Highlights • HSP70 was increased in CA3 pyramidal cells and dentate granule cells following SE. • HSP90 was decreased in CA1–3 pyramidal cells after SE. • HSP70 was transiently increased in PC ...neurons following SE. • HSP90 was decreased in PC neurons after SE. • HSP90 degradation may be closely related to neuronal vulnerability to SE insult.
The advanced molybdenum-based rare process experiment (AMoRE) aims to search for neutrinoless double beta decay (
0
ν
β
β
) of
100
Mo with
∼
100
kg
of
100
Mo-enriched molybdenum embedded in cryogenic ...detectors with a dual heat and light readout. At the current, pilot stage of the AMoRE project we employ six calcium molybdate crystals with a total mass of 1.9 kg, produced from
48
Ca-depleted calcium and
100
Mo-enriched molybdenum (
48
depl
Ca
100
MoO
4
). The simultaneous detection of heat (phonon) and scintillation (photon) signals is realized with high resolution metallic magnetic calorimeter sensors that operate at milli-Kelvin temperatures. This stage of the project is carried out in the Yangyang underground laboratory at a depth of 700 m. We report first results from the AMoRE-Pilot
0
ν
β
β
search with a 111 kg day live exposure of
48
depl
Ca
100
MoO
4
crystals. No evidence for
0
ν
β
β
decay of
100
Mo is found, and a upper limit is set for the half-life of
0
ν
β
β
of
100
Mo of
T
1
/
2
0
ν
>
9.5
×
10
22
years
at 90% C.L. This limit corresponds to an effective Majorana neutrino mass limit in the range
⟨
m
β
β
⟩
≤
(
1.2
-
2.1
)
eV
.
Over the past few decades, tetrafluoroethane (TFE, R134a Freon)-based gases have been widely used in the operation of phenolic resistive plate chambers (RPCs) in many high-energy experiments. ...However, TFE has a high global warming potential (GWP); therefore, a search for new eco-friendly gases to replace traditional TFE-based ones is now unavoidable. In this research, we present cosmic-ray test results of a prototype RPC for the SHiP (search for hidden particles) experiment using 1.6- and 1.4-mm-thick RPC electrodes containing mixtures of various gases, including 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO1234ze), CO
2
,
i
C
4
H
10
and SF
6
. We compare the performance data gathered with these new gas mixtures with those gathered with a traditional TFE-based gas used for RPCs in compact muon solenoid (CMS) and a toroidal LHC apparatus (ATLAS) experiments. The addition of CO
2
to the HFO1234ze-based gas was found to be fairly effective in reducing the working-point high voltage (HV
WP
) for RPC operation. The results of our experiments lead us to the conclusion that adding 40% CO
2
or less, when combined with HFO1234ze-based gas, is conducive to reliable detector performance for SHiP single-gap phenolic RPCs.
Summary
Background Pruritus is very common in uraemic patients, but the treatment remains challenging. Studies regarding narrowband ultraviolet B (NB‐UVB) phototherapy for uraemic pruritus are rare.
...Objectives To investigate whether or not NB‐UVB phototherapy is an effective treatment for uraemic pruritus.
Methods We conducted a single‐blind, randomized, controlled trial for patients with refractory uraemic pruritus. The treatment group received NB‐UVB phototherapy three times per week for 6 weeks. The dose of NB‐UVB started from 210 mJ cm−2 and was increased by 10% each time. The control group received time‐matched exposures to long‐wave UVA radiation. A visual analogue scale (VAS) score was evaluated weekly for pruritus intensity for 12 weeks. The characteristics of pruritus were also assessed by a questionnaire at baseline and after 6 weeks of phototherapy.
Results Both the NB‐UVB and control groups had significant and comparable improvement in the pruritus intensity VAS scores during the period of phototherapy and follow‐up. Compared with the control group, the NB‐UVB group showed a significant improvement in the involved body surface area affected by pruritus (P = 0·006), but not in sleep quality. More detailed regression and estimating analysis revealed that the patients in the NB‐UVB group had lower pruritus intensity scores at week 6, week 10 and week 12. This may indicate a beneficial difference at certain time points, but the effect seems marginal.
Conclusions NB‐UVB phototherapy does not show a significant effect in reducing pruritus intensity compared with a control group for refractory uraemic pruritus. Further studies are warranted.
Cuprous halides, characterized by a direct wide band-gap and a good lattice matching with Si, is an intrinsic p-type I-VII compound semiconductor. It shows remarkable optoelectronic properties, ...including a large exciton binding energy at room temperature and a very small piezoelectric coefficient. The major obstacle to its application is the difficulty in growing a single-crystal epitaxial film of cuprous halides. We first demonstrate the single crystal epitaxy of high quality cuprous iodide (CuI) film grown on Si and sapphire substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. Enhanced photoluminescence on the order of magnitude larger than that of GaN and continuous-wave optically pumped lasing were found in MBE grown CuI film. The intrinsic p-type characteristics of CuI were confirmed using an n-AlGaN/p-CuI junction that emits blue light. The discovery will provide an alternative way towards highly efficient optoelectronic devices compatible with both Si and III-nitride technologies.
Summary Objective To identify factors associated with smoking and heavy alcohol consumption among women of reproductive age. Study design Cross-sectional study. Methods Data from 5031 women aged ...20–49 years who participated in the Fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2009 were analysed. Variables were classified as sociodemographic factors, psychological factors, gynaecological factors and chronic conditions. Factors that influence high-risk behaviours associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes were identified using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results Among women of reproductive age, prevalence rates of smoking, heavy alcohol consumption and both were 7.3%, 21.4% and 4.3%, respectively. Among the sociodemographic factors, young age, a lower level of education and unmarried status were more likely to be associated with high-risk behaviours such as smoking, heavy alcohol consumption and both. Psychological factors such as stress intensity and suicidal ideation were also significantly associated with all the above-mentioned high-risk behaviours. In addition, an association was found between high-risk behaviours and oral contraceptive use. Conclusions Identifying the factors associated with high-risk behaviours may help in the design of interventions to decrease the prevalence of smoking and heavy alcohol consumption. Population-level reduction of these high-risk behaviours among women of reproductive age may improve pregnancy outcomes and also decrease the prevalence of chronic diseases, including cancer, in the long term.
The phenomenon of colistin dependence in Acinetobacter baumannii has been described in a situation in which colistin is now considered as the last resort for the treatment of infections caused by ...multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we aimed to reveal a gene associated with colistin dependence in A. baumannii.
The colistin-dependent A. baumannii H08-391D strain was isolated from a patient, and target gene-inactivation mutants were constructed. We investigated the effects of target gene on colistin dependence with quantitative real-time PCR and endotoxin assay. Also, we observed the change of cell morphology by electron microscopy.
The expression of ACICU_02898, encoding a soluble lytic transglycosylase associated with cell-wall degradation and recycling, was increased by eight-to 42-fold in colistin-dependent mutants, and deletion of ACICU_02898 in a colistin-dependent strain led to colistin susceptibility (MIC = 8 mg/L). Endotoxin activity was significantly low in a colistin-dependent derivative ACICU_02898-inactivated mutant and a complemented mutant. In addition, the ACICU_02898-inactivated mutant showed a highly reduced growth rate. The colistin-dependent derivative and ACICU_02898-inactivated mutant showed clearly distinguished absorption profiles in the red/green fluorescence dot blot with regard to their membrane potential. Electron microscopy revealed that the deletion mutant cells were elongated compared to the colistin-susceptible wild-type strain and colistin-dependent strain.
A colistin-dependent A. baumannii strain exhibited a deficiency in its outer membrane integrity and high expression of lytic transglycosylase was required for survival. This study reveals why the colistin-dependent mutant can tolerate high antibiotic concentrations.
Summary Objective Dysregulated Wnt signaling appears to modulate chondrocyte fate and joint disorders. Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) regulates the pathogenesis of skeletal tissue by inhibiting Wnt actions. This ...study examined whether DKK1 expression is linked to chondrocyte fate in osteoarthritis (OA). Method Articular cartilage specimens harvested from nine patients with knee OA and from six controls with femoral neck fracture were assessed for DKK1, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Bad, Bax, Bcl2 and caspase-3 expression by real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. Apoptotic chondrocytes were detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end-labelling (TUNEL) and 4′, 6-dianidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI) staining. Human chondrocyte cultures were treated with recombinant IL-1β and monoclonal DKK1 antibody to determine whether DKK1 impairs chondrocyte survival. Results Expression of DKK1 correlated with inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-1β and TNF-α expressions), proapoptosis regulators (Bad and caspase-3 expressions) and TUNEL staining in OA cartilage tissues. The IL-1β induced expressions of DKK1, Bax, Bad and caspase-3-dependent apoptosis of chondrocyte cultures. Neutralization of DKK1 by monoclonal DKK1 antibody significantly abrogated IL-1β-mediated caspase-3 cleavage and apoptosis and reversed chondrocyte proliferation. Recombinant DKK1 treatment impaired chondrocyte growth and promoted apoptosis. By suppressing nuclear β-catenin accumulation and Akt phosphorylation, DKK1 mediated IL-1β promotion of chondrocyte apoptosis. Conclusion Chondrocyte apoptosis correlates with joint OA. Expression of DKK1 contributes to cartilage deterioration and is a potent factor in OA pathogenesis. Attenuating DKK1 may reduce cartilage deterioration in OA.
Amorphous order: Amorphous calcium carbonates (ACC) have an intrinsic structure relating to the crystalline polymorphs of calcite and vaterite. The proto‐crystalline structures of calcite and ...vaterite (pc‐ACC and pv‐ACC) are analyzed by NMR (see picture), IR, and EXAFS spectroscopy, which shows that the structuring of ACC relates to the underlying pH‐dependent equilibria.
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