Lieb-Thirring Bound for Schr\"odinger Operators with Bernstein Functions of the Laplacian

A Lieb-Thirring bound for Schr\"odinger operators with Bernstein functions of the Laplacian is shown by functional integration techniques. Several specific cases are discussed in detail.Comment: We revised the first versio

First-Principles Studies of Hydrogenated Si(111)--7×\times7

The relaxed geometries and electronic properties of the hydrogenated phases of the Si(111)-7$\times$7 surface are studied using first-principles molecular dynamics. A monohydride phase, with one H per dangling bond adsorbed on the bare surface is found to be energetically favorable. Another phase where 43 hydrogens saturate the dangling bonds created by the removal of the adatoms from the clean surface is found to be nearly equivalent energetically. Experimental STM and differential reflectance characteristics of the hydrogenated surfaces agree well with the calculated features.Comment: REVTEX manuscript with 3 postscript figures, all included in uu file. Also available at http://www.phy.ohiou.edu/~ulloa/ulloa.htm

A comprehensive 1000 Genomes-based genome-wide association meta-analysis of coronary artery disease

Existing knowledge of genetic variants affecting risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) is largely based on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) analysis of common SNPs. Leveraging phased haplotypes from the 1000 Genomes Project, we report a GWAS meta-analysis of 185 thousand CAD cases and controls, interrogating 6.7 million common (MAF>0.05) as well as 2.7 million low frequency (0.005<MAF<0.05) variants. In addition to confirmation of most known CAD loci, we identified 10 novel loci, eight additive and two recessive, that contain candidate genes that newly implicate biological processes in vessel walls. We observed intra-locus allelic heterogeneity but little evidence of low frequency variants with larger effects and no evidence of synthetic association. Our analysis provides a comprehensive survey of the fine genetic architecture of CAD showing that genetic susceptibility to this common disease is largely determined by common SNPs of small effect siz

Theoretical study of the insulating oxides and nitrides: SiO2, GeO2, Al2O3, Si3N4, and Ge3N4

An extensive theoretical study is performed for wide bandgap crystalline oxides and nitrides, namely, SiO_{2}, GeO_{2}, Al_{2}O_{3}, Si_{3}N_{4}, and Ge_{3}N_{4}. Their important polymorphs are considered which are for SiO_{2}: $\alpha$-quartz, $\alpha$- and $\beta$-cristobalite and stishovite, for GeO_{2}: $\alpha$-quartz, and rutile, for Al_{2}O_{3}: $\alpha$-phase, for Si_{3}N_{4} and Ge_{3}N_{4}: $\alpha$- and $\beta$-phases. This work constitutes a comprehensive account of both electronic structure and the elastic properties of these important insulating oxides and nitrides obtained with high accuracy based on density functional theory within the local density approximation. Two different norm-conserving \textit{ab initio} pseudopotentials have been tested which agree in all respects with the only exception arising for the elastic properties of rutile GeO_{2}. The agreement with experimental values, when available, are seen to be highly satisfactory. The uniformity and the well convergence of this approach enables an unbiased assessment of important physical parameters within each material and among different insulating oxide and nitrides. The computed static electric susceptibilities are observed to display a strong correlation with their mass densities. There is a marked discrepancy between the considered oxides and nitrides with the latter having sudden increase of density of states away from the respective band edges. This is expected to give rise to excessive carrier scattering which can practically preclude bulk impact ionization process in Si_{3}N_{4} and Ge_{3}N_{4}.Comment: Published version, 10 pages, 8 figure

Potentially inappropriate medication in older participants of the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II) - Sex differences and associations with morbidity and medication use

INTRODUCTION: Multimorbidity in advanced age and the need for drug treatment may lead to polypharmacy, while pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes may increase the risk of adverse drug events (ADEs). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of subjects using potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) in a cohort of older and predominantly healthy adults in relation to polypharmacy and morbidity. METHODS: Cross-sectional data were available from 1,382 study participants (median age 69 years, IQR 67-71, 51.3% females) of the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II). PIM was classified according to the EU(7)-PIM and German PRISCUS (representing a subset of the former) list. Polypharmacy was defined as the concomitant use of at least five drugs. A morbidity index (MI) largely based on the Charlson Index was applied to evaluate the morbidity burden. RESULTS: Overall, 24.1% of the participants were affected by polypharmacy. On average, men used 2 (IQR 1-4) and women 3 drugs (IQR 1-5). According to PRISCUS and EU(7)-PIM, 5.9% and 22.6% of participants received at least one PIM, while use was significantly more prevalent in females (25.5%) compared to males (19.6%) considering EU(7)-PIM (p = 0.01). In addition, morbidity in males receiving PIM according to EU(7)-PIM was higher (median MI 1, IQR 1-3) compared to males without PIM use (median MI 1, IQR 0-2, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: PIM use occurred more frequently in women than in men, while it was associated with higher morbidity in males. As expected, EU(7)-PIM identifies more subjects as PIM users than the PRISCUS list but further studies are needed to investigate the differential impact of both lists on ADEs and outcome. KEY POINTS: We found PIM use to be associated with a higher number of regular medications and with increased morbidity. Additionally, we detected a higher prevalence of PIM use in females compared to males, suggesting that women and people needing intensive drug treatment are patient groups, who are particularly affected by PIM use

Recent progress in translational research on neurovascular and neurodegenerative disorders

The already established and widely used intravenous application of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator as a re-opening strategy for acute vessel occlusion in ischemic stroke was recently added by mechanical thrombectomy, representing a fundamental progress in evidence-based medicine to improve the patient’s outcome. This has been paralleled by a swift increase in our understanding of pathomechanisms underlying many neurovascular diseases and most prevalent forms of dementia. Taken together, these current advances offer the potential to overcome almost two decades of marginally successful translational research on stroke and dementia, thereby spurring the entire field of translational neuroscience. Moreover, they may also pave the way for the renaissance of classical neuroprotective paradigms. This review reports and summarizes some of the most interesting and promising recent achievements in neurovascular and dementia research. It highlights sessions from the 9th International Symposium on Neuroprotection and Neurorepair that have been discussed from April 19th to 22nd in Leipzig, Germany. To acknowledge the emerging culture of interdisciplinary collaboration and research, special emphasis is given on translational stories ranging from fundamental research on neurode- and -regeneration to late stage translational or early stage clinical investigations

Mouse SLX4 Is a Tumor Suppressor that Stimulates the Activity of the Nuclease XPF-ERCC1 in DNA Crosslink Repair

SLX4 binds to three nucleases (XPF-ERCC1, MUS81-EME1, and SLX1), and its deficiency leads to genomic instability, sensitivity to DNA crosslinking agents, and Fanconi anemia. However, it is not understood how SLX4 and its associated nucleases act in DNA crosslink repair. Here, we uncover consequences of mouse Slx4 deficiency and reveal its function in DNA crosslink repair. Slx4-deficient mice develop epithelial cancers and have a contracted hematopoietic stem cell pool. The N-terminal domain of SLX4 (mini-SLX4) that only binds to XPF-ERCC1 is sufficient to confer resistance to DNA crosslinking agents. Recombinant mini-SLX4 enhances XPF-ERCC1 nuclease activity up to 100-fold, directing specificity toward DNA forks. Mini-SLX4-XPF-ERCC1 also vigorously stimulates dual incisions around a DNA crosslink embedded in a synthetic replication fork, an essential step in the repair of this lesion. These observations define vertebrate SLX4 as a tumor suppressor, which activates XPF-ERCC1 nuclease specificity in DNA crosslink repairope