the most important Coulomb interaction parameters. We find that an increase of pressure leads to an overall decrease mostly in the nearest-neighbor Coulomb repulsion, which in turn leads to a reduction of the nematic order and the generation of magnetic stripe order. We treat the concomitant effects of band renormalization and the induced interplay of nematic and magnetic order in a self-consistent way and determine the generic topology of the temperature-pressure phase diagram, and find qualitative agreement with the experimentally determined phase diagram.Comment: 13 pages, 6 fig

Nano-structured carbide-derived carbon films and their tribology

Tsinghua Science and Technology, 10(6): pp. 699-703. Retrieved March 13, 2006 from http://nano.materials.drexel.edu/Papers/CDC_Tibology_TSINGHUA.pdf. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1007-0214(05)70138-3Carbide-derived carbon (CDC) is a form of carbon produced by reacting metal carbides, such as SiC or TiC, with halogens at temperatures high enough to produce fast kinetics, but too low to permit the re-arrangement of the carbon atoms into an equilibrium graphitic structure. The structure of CDC is derivative of the original carbide structure and contains nanoscale porosity and both sp2 and sp3 bonded carbon in a variety of nanoscale structures. CDC can be produced as a thin film on hard carbides to improve their tri-bological performance. CDC coatings are distinguished by their low friction coefficients and high wear resis-tance in many important industrial environments and by their resistance to spallation and delamination. The tribology of CDC coatings on SiC surfaces is described in detail

Directional electrodes in deep brain stimulation: results of a survey by the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS)

Introduction Directional Leads (dLeads) represent a new technical tool in Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), and a rapidly growing population of patients receive dLeads. Research question The European Association of Neurosurgical Societies(EANS) functional neurosurgery Task Force on dLeads conducted a survey of DBS specialists in Europe to evaluate their use, applications, advantages, and disadvantages. Material and methods EANS functional neurosurgery and European Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (ESSFN) members were asked to complete an online survey with 50 multiple-choice and open questions on their use of dLeads in clinical practice. Results Forty-nine respondents from 16 countries participated in the survey (n = 38 neurosurgeons, n = 8 neurologists, n = 3 DBS nurses). Five had not used dLeads. All users reported that dLeads provided an advantage (n = 23 minor, n = 21 major). Most surgeons (n = 35) stated that trajectory planning does not differ when implanting dLeads or conventional leads. Most respondents selected dLeads for the ability to optimize stimulation parameters (n = 41). However, the majority (n = 24), regarded time-consuming programming as the main disadvantage of this technology. Innovations that were highly valued by most participants included full 3T MRI compatibility, remote programming, and closed loop technology. Discussion and conclusion Directional leads are widely used by European DBS specialists. Despite challenges with programming time, users report that dLeads have had a positive impact and maintain an optimistic view of future technological advances

Influence of Ecto-Nucleoside Triphosphate Diphosphohydrolase Activity on Trypanosoma cruzi Infectivity and Virulence

The protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease, an endemic zoonosis present in some countries of South and Central Americas. The World Health Organization estimates that 100 million people are at risk of acquiring this disease. The infection affects mainly muscle tissues in the heart and digestive tract. There are no vaccines or effective treatment, especially in the chronic phase when most patients are diagnosed, which makes a strong case for the development of new drugs to treat the disease. In this work we evaluate a family of proteins called Ecto-Nucleoside-Triphosphate-Diphosphohydrolase (Ecto-NTPDase) as new chemotherapy target to block T. cruzi infection in mammalian cells and in mice. We have used inhibitors and antibodies against this protein and demonstrated that T. cruzi Ecto-NTPDases act as facilitators of infection in mammalian cells and virulence factors in mice model. Two of the drugs used in this study (Suramin and Gadolinium) are currently used for other diseases in humans, supporting the possibility of their use in the treatment of Chagas disease

Slaughter weight rather than sex affects carcass cuts and tissue composition of Bisaro pigs

Carcass cuts and tissue composition were assessed in Bisaro pigs (n=64) from two sexes (31 gilts and 33 entire males) reared until three target slaughter body-weights (BW) means: 17 kg, 32 kg, and 79 kg. Dressing percentage and backfat thickness increased whereas carcass shrinkage decreased with increasing BW. Slaughter weight affected most of the carcass cut proportions, except shoulder and thoracic regions. Bone proportion decreased linearly with increasing slaughter BW, while intermuscular and subcutaneous adipose tissue depots increased concomitantly. Slaughter weight increased the subcutaneous adipose tissue proportion but this impaired intramuscular and intermuscular adipose tissues in the loin primal. The sex of the pigs minimally affected the carcass composition, as only the belly weight and the subcutaneous adipose tissue proportions were greater in gilts than in entire males. Light pigs regardless of sex are recommended to balance the trade-offs between carcass cuts and their non-edible compositional outcomes.Work included in the Portuguese PRODER research Project BISOPORC – Pork extensive production of Bísara breed, in two alternative systems: fattening on concentrate vs chesnut, Project PRODER SI I&DT Medida 4.1 “Cooperação para a Inovação”. The authors are grateful to Laboratory of Carcass and Meat Quality of Agriculture School of Polytechnic Institute of Bragança ‘Cantinho do Alfredo’. The authors are members of the MARCARNE network, funded by CYTED (ref. 116RT0503).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A large genome-wide association study of age-related macular degeneration highlights contributions of rare and common variants.

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Nature Publishing Group via http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ng.3448Advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly, with limited therapeutic options. Here we report on a study of >12 million variants, including 163,714 directly genotyped, mostly rare, protein-altering variants. Analyzing 16,144 patients and 17,832 controls, we identify 52 independently associated common and rare variants (P < 5 × 10(-8)) distributed across 34 loci. Although wet and dry AMD subtypes exhibit predominantly shared genetics, we identify the first genetic association signal specific to wet AMD, near MMP9 (difference P value = 4.1 × 10(-10)). Very rare coding variants (frequency <0.1%) in CFH, CFI and TIMP3 suggest causal roles for these genes, as does a splice variant in SLC16A8. Our results support the hypothesis that rare coding variants can pinpoint causal genes within known genetic loci and illustrate that applying the approach systematically to detect new loci requires extremely large sample sizes.We thank all participants of all the studies included for enabling this research by their participation in these studies. Computer resources for this project have been provided by the high-performance computing centers of the University of Michigan and the University of Regensburg. Group-specific acknowledgments can be found in the Supplementary Note. The Center for Inherited Diseases Research (CIDR) Program contract number is HHSN268201200008I. This and the main consortium work were predominantly funded by 1X01HG006934-01 to G.R.A. and R01 EY022310 to J.L.H

Comparing Notes: Recording and Criticism

This chapter charts the ways in which recording has changed the nature of music criticism. It both provides an overview of the history of recording and music criticism, from the advent of Edison’s Phonograph to the present day, and examines the issues arising from this new technology and the consequent transformation of critical thought and practice

Barbarians at the British Museum: Anglo-Saxon Art, Race and Religion

A critical historiographical overview of art historical approaches to early medieval material culture, with a focus on the British Museum collections and their connections to religion

Wider Still and Wider: British Music Criticism since the Second World War

This chapter provides the first historical examination of music criticism in Britain since the Second World War. In the process, it also challenges the simplistic prevailing view of this being a period of decline from a golden age in music criticism