Search

Religious apostasy is a complex phenomenon that becomes even more obscure when it involves public figures in the media industry with economic interests at stake. A paradigmatic case is that of American singer Miley Cyrus, who went from being a famous religious role model for conservative American evangelical Christians to becoming a secular and liberal celebrity, playing in highly sexualized live shows and videos. Drawing on a complementary use of sociological, economic and language theories of value, this paper explores Cyrus' religious apostasy as a transformation from a Christian commodity to a secular one. Our study shows that, while for the industry, be it Christian or secular, Cyrus' sociological and language values are always subsidiary to her economic value as a commodity, for Christian consumers, her economic value depends on her social and language values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inthis article we present the preactivation of TiO2and ITOby UV irradiation under ambient conditions as a tool toenhance the incorporation of organic molecules on these oxides byevaporation at low pressures. The deposition of π-stacked moleculeson TiO2and ITO at controlled substrate temperature andin the presence of Ar is thoroughly followed by SEM, UV–vis,XRD, RBS, and photoluminescence spectroscopy, and the effect is exploitedfor the patterning formation of small-molecule organic nanowires (ONWs).X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) in situ experiments and moleculardynamics simulations add critical information to fully elucidate themechanism behind the increase in the number of adsorption centersfor the organic molecules. Finally, the formation of hybrid organic/inorganicsemiconductors is also explored as a result of the controlled vacuumsublimation of organic molecules on the open thin film microstructureof mesoporous TiO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO2thin films in the form of anatase have been prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) at 523 K as the substrate temperature and a low working pressure. The study of the microstructure and texture of the films at different stages of deposition show that their growth follows the Kolmogorov’s model developed to describe the evolution of crystalline films from a saturated homogeneous medium. An additional characteristic feature of the growth process by PECVD is the formation of different crystalline domains, particularly at low deposition rates. The effects of this parameter and of the characteristics of the substrate on the growing process are also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a view is proposed from a complexity viewpoint about the systematic implications of human genome manipulation. Evolution is the central biological process that helps us understand the diversity of the living world. Today, it is held as the prevalent viewpoint without taking into account that human beings are, in addition to their genetic endowment, products of interaction with their surroundings, as much biological as social. Although it can be of great benefit to humanity, the manipulation of the human genome can also be utilized for discriminatory ends and domination, besides the unforeseeable consequences due to the emergent properties that result from each procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Women make up 55% of the total world population. This percentage is set to steadily increase over the next three decades. Europe also has the highest proportion of older women in the world. In fact, there are now approximately 3 women for every 2 men over 65. All of this data confirms the importance of prevention. An ideal approach for the female post-menopausal population would be treatment of any condition that can improve physical, mental and social well-being. Nevertheless, it is understood that the efficacy and cost/benefits of every screening programme need to be analysed. One of the largest and most neglected groups that could benefit from prevention consists of women without hot flushes (asymptomatic women), but with risk factors. The strategic measures are information, research and development of programmes. The more practical approach would be to identify patients and therefore yield better results in terms of health status and improvement. Statistics show that the three main causes of mortality and disability in developed countries for post-menopausal women are cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and osteoporosis-associated fractures. There are agreed recommendations to include some preventive measures for these three disorders in clinical practice for health professionals, at least at the minimal level. Research into the role that other diseases play will allow strategies to be developed in order to enhance prevention. Disorders such as urinary incontinence, dyspareunia, visual and hearing impairment and cognitive dysfunction are seen in significant percentages in post-menopausal women and may affect their quality of life. Health care professionals should bear in mind that many women may be reluctant to raise questions about some disorders spontaneously. Physicians should therefore search for patients with risk factors for these diseases. Prevention and treatment to avoid medical accidents will improve the quantity and quality of life. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Discusses swelling-activated flux of osmolytes, and the role of the NIH/3T3 fibroblasts. Involvement of the anion channel in regulatory volume decrease (RVD); Discovery of chloride channels activated by hypotonicity; Details on the study.

Presents a study where Cl channel blockers inhibit the volume-activated efflux of Cl and taurine in cultured neurons. Cell cultures; Volume measurements; Study protocol; Effect of fatty acids and chloride channel blockers on the release of [3H]taurine and 125I stimulated by hyposmolarity.

Examines the concentration of free amino acids in NIH/3T3 cells, the release in response to swelling-associated efflux, and the properties of the swelling-associated efflux. Amino acid release activated by hypotonicity; Effect of chloride channel blockers on [3H] taurine efflux; Effect of calcium on osmolyte fluxes.

In this work we have developed an infiltration methodology to incorporate metal nanoparticles (NPs) of controlled size and shape into the open voids available in oblique angle deposited thin films. These NPs exhibited well-defined surface plasmon resonances (SPRs). The nanometric confined space provided by their porous microstructure has been used as a template for the growth of anisotropic NPs with interesting SPR properties. The fabrication methodology has been applied for the preparation of films with embedded Ag and Au NPs with two associated plasmon resonance features that developed a dichroic behaviour when examined with linearly polarized light. A confined alloying process was induced by near IR nanosecond laser irradiation yielding bimetallic NPs with SPR features covering a large zone of the electromagnetic spectrum. The possibilities of the method for the tailored fabrication of a wide range colour palette based on SPR features are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high plasma temperatures expected at reactor conditions in magnetic confinement fusion toroidal devices suggest that near-marginal operation could be a reality in future devices and reactors. By near-marginal it is meant that the plasma profiles might wander around the local critical thresholds for the onset of instabilities. Self-organized criticality (SOC) was suggested in the mid 1990s as a more proper paradigm to describe the dynamics of tokamak plasma transport in near-marginal conditions. It advocated that, near marginality, the evolution of mean profiles and fluctuations should be considered simultaneously, in contrast to the more common view of a large separation of scales existing between them. Otherwise, intrinsic features of near-marginal transport would be missed, that are of importance to understand the properties of energy confinement. In the intervening 20 years, the relevance of the idea of SOC for near-marginal transport in fusion plasmas has transitioned from an initial excessive hype to the much more realistic standing of today, which we will attempt to examine critically in this review paper. First, the main theoretical ideas behind SOC will be described. Secondly, how they might relate to the dynamics of near-marginal transport in real magnetically confined plasmas will be discussed. Next, we will review what has been learnt about SOC from various numerical studies and what it has meant for the way in which we do numerical simulation of fusion plasmas today. Then, we will discuss the experimental evidence available from the several experiments that have looked for SOC dynamics in fusion plasmas. Finally, we will conclude by identifying the various problems that still remain open to investigation in this area. Special attention will be given to the discussion of frequent misconceptions and ongoing controversies. The review also contains a description of ongoing efforts that seek effective transport models better suited than traditional equations to capture SOC dynamics. Most of these models, based on the use of fractional transport equations and related concepts, could prove useful both in reactor operation and experiment control and design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitrification and conventional cryopreservation are effective methods of preserving equine embryos smaller than 300 μm in diameter. This study was designed to compare pregnancy rates using these methods to cryopreserve embryos of similar size. Sport horse mares approximately 2–20 years old were flushed nonsurgically between Days 6.5 and 7 post-ovulation with 2 L of lactated-Ringers solution (Braun, Melsungen, Germany). Thirty-one embryos were collected, washed 4 times with 1 mL of ViGro®holding medium (Bioniche Animal Health, Bogart, GA), graded for quality, measured for diameter, and blocked into 2 groups (200 μm resulted in pregnancies in either the vitrification (n= 5) or slow-freeze treatments (n= 4). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Amino functionalized, cross-linked, polystyrene microspheres were covalently loaded with streptavidin to which was coupled fluorescently labeled biotin and biotinylated-tagged DNA. These biotin–streptavidin microsphere conjugates were then successfully delivered into cells. The application of the streptavidin–biotin technology to these microspheres allows the effective delivery of any biotinylated material into intact mammalian cells, without the need for delicate procedures such as micro-injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recently developed free-plasma-boundary version of the SIESTA MHD equilibrium code (Hirshman et al 2011 Phys. Plasmas18 062504; Peraza-Rodriguez et al 2017 Phys. Plasmas24 082516) is used for the first time to study scenarios with considerable bootstrap currents for the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) stellarator. Bootstrap currents in the range of tens of kAs can lead to the formation of unwanted magnetic island chains or stochastic regions within the plasma and alter the boundary rotational transform due to the small shear in W7-X. The latter issue is of relevance since the island divertor operation of W7-X relies on a proper positioning of magnetic island chains at the plasma edge to control the particle and energy exhaust towards the divertor plates. Two scenarios are examined with the new free-plasma-boundary capabilities of SIESTA: a freely evolving bootstrap current one that illustrates the difficulties arising from the dislocation of the boundary islands, and a second one in which off-axis electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) is applied to compensate the effects of the bootstrap current and keep the island divertor configuration intact. SIESTA finds that off-axis ECCD is indeed able to keep the location and phase of the edge magnetic island chain unchanged, but it may also lead to an undesired stochastization of parts of the confined plasma if the EC deposition radial profile becomes too narrow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To gain a deeper comprehension of current vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) knowledge among Spanish postmenopausal women.Methods: An online survey (REVIVE) was conducted in four European countries with an overall sample of 768 participants included in Spain. Perceptions, experiences and needs of Spanish postmenopausal women in terms of sexual and vaginal health were reported.Results: Vaginal dryness was the most common VVA symptom in Spain (81%). The severity of symptoms reported by postmenopausal women tended to be similar or worse than at onset, especially in the most troublesome symptom, dyspareunia (80%). VVA symptoms significantly impact on Spanish participants' ability to achieve sexual enjoyment (75%), relationship with partner (67%) and sexual spontaneity (66%). Although 71% of participants with partners (83%) were sexually active, their sex drive was reduced by one-third as a consequence of VVA. Despite the fact that women expected doctors to start asking them about menopausal symptoms, this rarely occurred. Treatments were administered mainly vaginally without prescription (62% were using over-the-counter products at the time). Postmenopausal women who had discussed their symptoms with physicians were twice as likely to be treated (66% vs. 33%) than those who had not. Low compliance with treatment was justified by Spanish participants with not bothersome enough symptoms (22%), relief (21%), inability to reverse vaginal changes (15%) and treatment price (13%). Almost half of the participants with a current local estrogen prescription showed satisfaction. The acknowledged main limitation for all treatments was the inability to restore the natural conditions of the vagina. The price of over-the-counter products was also reported as an important concern in Spanish postmenopausal women.Conclusion: VVA remains underdiagnosed and undertreated in Spain, despite its high frequency and significant impact on quality of life. Since patient satisfaction with available treatments remains compromised, an effective discussion of symptoms and therapies with doctors would improve its management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An optical tweezers directed parallel DNA oligonucleotide synthesis methodology is described in which controlled pore glass (CPG) beads act as solid substrates in a two-stream microfluidic reactor. The reactor contains two parallel sets of physical confinement features that retain beads in the reagent stream for synthetic reaction but allow the beads to be optically trapped and transferred between the reagent and the inert streams for sequence programming. As a demonstration, we synthesized oligonucleotides of target sequence 25-nt, one deletion and one substitution using dimethoxytrityl (DMT) nucleoside phosphoramidite chemistry. In detecting single-nucleotide mismatches, fluorescence in situhybridization of the bead-conjugated probes showed high specificity and signal-to-noise ratios. These preliminary results suggest further possibilities of creating a novel type of versatile, sensitive and multifunctional reconfigurable one-bead one-compound (OBOC) bead array. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the results of our observing campaign on GRB 140903A, a nearby (z = 0.351) short-duration (T90 ∼ 0.3 s) gamma-ray burst discovered by Swift. We monitored the X-ray afterglow with Chandra up to 15 days after the burst and detected a steeper decay of the X-ray flux after tj ≈ 1 day. Continued monitoring at optical and radio wavelengths showed a similar decay in flux at nearly the same time, and we interpret it as evidence of a narrowly collimated jet. By using the standard fireball model to describe the afterglow evolution, we derive a jet opening angle θj ≈ 5° and a collimation-corrected total energy release E ≈ 2 erg. We further discuss the nature of the GRB progenitor system. Three main lines disfavor a massive star progenitor: the properties of the prompt gamma-ray emission, the age and low star formation rate of the host galaxy, and the lack of a bright supernova. We conclude that this event likely originated from a compact binary merger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]