Research Blogging: Indexing and Registering the Change in Science 2.0

Increasing public interest in science information in a digital and 2.0 science era promotes a dramatically, rapid and deep change in science itself. The emergence and expansion of new technologies and internet-based tools is leading to new means to improve scientific methodology and communication, assessment, promotion and certification. It allows methods of acquisition, manipulation and storage, generating vast quantities of data that can further facilitate the research process. It also improves access to scientific results through information sharing and discussion. Content previously restricted only to specialists is now available to a wider audience. This context requires new management systems to make scientific knowledge more accessible and useable, including new measures to evaluate the reach of scientific information. The new science and research quality measures are strongly related to the new online technologies and services based in social media. Tools such as blogs, social bookmarks and online reference managers, Twitter and others offer alternative, transparent and more comprehensive information about the active interest, usage and reach of scientific publications. Another of these new filters is the Research Blogging platform, which was created in 2007 and now has over 1,230 active blogs, with over 26,960 entries posted about peer-reviewed research on subjects ranging from Anthropology to Zoology. This study takes a closer look at RB, in order to get insights into its contribution to the rapidly changing landscape of scientific communication.

Reduced muscle carnosine content in type 2, but not in type 1 diabetic patients

Carnosine is present in high concentrations in skeletal muscle where it contributes to acid buffering and functions also as a natural protector against oxidative and carbonyl stress. Animal studies have shown an anti-diabetic effect of carnosine supplementation. High carnosinase activity, the carnosine degrading enzyme in serum, is a risk factor for diabetic complications in humans. The aim of the present study was to compare the muscle carnosine concentration in diabetic subjects to the level in non-diabetics. Type 1 and 2 diabetic patients and matched healthy controls (total n = 58) were included in the study. Muscle carnosine content was evaluated by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (3 Tesla) in soleus and gastrocnemius. Significantly lower carnosine content (-45%) in gastrocnemius muscle, but not in soleus, was shown in type 2 diabetic patients compared with controls. No differences were observed in type 1 diabetic patients. Type II diabetic patients display a reduced muscular carnosine content. A reduction in muscle carnosine concentration may be partially associated with defective mechanisms against oxidative, glycative and carbonyl stress in muscle.

Molecular organization and doping in poly(2-methoxyaniline)/Ni(dmit)(2) films obtained with the Langmuir-Blodgett technique

The control of the properties of materials at the molecular level is pursued for many applications, especially those associated with nanostructures. In this paper, we show that the coordination compound [Ni(dmit)(2)], where (dmit) is the 1,3-dithiole-2-thione-4,5-dithiolate ligand, can induce doping of poly(2-methoxyaniline) (POMA) in molecularly ordered Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films. Doping was associated with interactions between the components and the compression of the Langmuir film at the air-water interface, according to polarization-modulated infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) data. Taking these results together with in situ UV-Vis absorption measurements, we could identify the molecular groups involved in the interaction, including the way they were reoriented upon film compression. The Langmuir films were sufficiently stable to be transferred as Y-type LB films, while the hybrid POMA/[Ni(dmit)(2)] films remain doped in the solid state. As expected, the molecular charges affected the film morphology, as observed from combined atomic and electric force microscopy measurements. In summary, with adequate spectroscopy and microscopy tools we characterized molecular-level interactions, which may allow one to design molecular electronic devices with controlled electrical properties.

Two-Phase Frictional Pressure Drop and Flow Boiling Heat Transfer for R245fa in a 2.32-mm Tube

Experimental two-phase frictional pressure drop and flow boiling heat transfer results are presented for a horizontal 2.32-mm ID stainless-steel tube using R245fa as working fluid. The frictional pressure drop data was obtained under adiabatic and diabatic conditions. Experiments were performed for mass velocities ranging from 100 to 700 kg m−2 s−1 , heat flux from 0 to 55 kW m−2 , exit saturation temperatures of 31 and 41◦C, and vapor qualities from 0.10 to 0.99. Pressures drop gradients and heat transfer coefficients ranging from 1 to 70 kPa m−1 and from 1 to 7 kW m−2 K−1 were measured. It was found that the heat transfer coefficient is a strong function of the heat flux, mass velocity, and vapor quality. Five frictional pressure drop predictive methods were compared against the experimental database. The Cioncolini et al. (2009) method was found to work the best. Six flow boiling heat transfer predictive methods were also compared against the present database. Liu and Winterton (1991), Zhang et al. (2004), and Saitoh et al. (2007) were ranked as the best methods. They predicted the experimental flow boiling heat transfer data with an average error around 19%.

Untersuchungen zur Löslichkeit von Kobalt und Eisen in TiO 2-Bulk sowie in TiO 2-Nanoproben und deren Einfluss auf die magnetischen Eigenschaften

Co- und Fe-dotierte Rutil- und Anatas-Bulkproben wurden über einen Sol-Gel Prozess und anschließende thermische Behandlung dargestellt und auf ihre Zugehörigkeit zu der Gruppe der verdünnten magnetischen Oxide untersucht. Die Untersuchungen der dotierten Rutil-Proben mittels Röntgenbeugung, Elektronenmikroskopie und magnetischen Methoden zeigen, dass die Löslichkeit von Co und Fe in der TiO2-Modifikation Rutil sehr gering ist. Oberhalb von 1at% Co bzw. Fe wird neben Rutil die Bildung der Oxide CoTiO3 bzw. Fe2TiO5 beobachtet. Weitere thermische Behandlung im Argon-H2-Strom führte aufgrund der Bildung von metallischem Co bzw. Fe zu einem ferromagnetischen Verhalten. Die TiO2-Modifikation Anatas besitzt eine höhere Löslichkeit, so dass erst oberhalb von 4at% Co bzw. 10at% Fe die Phasen Co3O4 bzw. FeTiO3 neben Anatas auftreten. Entsprechende Proben zeigen ein paramagnetisches Verhalten. Oberhalb der Löslichkeitsgrenze führt die Reduktion im Argon-H2-Strom zu einem ferromagnetischen Verhalten, welches auf metallisches Co bzw. Fe zurückzuführen ist. Analog zu den Bulkproben wurden Co- und Fe-dotierte TiO2-Nanodrähte hergestellt. Das magnetische Verhalten der Fe-dotierten TiO2-Nanodrähte entspricht dem der Fe-dotierten Anatas-Bulkproben. Dagegen führt die Co-Dotierung nicht zu einem Einbau in die TiO2-Nanodrähte, sondern zur Bildung von CoOx-Nanopartikeln. Die entsprechenden Proben zeigen ein schwach ferromagnetisches Verhalten. Dies ist jedoch nicht auf eine ferromagnetische Dotierung der TiO2-Nanodrähte zurückzuführen, sondern auf nicht kompensierte Momente an den Oberflächen der als Verunreinigungen auftretenden CoOx-Nanopartikel. Zusammenfassend wird festgestellt, dass die Löslichkeit von Co und Fe in TiO2 für die Ausbildung eines ferromagnetischen Verhaltens zu gering ist. Der beobachtete Ferromagnetismus lässt sich eindeutig auf magnetische Verunreinigungen zurückführen. Somit können die dotierten TiO2 Proben nicht den verdünnten magnetischen Oxiden zugeordnet werden.

Addressing schemes of self-monitoring of blood glucose in type 2 diabetes: a European perspective and expert recommendation

Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) in type 2 diabetes has increasingly been shown to display beneficial effects on glycemic control. SMBG is not only associated with a reduction of hemoglobin A1c but has also been demonstrated to increase patients' awareness of the disease. SMBG has also the potential to visualize and predict hypoglycemic episodes. International guidelines by the International Diabetes Federation, the European Society of Cardiology, and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes and also the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes emphasize that SMBG is an integral part of self-management. More recently, two European consensus documents have been published to give recommendations for frequency and timing of SMBG also for various clinical scenarios. Recently, a European expert panel was held to further facilitate and enhance standardized approaches to SMBG. The aim was to present simple, clinically meaningful, and standardized SMBG strategies for type 2 diabetes. The panel recommended a less intensive and an intensive scheme for SMBG across the type 2 diabetes continuum. The length and frequency of SMBG performance depend on the clinical circumstances and the quality of glycemic control. The expert panel also recommended further evaluation of various schemes for SMBG in type 2 diabetes in clinical studies.

Retinal crystals in type 2 idiopathic macular telangiectasia

To characterize the phenotype and investigate the associations of intraretinal crystalline deposits in a large cohort with type 2 idiopathic macular telangiectasia (MacTel).

Origin of the high upconversion green luminescence efficiency in -NaYF4:2% Er3+,20% Yb3+

Site-selective spectroscopy in hexagonal beta-NaYF4:Er3+,Yb3+ has revealed different environments for Er3+ ions (multisite formation). The low-temperature S-4(3/2) -> (I15/2Er3+)-I-4 green emission depends on the excitation wavelength associated with the F-4(7/2) Er3+ level. We have studied the effect of hydrostatic pressure on the green, red, and blue Er3+ emission upon NIR excitation at similar to 980 nm, in order to establish the role played by energy resonance conditions and the multiple Er3+ sites due to the disordered structure for the upconversion (UC) process (energy tuning). The variation of photoluminescence spectra and lifetimes as a function of pressure and temperature reveals that the origin of the high green UC efficiency of the beta-NaYF4:Er3+,Yb3+ compound is mainly due to the multisite distribution, and the low phonon energy of the host lattice.

Segregation of species-specific male attractiveness in f(2) hybrid lake Malawi cichlid fish

Among the huge radiations of haplochromine cichlid fish in Lakes Malawi and Victoria, closely related species are often reproductively isolated via female mate choice although viable fertile hybrids can be produced when females are confined only with heterospecific males. We generated F(2) hybrid males from a cross between a pair of closely related sympatric cichlid fish from Lake Malawi. Laboratory mate choice experiments using microsatellite paternity analysis demonstrated that F(2) hybrid males differed significantly in their attractiveness to females of the two parental species, indicating heritable variation in traits involved in mate choice that may contribute to reproductive isolation between these species. We found no significant correlation between male mating success and any measurement of male colour pattern. A simple quantitative genetic model of reproductive isolation suggests that there may be as few as two chromosomal regions controlling species-specific attractiveness. We propose that adaptive radiation of Lake Malawi cichlids could be facilitated by the presence of genes with major effects on mate choice and reproductive isolation.