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Polarized electron beam production via laser wakefield acceleration in pre-polarized plasma is investigated by particle-in-cell simulations. The evolution of the electron beam polarization is studied based on the Thomas–Bargmann–Michel–Telegdi equation for the transverse and longitudinal self-injection, and the depolarization process is found to be influenced by the injection schemes. In the case of transverse self-injection, as found typically in the bubble regime, the spin precession of the accelerated electrons is mainly influenced by the wakefield. However, in the case of longitudinal injection in the quasi-1D regime (for example, F. Y. Li et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 135002 (2013)), the direction of electron spin oscillates in the laser field. Since the electrons move around the laser axis, the net influence of the laser field is nearly zero and the contribution of the wakefield can be ignored. Finally, an ultra-short electron beam with polarization of $99\%$ can be obtained using longitudinal self-injection.
Antipsychotic drugs (APDs) are the first-line pharmacological treatments for schizophrenia. Recent human studies have found that myelin integrity could be improved by APD treatment in schizophrenia patients. Previous studies indicated that regulation of oligodendrocyte development and function may be a novel target for APDs.
Aims:
The aim of this current study was to examine the possible effects of the antipsychotic drugs (APDs) haloperidol (HAL), olanzapine (OLA), and quetiapine (QUE) on the development of oligodendroglial lineage cells.
Main methods:
CG4 cells, an oligodendrocyte progenitor cell line, were treated with various concentrations of HAL, OLA, or QUE for specific periods. The proliferation and differentiation of the CG4 cells were measured. The regulation of CG4 cell differentiation by oligodendrocyte lineage transcription factors 1 and 2 (Olig1 and Olig2) was examined.
Results:
The APDs used in this study had no effect on the proliferation of CG4 cells. The APDs elevated the expression of 2’,3’-cyclic nucleotide 3’-phosphodiesterase (CNP), a specific marker of oligodendrocytes, and promoted the CG4 cells to differentiate into CNP positive oligodendrocytes. QUE and OLA increased the expression of Olig1 and Olig2 whereas HAL only increased the expression of Olig2.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that oligodendrocyte development is a target of HAL, OLA, and QUE and provide further evidence of the important role of oligodendrocytes in the pathophysiology and treatment of schizophrenia. They also indicate that the expression level of oligodendrocyte/myelinrelated genes could be profoundly affected by APDs.
Simulation models are used widely in pharmacology, epidemiology and health economics (HEs). However, there have been no attempts to incorporate models from these disciplines into a single integrated model. Accordingly, we explored this linkage to evaluate the epidemiological and economic impact of oseltamivir dose optimisation in supporting pandemic influenza planning in the USA. An HE decision analytic model was linked to a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) – dynamic transmission model simulating the impact of pandemic influenza with low virulence and low transmissibility and, high virulence and high transmissibility. The cost-utility analysis was from the payer and societal perspectives, comparing oseltamivir 75 and 150 mg twice daily (BID) to no treatment over a 1-year time horizon. Model parameters were derived from published studies. Outcomes were measured as cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. Sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the integrated model's robustness. Under both pandemic scenarios, compared to no treatment, the use of oseltamivir 75 or 150 mg BID led to a significant reduction of influenza episodes and influenza-related deaths, translating to substantial savings of QALYs. Overall drug costs were offset by the reduction of both direct and indirect costs, making these two interventions cost-saving from both perspectives. The results were sensitive to the proportion of inpatient presentation at the emergency visit and patients’ quality of life. Integrating PK/PD–EPI/HE models is achievable. Whilst further refinement of this novel linkage model to more closely mimic the reality is needed, the current study has generated useful insights to support influenza pandemic planning.
Repeat rectal chlamydia infection is common in men who have sex with men (MSM) following treatment with 1 g azithromycin. This study describes the association between organism load and repeat rectal chlamydia infection, genovar distribution, and efficacy of azithromycin in asymptomatic MSM. Stored rectal chlamydia-positive samples from MSM were analysed for organism load and genotyped to assist differentiation between reinfection and treatment failure. Included men had follow-up tests within 100 days of index infection. Lymphogranuloma venereum and proctitis diagnosed symptomatically were excluded. Factors associated with repeat infection, treatment failure and reinfection were investigated. In total, 227 MSM were included – 64 with repeat infections [28·2%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 22·4–34·5]. Repeat positivity was associated with increased pre-treatment organism load [odds ratio (OR) 1·7, 95% CI 1·4–2·2]. Of 64 repeat infections, 29 (12·8%, 95% CI 8·7–17·8) were treatment failures and 35 (15·4%, 95% CI 11·0–20·8) were reinfections, 11 (17·2%, 95% CI 8·9–28·7) of which were definite reinfections. Treatment failure and reinfection were both associated with increased load (OR 2·0, 95% CI 1·4–2·7 and 1·6, 95% CI 1·2–2·2, respectively). The most prevalent genovars were G, D and J. Treatment efficacy for 1 g azithromycin was 83·6% (95% CI 77·2–88·8). Repeat positivity was associated with high pre-treatment organism load. Randomized controlled trials are urgently needed to evaluate azithromycin's efficacy and whether extended doses can overcome rectal infections with high organism load.
We derive zphot for sources in the entire (~0.4 deg2) H-HDF-N field with the EAzY code, based on PSF-matched broad-band (U band to IRAC 4.5 μm) photometry. Our catalog consists of a total of 131,678 sources. We find σNMAD = 0.029 for non-X-ray sources. We also classify each object as a star or galaxy through SED fitting. Furthermore, we match our catalog with the 2 Ms CDF-N main X-ray catalog. For the 462 matched non-stellar X-ray sources, we improve their zphot quality (σNMAD = 0.035) by adding three additional AGN templates. We make our photometry and zphot catalog publicly available.
Convergent studies provide support for abnormalities in the structure and functioning of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the amygdala, the key components of the neural system that subserves emotional processing in major depressive disorder (MDD). We used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine potential amygdala–PFC functional connectivity abnormalities in treatment-naive subjects with MDD.
Methods
Resting-state fMRI data were acquired from 28 individuals with MDD and 30 healthy control (HC) subjects. Amygdala–PFC functional connectivity was compared between the MDD and HC groups.
Results
Decreased functional connectivity to the left ventral PFC (VPFC) from the left and right amygdala was observed in the MDD group, compared with the HC group (p < 0.05, corrected).
Conclusions
The treatment-naive subjects with MDD showed decreased functional connectivity from the amygdala to the VPFC, especially to the left VPFC. This suggests that these connections may play an important role in the neuropathophysiology of MDD at its onset.
This study aimed to confirm that vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) can occur via the infected ovum. Specimens studied were obtained from discarded test-tube embryos from mothers with chronic HBV infection who had received in vitro fertilization treatment. Single-cell reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction was used to detect HBV mRNA in the embryos. HBV mRNA was detected in the cleavage embryos of patients with chronic HBV infection, with a detection rate of 13·2% (5/38). The level of serum HBV DNA was not related to the HBV mRNA positivity rates in embryos. In this study, HBV mRNA was detected in test-tube embryos from HBV-infected mothers who had received in vitro fertilization treatment. This confirms the theory of vertical transmission of HBV via the ovum, thereby providing an important theoretical basis for further study on the mechanism of HBV vertical transmission, influencing factors and blocking measures.
We present a short Chandra observation that confirms a previous unidentified extended X-ray source, G308.3-1.4, as a new supernova remnant (SNR) in the Milky Way. Apart from identifying its SNR nature, a bright X-ray point source has also been discovered at the geometrical center. Its X-ray spectral properties are similar to those of a particular class of neutron star known as central compact objects (CCOs). On the other hand, the optical properties of this counterpart suggests it to be a late-type star. Together with the interesting ~ 1.4 hours X-ray periodicity found by Chandra, this system can possibly provide the first direct evidence of a compact binary survived in a supernova explosion.
The current trends in stimulated Brillouin scattering and optical phase conjugation are overviewed. This report is formed by the selected papers presented in the “Fifth International Workshop on stimulated Brillouin scattering and phase conjugation 2010” in Japan. The nonlinear properties of phase conjugation based on stimulated Brillouin scattering and photo-refraction can compensate phase distortions in the high power laser systems, and they will also open up potentially novel laser technologies, e.g., phase stabilization, beam combination, pulse compression, ultrafast pulse shaping, and arbitrary waveform generation.
X-ray powder diffraction was used for the structural study of nonlinear optical borates K1−xNaxSr4(BO3)3 (x≤0.5). Results show that up to 50% K+ can be substituted by Na+ in orthorhombic K1−xNaxSr4(BO3)3. Isolated BO3 triangles in the Na-substituted compound constrict to adjust to a local distribution of alkali-metal atoms, which explains the large range of structural homogeneity. An expansion of the c axis in a unit cell with increasing Na substitution was found probably caused by the tilted BO3 triangles and asymmetric distortion of (K/Na)O8 polyhedra. As the ratio of ionic radii of alkaline-earth and alkali-metal cations decreases and the electronegative difference between alkaline-earth and alkali-metal cations increases, the crystal system of MM′4(BO3)3 borates changes from cubic to orthorhombic and then to monoclinic.
The 2009 novel H1N1 influenza pandemic had a significant impact on Shenzhen's population with 2063 laboratory-confirmed human H1N1 cases and five deaths being reported. We used parameters from two population-based surveys and the Shenzhen Influenza Surveillance System to estimate the total number of H1N1 influenza infections in Shenzhen in the 2009 pandemic. The attack rate of influenza-like illness (ILI) in family households was 11·2% (95% CI 9·4–13·0), with 80·2% (95% CI 77·8–82·5) seeking medical care. The ILI attack rate in workers was 38·1% (95% CI 34·3–41·7) with 72·5% (95% CI 66·9–78·0) seeking medical care. The average H1N1 positive rate in individuals reporting ILI and testing by polymerase chain reaction was 22·7%. A total of 611 000–768 000 people, or 4·7–5·9% of the Shenzhen population, are estimated to have experienced H1N1 influenza. The estimated total number of cases of H1N1 is likely to be 330 times greater than the number of laboratory-confirmed cases.
The present study was conducted to determine the effects of a polysaccharide of Atractylodes macrophala Koidz (PAM) as a dietary additive on growth performance, immunoglobulin concentration and IL-1β expression in weaned piglets. One hundred and twenty Landrace×Yorkshire piglets weaned at 28 days old (body weight 7·5±0·07 kg) were assigned to five treatment groups (three pens/group, eight piglets/pen) fed maize/soybean-based diets supplemented with 0, 3, 6 or 9 g of PAM/kg diet or antibiotics (0·4 g flavomycin/kg+0·13 g olaquindox/kg). The experimental period was 28 days. With increasing PAM supplementation levels, average daily gain was greater (quadratic, P<0·05) and the ratio of amount fed to live weight (LW) gain (feed/gain) improved (quadratic, P<0·05) during days 14–28 and overall, and diarrhoea incidence decreased (linear, P<0·05) during days 14–28. Supplementation of PAM also increased (quadratic, P<0·05) serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-6 on day 14, and increased (quadratic, P<0·05) IL-1β expression in jejunal mucosa and lymph nodes. Concentrations of PAM between 6 and 9 g/kg presented the strongest bioactivity compared to the control group or antibiotic-fed group. These findings indicate that PAM is effective in improving growth performance and cytokine response, which suggests that PAM can be used as a diet additive for weanling piglets.
This study reports our numerical simulation of light extraction efficiency enhancement for a single quantum well by Extraordinary Optical Transmission (EOT) induced by a silver plate with air slit array. Our numerical experiment indicates that the enhancing effect could depend on a series of factors, namely, the nature of EOT, the polarizations and the positions of the quantum wells. Only by using TM polarized source significant enhancement can be achieved, and the enhancement excited by Fabry-Perot resonance is greater than that by surface plasmon polaritons; yet moving the source off the Ag/GaN interface will have the enhancement weakened. Position of the source, to be specific, either below an air slit or a silver strip, can lead to quite different results; and the greatest enhancement occurs when the source is placed right below the air slit.
The objectives of this study were to determine true phosphorus (P) digestibility, degradability of phytate-P complex and the endogenous P outputs associated with brown rice feeding in weanling pigs by using the simple linear regression analysis technique. Six barrows with an average initial body weight of 12.5 kg were fitted with a T-cannula and fed six diets according to a 6 × 6 Latin-square design. Six maize starch-based diets, containing six levels of P at 0.80, 1.36, 1.93, 2.49, 3.04, and 3.61 g/kg per kg dry-matter (DM) intake (DMI), were formulated with brown rice. Each experimental period lasted 10 days. After a 7-day adaptation, all faecal samples were collected on days 8 and 9. Ileal digesta samples were collected for a total of 24 h on day 10. The apparent ileal and faecal P digestibility values of brown rice were affected ( P < 0.01) by the P contents in the assay diets. The apparent ileal and faecal P digestibility values increased from − 48.0 to 36.7% and from − 35.6 to 40.0%, respectively, as P content increased from 0.80 to 3.61 g/kg DMI. Linear relationships ( P < 0.05), expressed as g/kg DMI, between the apparent ileal and faecal digestible P and dietary levels of P, suggested that true P digestibility and the endogenous P outputs associated with brown rice feeding could be determined by using the simple regression analysis technique. There were no differences ( P>0.05) in true P digestibility values (57.7 ± 5.4 v. 58.2 ± 5.9%), phytate P degradability (76.4 ± 6.7 v. 79.0 ± 4.4%) and the endogenous P outputs (0.812 ± 0..096 v. 0.725 ± 0.083 g/kg DMI) between the ileal and the faecal levels. The endogenous faecal P output represented 14 and 25% of the National Research Council (1998) recommended daily total and available P requirements in the weanling pig, respectively. About 58% of the total P in brown rice could be digested and absorbed by the weanling pig. Our results suggest that the large intestine of the weanling pigs does not play a significant role in the digestion of P in brown rice. Diet formulation on the basis of total or apparent P digestibility with brown rice may lead to P overfeeding and excessive P excretion in pigs.
Single crystal thin films with compositions from the A1N-InN-GaN system were grown via metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on single crystal 6H-SiC substrates. Blue light emitting (LED) and laser diode (LD) structures were fabricated. The conducting buffer layer LEDs employed an AlGaN buffer layer which provides a conduction path between SiC and the active device region. The external quantum efficiency of the LEDs was 3% at 20 mA- 3.6V and peak emission wavelength of 430 nm. Violet and blue LDs were fabricated and consisted of an 8-well InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well (MQW) active region in a separate confinement heterostructure (SCH) design. Lasing was obtained both on structures using an insulating buffer layer, and also on structures using a conducting buffer layer. The resulting lasers operated at room temperature using pulsed and continuous wave operation with an emission wavelength of 404-435 rim. The lowest threshold current density obtained for lasing was 11 kA/cm2.
Plasma and ion beam methods such as gas and metal ion implantation, plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII), and metal plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition (MePIIID) are introduced as powerful tools to modify the properties of battery electrodes. Three kinds of rechargeable electrochemical cells have been investigated: the lead-acid cell, the nickel alkaline-electrolyte cell, and the lithium cell. It was experimentally shown that (i) metal ion implantation of Ti, V, Cr, Ni, and W into lead and lead-antimony electrodes reduced the corrosion current by more than one order of magnitude, (ii) cobalt ion implantation into nickel electrodes enhanced the interconversion of Ni(OH)2 to NiOOH and the associated cycle life, (iii) nitrogen-PIII resulted in the formation of a nitrided lithium layer on lithium which stabilized the surface against corrosion, (iv) MePIIID with a tungsten plasma reduced the pitting corrosion of aluminum, a current collector for a lithium battery.
Hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) films with room temperature luminescence have been prepared in a PECVD system. Heavily H2 diluted silane and large negative bias accompanying low deposition temperature are used to decrease the crystalline size. The films comprise nanocrystallites surrounded by an interfacial phase with wurtzite structure characterized by 495cm−1 feature in the Raman spectrum. The X-ray diffraction spectrum shows the average grain size is about 4-5nm. The room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectrum consists of two peaks, one at 2.21eV which may be induced by the transitions of the quantum subbands in the nanocrystalline phase, the other at 2.84eV which may be attributed to some kinds of localized centers in the interfacial phase. The photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectrum also shows two peaks, a low one at 3.4eV approaching the bulk like transitions between Г25'V-Г15c while the high energy envelope around 5.0eV has a complicated configuration, and might be related to both the bulk like transition between Λ3v-Λ3cand band transitions of (Si-H2)n chains.
Antiphase domain-free, monocrystalline β-SiC thin films have been epitaxially grown on off-axis Si (100) substrates. The effects of degree of misorientation and substrate preannealing on the antiphase domain boundaries (APB's) have been investigated. Wet oxidation, optical microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the defect structures in both β-SiC thin films grown on exact Si (100) and on off-axis Si (100) substrates. The results revealed that many dislocations were included in APB's and that APB's were eliminated in the β-SiC thin films grown on Si (100) substrates that were oriented 2°–4° from [100] toward the [011] direction. Some APB's were observed near the edge of the β-SiC film on the 2° off-axis Si (100) substrates; however, they were eliminated by substrate preannealing. The carrier concentration and electron mobility of these β-SiC films were similar to those of β-SiC films grown on exact Si (100) substrates as determined by differential capacitance-voltage and Hall effect measurements. Au-β-SiC Schottky diodes were also fabricated on the β-SiC thin films on 4° off-axis substrates and had an ideality factor of 1.4. Differential capacitance-voltage measurements and current-voltage characteristics of Au-β-SiC Schottky diodes indicated that APB's caused significant leakage current in the β-SiC thin films.
High purity β—SiC films have been epitaxially grown on Si (100) and off-axis Si (100) substrates. Conventional chemical vapor deposition at 1633K and 1 atm using SiH4 and C2H4 reactants in an H2 carrier gas was employed for this growth. Large differences in lattice parameter and thermal coefficients of expansion between the film and the substrate were partially compensated for by growing aninitial “conversion layer.” Plan view and cross—sectional transmission electron microscopy were utilized to study the conversion layer and the defects present in the films. A high density of stacking faults and dislocations were present in allthe films grown on Si, however, antiphase boundaries were eliminated when certain off—axis Si (100) substrates were employed. The effects of misorientation angle and substrate preannealing were investigated. The electrical properties of the β-SiC films were also studied using differential capacitance—voltage and Hall effect measurements as well as the I—V characteristics of Au—β—SiC Schottky diodes. It was found that the elimination of antiphase boundaries reduced leakage current but did not significantly effect carrier concentration or Hall electron mobility. Finally, the I—V characteristics of a Metal—Semiconductor—Field—Effect—Transistor (MESFET) have been evaluated for a β—SiC filmon an on—axis Si (100) substrate.
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