Halogenation of SiC for band-gap engineering and excitonic functionalization

The optical excitation spectra and excitonic resonances are investigated in systematically functionalized SiC with Fluorine and/or Chlorine utilizing density functional theory in combination with many-body perturbation theory. The latter is required for a realistic description of the energy band-gaps as well as for the theoretical realization of excitons. Structural, electronic and optical properties are scrutinized and show the high stability of the predicted two-dimensional materials. Their realization in laboratory is thus possible. Huge band-gaps of the order of 4 eV are found in the so-called GW approximation, with the occurrence of bright excitons, optically active in the four investigated materials. Their binding energies vary from 0.9 eV to 1.75 eV depending on the decoration choice and in one case, a dark exciton is foreseen to exist in the fully chlorinated SiC. The wide variety of opto-electronic properties suggest halogenated SiC as interesting materials with potential not only for solar cell applications, anti-reflection coatings or high-reflective systems but also for a possible realization of excitonic Bose-Einstein condensation

Ketersediaan Kelembagaan dalam Pengembangan Usahatani Rumput Laut (Eucheuma Spinosum) di Desa Kawite Wite Kecamatan Kabawo Kabupaten Muna

This research aims to know and identify the institutional conditions are available and knowing the strategies of the community in case of institutional infrastructure limitations in the development of farming seaweed. The type of the data being used is the primary data and secondary data. Data analysis using the method of analyses tabulations and descriptive and analysis Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM). The results showed that (1) the availability of the institutional in the development of farming seaweed consisting of capital providers, information providers, and the institutions of providing inputs. The institution that provides capital in the development of seaweed farming in Kawite Wite Villagenamely collecting merchants. Institutions that provide information namely collecting merchants and extension officers, and institutional agencies providing input namely collecting merchants. The priority of the strategy can be done by farmers who do the farming of seaweed in Kawite Wite Village, Kabawo Subdistrict Muna Regency is a strategy 1 (one), namely the Human Resource training and development strategy for farmers worth 12.096. While on strategy 2 (two) as a strategy to optimize the results of production worth 11.311 and strategy 3 (three), namely expanding network marketing strategy valued at 10.685

The Higgs Potential in the Type II Seesaw Model

We perform in the type II seesaw setting, a detailed study of the dynamical features of the corresponding general renormalizable doublet/triplet Higgs potential that depends on five dimensionless couplings and two mass parameters after spontaneous symmetry breaking, and highlight the implications for the Higgs phenomenology. In particular, we determine i) the complete set of tree-level unitarity constraints on the couplings of the potential and ii) the exact tree-level {\sl all directions} boundedness from below constraints on these couplings. When combined, these constraints delineate precisely the theoretically allowed parameter space domain within our perturbative approximation. Among the seven physical Higgs states of this model, the mass of the lighter (heavier) CP-even state h0 (H0) will always satisfy a theoretical upper (lower) bound that is reached for a critical value mu_c of mu (the mass parameter controlling triple couplings among the doublet/triplet Higgses). Saturating the unitarity bounds we find m_h0 < {\cal O}(0.7 - 1 TeV), while the upper bound for the remaining Higgses lies in the several tens of TeV. However, the actual masses can be much lighter. We identify two regimes corresponding to mu > mu_c and mu < mu_c. In the first regime the Higgs sector is typically very heavy and only h0 that becomes SM-like could be accessible to the LHC. In contrast, in the second regime, somewhat overlooked in the literature, most of the Higgs sector is light. In particular the heaviest state H0 becomes SM-like, the lighter states being the CP-odd Higgs, the (doubly) charged Higgses and a decoupled h0, possibly leading to a distinctive phenomenology at the colliders.Comment: 55 pages, 9 figures, no major changes, references added, a comment added to sec 3.1, typos correcte

Rorc restrains the potency of ST2+ regulatory T cells in ameliorating intestinal graft-versus-host disease

Soluble stimulation-2 (ST2) is increased during graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), while Tregs that express ST2 prevent GVHD through unknown mechanisms. Transplantation of Foxp3- T cells and Tregs that were collected and sorted from different Foxp3 reporter mice indicated that in mice that developed GVHD, ST2+ Tregs were thymus derived and predominantly localized to the intestine. ST2-/- Treg transplantation was associated with reduced total intestinal Treg frequency and activation. ST2-/- versus WT intestinal Treg transcriptomes showed decreased Treg functional markers and, reciprocally, increased Rorc expression. Rorc-/- T cells transplantation enhanced the frequency and function of intestinal ST2+ Tregs and reduced GVHD through decreased gut-infiltrating soluble ST2-producing type 1 and increased IL-4/IL-10-producing type 2 T cells. Cotransfer of ST2+ Tregs sorted from Rorc-/- mice with WT CD25-depleted T cells decreased GVHD severity and mortality, increased intestinal ST2+KLRG1+ Tregs, and decreased type 1 T cells after transplantation, indicating an intrinsic mechanism. Ex vivo IL-33-stimulated Tregs (TregIL-33) expressed higher amphiregulin and displayed better immunosuppression, and adoptive transfer prevented GVHD better than control Tregs or TregIL-33 cultured with IL-23/IL-17. Amphiregulin blockade by neutralizing antibody in vivo abolished the protective effect of TregIL-33. Our data show that inverse expression of ST2 and RORγt in intestinal Tregs determines GVHD and that TregIL-33 has potential as a cellular therapy avenue for preventing GVHD

Vestibular Stimulation for ADHD: Randomized Controlled Trial of Comprehensive Motion Apparatus

Objective: This research evaluates effects of vestibular stimulation by Comprehensive Motion Apparatus (CMA) in ADHD. Method: Children ages 6 to 12 (48 boys, 5 girls) with ADHD were randomized to thrice-weekly 30-min treatments for 12 weeks with CMA, stimulating otoliths and semicircular canals, or a single-blind control of equal duration and intensity, each treatment followed by a 20-min typing tutorial. Results: In intent-to-treat analysis (n = 50), primary outcome improved significantly in both groups (p = .0001, d = 1.09 to 1.30), but treatment difference not significant (p = .7). Control children regressed by follow-up (difference p = .034, d = 0.65), but overall difference was not significant (p = .13, d = .47). No measure showed significant treatment differences at treatment end, but one did at follow-up. Children with IQ-achievement discrepancy ≥ 1 SD showed significantly more CMA advantage on three measures. Conclusion: This study illustrates the importance of a credible control condition of equal duration and intensity in trials of novel treatments. CMA treatment cannot be recommended for combined-type ADHD without learning disorder

‘Ethnic group’, the state and the politics of representation

The assertion, even if only by implication, that ‘ethnic group’ categories represent ‘real’ tangible entities, indeed identities, is commonplace not only in the realms of political and policy discourse but also amongst contemporary social scientists. This paper, following Brubaker (2002), questions this position in a number of key respects: of these three issues will dominate the discussion that follows. First, there is an interrogation of the proposition that those to whom the categories/labels refer constitute sociologically meaningful ‘groups’ as distinct from (mere) human collectivities. Secondly, there is the question of how these categories emerge, i.e. exactly what series of events, negotiations and contestations lie behind their construction and social acceptance. Thirdly, and as a corollary to the latter point, we explore the process of reification that leads to these categories being seen to represent ‘real things in the world’ (ibid.)

Serum Zinc Correlates with Parent- and Teacher-Rated Inattention in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship of zinc nutrition to the severity of attentiondeficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in a middle-class American sample with well-diagnosed ADHD. Previous reports of zinc in ADHD, including two positive clinical trials of supplementation, have come mainly from countries and cultures with different diets and/or socioeconomic realities. Method: Children 5–10 years of age with DISC- and clinician-diagnosed ADHD had serum zinc determinations and parent and teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms. Zinc levels were correlated (Pearson’s and multiple regression) with ADHD symptom ratings. Results: Forty-eight children (37 boys, 11 girls; 33 combined type, 15 inattentive) had serum zinc levels with a median/mode at the lowest 30% of the laboratory reference range; 44 children also had parent/teacher ratings. Serum magnesium levels were normal. Nutritional intake by a parent-answered food frequency questionnaire was unremarkable. Serum zinc correlated at r = -0.45 (p = 0.004) with parent-teacher-rated inattention, even after controlling for gender, age, income, and diagnostic subtype, but only at r = -0.20 (p = 0.22) with CPT omission errors. In contrast, correlation with parent-teacher-rated hyperactivity-impulsivity was nonsignificant in the opposite direction. Conclusion: These findings add to accumulating evidence for a possible role of zinc in ADHD, even for middle-class Americans, and, for the first time, suggest a special relationship to inattentive symptoms. They do not establish either that zinc deficiency causes ADHD nor that ADHD should be treated with zinc. Hypothesis-testing clinical trials are needed

Acetyl-L-Carnitine in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Multi-Site, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Trial

Objective: To determine whether acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC), a metabolite necessary for energy metabolism and essential fatty acid anabolism, might help attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Trials in Down’s syndrome, migraine, and Alzheimer’s disease showed benefit for attention. A preliminary trial in ADHD using L-carnitine reported significant benefit. Method: A multi-site 16-week pilot study randomized 112 children (83 boys, 29 girls) age 5-12 with systematically diagnosed ADHD to placebo or ALC in weight-based doses from 500 to 1500 mg b.i.d. The 2001 revisions of the Conners’ parent and teacher scales (including DSM-IV ADHD symptoms) were administered at baseline, 8, 12, and 16 weeks. Analyses were ANOVA of change from baseline to 16 weeks with treatment, center, and treatment-by-center interaction as independent variables. Results: The primary intent-to-treat analysis, of 9 DSM-IV teacher-rated inattentive symptoms, was not significant. However, secondary analyses were interesting. There was significant (p = 0.02) moderation by subtype: superiority of ALC over placebo in the inattentive type, with an opposite tendency in combined type. There was also a geographic effect (p = 0.047). Side effects were negligible; electrocardiograms, lab work, and physical exam unremarkable. Conclusion: ALC appears safe, but with no effect on the overall ADHD population (especially combined type). It deserves further exploration for possible benefit specifically in the inattentive type

EKSISTENSI MASYARAKAT HUKUM ADAT DALAM PENGUATAN DESA ADAT DI DESA BENTENAN KABUPATEN MINAHASA TENGGARA

Eksistensi masyarakat hukum adat telah menjadi bahan perdebatan luas dan menarik perhatian termasuk di kalangan para pakar. Upaya untuk menggali dan menunjukkan kebangkitan masyarakat hukum adat, akan bertolak dari hukum adat itu sendiri yang dalam perkembangannya sebagai salah satu sistem hukum di Indonesia dihadapkan pada tantangan berat. Eksistensi hukum adat cukup lama termarjinalisasi oleh berbagai kebijakan Pemerintah, termasuk dalam peraturan perundang-undangan sebagai hukum positif sekarang ini, bahkan dalam Undang-Undang Dasar Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 1945. Berdasarkan uraian tersebut di atas, yang melatarbelakangi permasalahan dalam penulisan ini yakni bagaimana eksistensi masyarakat hukum adat di Indonesia, serta bagaimana penguatan Desa Adat pada Desa, Bentenan, Kabupaten Minahasa Tenggara. Penelitian ini adalah penelitian hukum normatif. Dijelaskan bahwa pada penelitian hukum normatif, bahan pustaka merupakan data dasar yang dalam ilmu penelitian digolongkan sebagai data sekunder. Sumber data pustaka atau data sekunder diperoleh dari berbagai bahan hukum yang meliputi bahan hukum primer, bahan hukum sekunder, dan bahan hukum tersier atau bahan penunjang. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa eksistensi hukum adat cukup lama termarjinalisasi oleh berbagai kebijakan Pemerintah, termasuk dalam peraturan perundang-undangan sebagai hukum positif sekarang ini. Penghapusan Pengadilan Adat dipertegas pula dengan penghapusannya sebagai Peradilan Negara dalam sistem peradilan di Indonesia, serta menjadi bukti nyata dari politik hukum nasional yang telah menghancurkan eksistensi Hukum Adat sebagai suatu sistem hukum yang berlaku di Indonesia. Di kalangan masyarakat Desa Bentenan, aspek penguatan budaya dan kemasyarakatan tidak lagi dalam kerangka dan struktur sebagai Sistem Hukum Adat yang bertumpu pada adanya Masyarakat Hukum Adat, melainkan lebih memperhatikan aspek Masyarakat Adat belaka. Keberadaan Adat Istiadat sebagai identitas baik identitas budaya maupun warisan nenek moyang yang masih dominan di kalangan masyarakat Desa Bentenan menunjukan penguatan status Desa Bentenan menjadi Desa Adat. Dari hasil penelitian dapat ditarik kesimpulan bahwa pengaturan konstitusional terhadap Masyarakat Hukum Adat dan hak tradisionalnya membangkitkan kehendak untuk kembali mengangkat dan memperjuangkan eksistensinya Masyarakat Hukum Adat sebagai bagian dari Sistem Hukum Nasional. Pengakuan dan pengaturan Desa Adat sebagai jenis Desa di samping Desa itu sendiri dalam Undang-Undang Nomor 6 Tahun 2014 tentang Desa kurang mendukung penguatan dan perwujudan eksistensi Hukum Adat. Status Desa Adat dimungkinkan berubah menjadi Desa, sedangkan perubahan status Desa dari Desa menjadi Desa Adat dipersulit oleh peraturan perundangan tentang Desa. Untuk itu keberadaan Adat Istiadat sebagai identitas baik identitas budaya maupun warisan nenek moyang yang masih dominan di kalangan masyarakat Desa Bentenan Kecamatan Pusomaen Kabupaten Minahasa Tenggara menunjukan penguatan status Desa Bentenan menjadi Desa Adat

Epidemiology and Outcome of Fungemia in a Cancer Cohort of the Infectious Diseases Group (IDG) of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC 65031)

In a prospective cohort study of 145 030 admissions of cancer patients from 13 European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer centers fungemia occurred in 0.23%. Candida albicans was the predominant pathogen. Fungemia was associated with substantial mortality. Antifungal prophylaxis and remission of cancer predicted better surviva