4,192 research outputs found
Data for: Volcanic glass weathering and the groundwater geochemistry on the semi-arid Atlantic island of Porto Santo.
chemical analysis of groundwate
<i>Z</i>-scores for the deaf (D) and interpreters with respect to the controls from the current study compared to the <i>Z</i>-scores of the Early and Late blind observers with respect to their controls from the study by Postma et al. (2007).
<p><i>Z</i>-scores for the deaf (D) and interpreters with respect to the controls from the current study compared to the <i>Z</i>-scores of the Early and Late blind observers with respect to their controls from the study by Postma et al. (2007).</p
Deletion of vitamin D receptor leads to premature emphysema/COPD by increased matrix metalloproteinases and lymphoid aggregates formation
Deficiency of vitamin D is associated with accelerated decline in lung function. Vitamin D is a ligand for nuclear hormone vitamin D receptor (VDR), and upon binding it modulates various cellular functions. The level of VDR is reduced in lungs of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which led us to hypothesize that deficiency of VDR leads to significant alterations in lung phenotype that are characteristics of COPD/emphysema associated with increased inflammatory response. We found that VDR knock-out (VDR(-/-)) mice had increased influx of inflammatory cells, phospho-acetylation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) associated with increased proinflammatory mediators, and up-regulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) MMP-2, MMP-9, and MMP-12 in the lung. This was associated with emphysema and decline in lung function associated with lymphoid aggregates formation compared to WT mice. These findings suggest that deficiency of VDR in mouse lung can lead to an early onset of emphysema/COPD because of chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation, and lung destruction
Carbon nanotube junctions and devices
In this thesis Postma presents transport experiments performed on individual single-wall carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes are molecules entirely made of carbon atoms. The electronic properties are determined by the exact symmetry of the nanotube lattice, resulting in either metallic or semiconducting behaviour. Due to their small diameter, electronic motion is directed in the length direction of the nanotube, making them ideal systems to study e.g. one-dimensional transport phenomena. First, we present mK-temperature current-voltage characteristics of an individual single-wall carbon nanotube showing Coulomb blockade and resonant tunnelling through individual molecular levels. We then report electrical transport measurements on carbon nanotubes with naturally occurring intramolecular junctions. We find that a metal-semiconductor junction behaves like a rectifying diode, whereas the conductance of a metal-metal junction behaves like a tunnel junction with associated power-law dependencies described by a Luttinger liquid model for tunnelling between the two nanotube segments. In order to further study carbon nanotube intramolecular junctions, we developed an atomic force microscope (AFM) manipulation technique, by means of which carbon nanotube junctions such as buckles and crossings are created. The electronic transport properties of these manipulated structures show that they form electronic nanometer-size tunnel junctions. Thereafter, room-temperature single-electron transistors are realized within metallic carbon nanotubes. The devices feature a short (down to 20 nm) nanotube section that is created by AFM manipulation. Coulomb charging is observed at room temperature. We observe unconventional power-law dependencies in the transport properties for which we develop a resonant-tunnelling Luttinger-liquid model. Finally, the low-frequency electronic noise properties of metallic carbon nanotubes are investigated. The noise power exhibits a 1/f frequency dependence that is three orders of magnitude smaller at 8 K than at 300 K. As a demonstration of how these noise properties affect nanotube devices, we present a preliminary investigation of the noise characteristics of an intramolecular carbon nanotube single-electron transistor.Applied Science
The era of our lives: The memory of Korsakoff patients for the first Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in the Netherlands
Memories for worldwide and emotional events (such as 9/11) are more vividly relived and recalled than memories for everyday events. Previous studies have shown that flashbulb memories of a single event enhanced the memory strength in severe amnesia. It is currently unknown whether macro-events that stretch out over longer periods of time (weeks, months) strengthen memory even further. Our aim was therefore to investigate to what extent patients with severe amnesia, due to Korsakoff’s syndrome (KS), were able to relive the first Covid-19 lockdown in the Netherlands, and whether experienced emotions enhanced reliving of the participants. We included 22 KS patients and 24 age-, education-, and gender-matched healthy controls. Covid-19 related memories were assessed by measures of autobiographical memory specificity, phenomenological reliving, emotional intensity and semantic-and episodic knowledge about the first lockdown in March 2020 – May 2020 in the Netherlands. Although amnesia patients remembered significantly fewer autobiographical details regarding the Covid-19 lockdown than healthy controls, one fourth of the KS patients recalled specific events. Amnesia patients reported levels of emotional intensity equivalent to those in the control group. Stronger autobiographical reliving was associated with higher emotional intensity. Both amnesia patients and healthy controls had higher recall of episodic than semantic lockdown related information. In conclusion, results demonstrate that information for macro-events can still be memorized and relived, most specifically when emotional valence is high, even by highly amnestic patients
Is there selective retroactive memory enhancement in humans?: a meta-analysis
Memory is an adaptive and flexible system that preferentially stores motivationally relevant information. However, in some cases information that is initially irrelevant can become relevant at a later time. The question arises whether and to what extent the memory system can retroactively boost memories of the initially irrelevant information. Experimental studies in animals and humans have provided evidence for such retroactive memory boosting. Additionally, these studies suggest that retroactive memory enhancement (RME) can be selective to the semantic meaning of the material. Nonetheless, recent experimental work could not replicate these findings, posing the question whether the selective RME effect is reliable. To synthesize the available evidence, we conducted meta-analyses of 14 experiments. Although the classical meta-analytic procedure suggested a small selective RME effect, Cohen’s d z = 0.16, when accounting for small-study bias using robust Bayesian meta-analysis the null hypothesis was supported, Cohen’s d z = 0.02, BF01 = 3.03. Furthermore strong evidence was found for a bias due to small-study effects, BF10 = 11.39. Together, this calls the reliability of a selective RME effect into question
sj-docx-1-eso-10.1177_23969873231157901 – Supplemental material for Early post-endovascular treatment contrast extravasation on dual-energy CT is associated with clinical and radiological stroke outcomes: A 10-year single-centre experience
Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-eso-10.1177_23969873231157901 for Early post-endovascular treatment contrast extravasation on dual-energy CT is associated with clinical and radiological stroke outcomes: A 10-year single-centre experience by Florentina ME Pinckaers, Max MG Mentink, Hieronymus D Boogaarts, Wim H van Zwam, Robert J van Oostenbrugge and Alida A Postma in European Stroke Journal</p
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