Quantitative comparison of single- and two-particle properties in the cuprates

We explore the strong variations of the electronic properties of copper-oxygen compounds across the doping phase diagram in a quantitative way. To this end we calculate the electronic Raman response on the basis of results from angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). In the limits of our approximations we find agreement on the overdoped side and pronounced discrepancies at lower doping. In contrast to the successful approach for the transport properties at low energies, the Raman and the ARPES data cannot be reconciled by adding angle-dependent momentum scattering. We discuss possible routes towards an explanation of the suppression of spectral weight close to the $(\pi,0)$ points which sets in abruptly close to 21% doping.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Applicability of the user engagement scale to mobile health : a survey-based quantitative study

Background: There has recently been exponential growth in the development and use of health apps on mobile phones. As with most mobile apps, however, the majority of users abandon them quickly and after minimal use. One of the most critical factors for the success of a health app is how to support users’ commitment to their health. Despite increased interest from researchers in mobile health, few studies have examined the measurement of user engagement with health apps. Objective: User engagement is a multidimensional, complex phenomenon. The aim of this study was to understand the concept of user engagement and, in particular, to demonstrate the applicability of a user engagement scale (UES) to mobile health apps. Methods: To determine the measurability of user engagement in a mobile health context, a UES was employed, which is a psychometric tool to measure user engagement with a digital system. This was adapted to Ada, developed by Ada Health, an artificial intelligence–powered personalized health guide that helps people understand their health. A principal component analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation was conducted on 30 items. In addition, sum scores as means of each subscale were calculated. Results: Survey data from 73 Ada users were analyzed. PCA was determined to be suitable, as verified by the sampling adequacy of Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin=0.858, a significant Bartlett test of sphericity (χ2300=1127.1; P<.001), and communalities mostly within the 0.7 range. Although 5 items had to be removed because of low factor loadings, the results of the remaining 25 items revealed 4 attributes: perceived usability, aesthetic appeal, reward, and focused attention. Ada users showed the highest engagement level with perceived usability, with a value of 294, followed by aesthetic appeal, reward, and focused attention. Conclusions: Although the UES was deployed in German and adapted to another digital domain, PCA yielded consistent subscales and a 4-factor structure. This indicates that user engagement with health apps can be assessed with the German version of the UES. These results can benefit related mobile health app engagement research and may be of importance to marketers and app developers

Complete genome sequences of escherichia coli phages vB_EcoM-EP75 and vB_EcoP-EP335

Phages vB_EcoM-EP75 (EP75) and vB_EcoP-EP335 (EP335) specifically infect Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157 strains. EP75 has a genome size of 158,143 bp and belongs to the genus Vi1virus The genome size of EP335 is 76,622 bp, and it belongs to the genus Phieco32virus

Force monitor for training manual skills in the training of chiropractors

As part of their training, students of Chiropractic Medicine at Zürich are trained to acquire and then improve their manual and manipulative skills, especially their ability to deliver manipulative thrusts with a defined preloading force, an impulse that is delivered with an adequate and reproducible force within a defined time without letting up on the preload-pressure. In order to facilitate this process, objective feedback is paramount. This led to the idea of developing a force-measurement and -monitoring system. The newly developed system consists of a wireless device with a force sensor and an app that is running on standard smartphones. The device records the force applied to the sensor and transmits it via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to the app. There it is visualised as a graph and can be evaluated. The system allows us to provide all students with a tool to develop their manual skills, and especially their thrusting technique. As the feedback given by the system can be record ed, progress can be monitored and students can be mentored accurately according to their strengths and weaknesses

Exploring narrativity in data visualization in journalism

Many news stories are based on data visualization, and storytelling with data has become a buzzword in journalism. But what exactly does storytelling with data mean? When does a data visualization tell a story? And what are narrative constituents in data visualization? This chapter first defines the key terms in this context: story, narrative, narrativity, showing and telling. Then, it sheds light on the various forms of narrativity in data visualization and, based on a corpus analysis of 73 data visualizations, describes the basic visual elements that constitute narrativity: the instance of a narrator, sequentiality, temporal dimension, and tellability. The paper concludes that understanding how data are transformed into visual stories is key to understanding how facts are shaped and communicated in society

Iterative approach to computational enzyme design

A general approach for the computational design of enzymes to catalyze arbitrary reactions is a goal at the forefront of the field of protein design. Recently, computationally designed enzymes have been produced for three chemical reactions through the synthesis and screening of a large number of variants. Here, we present an iterative approach that has led to the development of the most catalytically efficient computationally designed enzyme for the Kemp elimination to date. Previously established computational techniques were used to generate an initial design, HG-1, which was catalytically inactive. Analysis of HG-1 with molecular dynamics simulations (MD) and X-ray crystallography indicated that the inactivity might be due to bound waters and high flexibility of residues within the active site. This analysis guided changes to our design procedure, moved the design deeper into the interior of the protein, and resulted in an active Kemp eliminase, HG-2. The cocrystal structure of this enzyme with a transition state analog (TSA) revealed that the TSA was bound in the active site, interacted with the intended catalytic base in a catalytically relevant manner, but was flipped relative to the design model. MD analysis of HG-2 led to an additional point mutation, HG-3, that produced a further threefold improvement in activity. This iterative approach to computational enzyme design, including detailed MD and structural analysis of both active and inactive designs, promises a more complete understanding of the underlying principles of enzymatic catalysis and furthers progress toward reliably producing active enzymes

Reconstruction of solar UV irradiance since 1974

Variations of the solar UV irradiance are an important driver of chemical and physical processes in the Earth's upper atmosphere and may also influence global climate. Here we reconstruct solar UV irradiance in the range 115-400 nm over the period 1974-2007 by making use of the recently developed empirical extension of the SATIRE models employing SUSIM data. The evolution of the solar photospheric magnetic flux, which is a central input to the model, is described by the magnetograms and continuum images recorded at the Kitt Peak National Solar Observatory between 1974 and 2003 and by the MDI instrument on SoHO since 1996. The reconstruction extends the available observational record by 1.5 solar cycles. The reconstructed Ly-alpha irradiance agrees well with the composite time series by Woods et al (2000). The amplitude of the irradiance variations grows with decreasing wavelength and in the wavelength regions of special interest for studies of the Earth's climate (Ly-alpha and oxygen absorption continuum and bands between 130 and 350 nm) is one to two orders of magnitude stronger than in the visible or if integrated over all wavelengths (total solar irradiance)

Why are male students less likely to opt for social science courses? : a theory-driven analysis

Copyright © 2020 SageIn this article, we discuss the question of why only a few men decide to study social science courses such as social work. While the conceptual base of our analysis includes the theory of planned behaviour and theories centring on gender role orientations, the empirical base is a random cluster sample of high-school graduates in Switzerland. The results show different gender effects, as well as direct and indirect effects, for all the theory of planned behaviour factors. Gender role orientations and the question of how a social science profession fits one’s own gender identity appear to be of particular importance only among male students

Diversity and function of phage encoded depolymerases

Bacteriophages of the Podoviridae family often exhibit so-called depolymerases as structural components of the virion. These enzymes appear as tail spike proteins (TSPs). After specific binding to capsular polysaccharides (CPS), exopolysaccharides (EPS) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of the host bacteria, polysaccharide-repeating units are specifically cleaved. Finally, the phage reaches the last barrier, the cell wall, injects its DNA, and infects the cell. Recently, similar enzymes from bacteriophages of the Ackermannviridae, Myoviridae, and Siphoviridae families were also described. In this mini-review the diversity and function of phage encoded CPS-, EPS-, and LPSdegrading depolymerases is summarized. The function of the enzymes is described in terms of substrate specificity and applications in biotechnology