Experimental and numerical study of submonolayer sputter deposition of polystyrene fragments on silver for the storing matter technique.

In static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), quantification and high ionization probabilities are difficult to obtain. The Storing Matter technique has been developed to circumvent these issues and has already been applied to deposit inorganic and organic samples. For organic samples, the effect of fragmentation during sputter deposition and changing coverage on time-of-flight (TOF)-SIMS mass spectra has not been investigated. In this work, polystyrene (PS) was sputter deposited on silver using an argon ion beam in order to investigate these parameters and to get a better control of the whole process. For this purpose, we introduce a multitechnique characterization approach for the submonolayer deposition of PS. Experimental methods (TOF-SIMS, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)) were used in combination with simulations (density functional theory (DFT) calculations) in order to obtain information about the molecular and structural changes and the interactions of organic matter with the metal surface. Alterations of the PS surface and PS sputter deposit as a function of surface coverage and Ar(+) ion fluence are addressed. A major finding is that this approach can be used to identify surface reactions between different fragments on the collector surface. Indeed, in the dynamic regime, the ratio of large to small fragments is increasing although the fragmentation during the sputter deposition should lead to increasingly smaller fragments. Hence, for Storing Matter, the coverage on the collector must be kept low in order to minimize the reactions between fragments and to preserve the information on the original sample.

Helicobacter pylori infection and gastroesophageal reflux in asthmatic children.

The aim of this article is to investigate the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection, frequency of gastroesophageal reflux (GER), existence of atopy and levels of serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) in children with bronchial asthma. One hundred and thirty seven children who were diagnosed as bronchial asthma and/or wheezy child aged between 1 and 17 years were enrolled into the study. Peripheral venous blood samples were obtained to determine the total IgE and HP IgG antibody levels. GER was evaluated by the scintigraphic method and the presence of atopy was investigated by skin prick test. The study was conducted in 86 (62.8%) boys and 51 (37.2%) girls. HP IgG antibody levels were found negative in 125 (91.2%) and positive in 12 (8.8%) cases. GER was detected in 73 (53.7%) of the children. Forty-one (37.3%) children were accepted as atopic according to skin prick test results. The average total IgE levels of the participants was 168.89 +/- 270.76 IU/ml. A significant difference could not be determined related to GER, atopy frequency and serum IgE levels between the cases who had HP antibody positivity or not. The present findings suggest that the rate of HP antibody positivity is low in patients with bronchial asthma and a significant difference could not be determined in GER, and atopy between patients with positive and negative HP antibodies. High atopy frequency found in our patient group raises the question of whether allergic diseases can be protective against fecal-oral infectious diseases.

Approaches to boxİng traİnİng and competİtİon usİng humor: a psychological perspective / Aspectos del uso del humor en entrenamientos y competiciones de boxeo: una perspectiva psİcológİca / Abordagens do uso do humor em treinamentos e competições de boxe: uma perspectiva psİcológİca

ABSTRACT Introduction: It is important to try to understand the psychology of elite-level athletes. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of humor on boxers from a psychological perspective. Methods: Thirteen elite boxers participated in the study. The study was carried out using the phenomenology approach, which is one of the qualitative research methods. As a data collection tool, semi-structured interviews were conducted in order to obtain in-depth and detailed data from the participants. Content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative research data. Results: Our results showed that the humor approach in training or competition environments contributes positively to coping with stress by providing positive emotions such as happiness and joy in athletes. Conclusions: The effective and balanced use of humor not only provides positive emotions and socialization in boxers, but also reduces negative emotions such as depression, stress, and anxiety. a) Study Design: Qualitative research methods from a phenomenology approach were used in the design. b) Clinical Relevance Statement: This study showed that there is a need for programs related to in-depth evaluation of the psychosocial status of elite athletes. It should be emphasized that besides physical evaluations, psychological evaluation and support are important. Level of evidence I; Therapeutic Studies- Investigating the Results of Treatment.

RESUMEN Introducción: Es importante tratar de comprender la psicología de los deportistas de élite. Objetivos: El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar los efectos del humor en boxeadores desde una perspectiva psicológica. Métodos: Participaron en el estudio 13 boxeadores de élite. El estudio se llevó a cabo utilizando el enfoque de fenomenología, que es uno de los métodos de investigación cualitativa. Como medio de recopilación de datos, se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas con el fin de obtener datos detallados de los participantes. Se utilizó el análisis de contenido para analizar los datos de la investigación cualitativa. Resultados: Los resultados mostraron que abordar elhumor en entornos de entrenamiento o competición contribuye positivamente al afrontamiento del estrés al proporcionar emociones positivas como felicidad y alegría en los deportistas. Conclusiones: El uso eficaz y equilibrado del humor, no sólo proporciona a los boxeadores emociones positivas y socialización, sino que también reduce emociones negativas como la depresión, el estrés y la ansiedad. a) Diseño del estudio: Métodos de investigación cualitativa desde un enfoque fenomenológico. b) Declaración de relevancia clínica: Este estudio demostró que se necesitanprogramas relacionados con la evaluación en profundidad del estado psicosocial de los atletas de élite. Se debe enfatizar que además de las evaluaciones físicas, son importantes la evaluación y el apoyo psicológico. Nivel de evidencia I; Estudios terapéuticos- Investigación de los resultados del tratamiento.

RESUMO Introdução: É importante tentar compreender a psicologia dos atletas de elite. Objetivos: O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar os efeitos do humor em boxeadores do ponto de vista psicológico. Métodos: Treze boxeadores de elite participaram do estudo. O estudo foi realizado com abordagem de fenomenologia, que é um dos métodos de pesquisa qualitativa. Como meio de coleta de dados, foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas a fim de obter dados aprofundados e detalhados dos participantes. A análise de conteúdo foi usada para analisar os dados da pesquisa qualitativa. Resultados: Os resultados mostraram que a abordagem do humor em ambientes de treinamento ou competição, beneficia o enfrentamento do estresse ao proporcionar emoções positivas como felicidade e alegria aos atletas. Conclusões: O uso eficaz e equilibrado do humor não só proporciona emoções positivas e socialização aos boxeadores, mas também reduz emoções negativas como depressão, estresse e ansiedade. a) Desenho do estudo: Métodos de pesquisa qualitativa a partir de abordagem fenomenológica b) Declaração de Relevância Clínica: Este estudo mostrou que são necessários programas relacionados à avaliação aprofundada do estado psicossocial de atletas de elite. É preciso enfatizar, que além das avaliações físicas, a avaliação e o apoio psicológico são importantes. Nível de evidência I; Estudos Terapêuticos - Investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

Optimizing the sputter deposition process of polymers for the Storing Matter technique using PMMA.

Quantitative analyses in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) become possible only if ionization processes are controlled. The Storing Matter technique has been developed to circumvent this so-called matrix effect, primarily for inorganic samples, but has also been extended to organic samples. For the latter, it has been applied to polystyrene in order to investigate the extent of damage in the polymer, its fragmentation during the sputter deposition process and the effect of the deposition process on the spectra taken by Time-of-Flight SIMS (ToF-SIMS). In this work, a multi-technique approach, which employs the Storing Matter technique for deposition and ToF-SIMS and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for characterization, is used to enhance the control of the deposition process, including the thickness of the deposit, the alteration of the source film and the influence of polymer composition on the Storing Matter process. Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is used for this work. More detailed information about the sticking of polymer fragments on the metal collector is obtained by density functional theory calculations. This work allows for the conclusion that a part of the fragments deposited on the collector surface diffuses on the latter, reacts and recombines to form larger fragments. The behaviour observed for PMMA is similar to polystyrene, showing that oxygen has no major influence on the processes occurring during the sputter deposition process. Additionally, we have developed a new methodology using 2D ToF-SIMS images of the deposit to monitor the deposit thickness and to identify surface contaminations. The latter are not only located at the position of the deposit but all over the collector surface. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Immune complex type crescentic glomerulonephritis and ANCA-positivity in a nine-year-old girl.

We report a nine-year-old girl who presented with the clinical and laboratory findings of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. She was found to be positive for both pANCA and cANCA. However, renal histopathology revealed immune complex type of crescentic glomerulonephritis. Thus, although testing for ANCA is an important tool in the prediction of the subtype of crescentic glomerulonephritis, a renal biopsy is still required to establish the diagnosis.

The determination of asthma, rhinitis, eczema, and atopy prevalence in 9- to 11-year-old children in the city of Izmir.

The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) phase II was designed to allow comparisons between populations in different countries and to investigate possible etiologic factors. This study was conducted to better delineate the prevalence and etiologic factors of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema in Izmir (Turkey) and to be included in the international comparisons by using a standard methodology of ISAAC phase II. The questionnaire was distributed to 2112 students in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades of 12 selected primary schools in urban and rural boroughs of Izmir. One thousand two hundred seventeen of these questionnaires were evaluated and physical examinations and skin-prick tests were performed on 1098 of these children. The prevalence values were 15.9% for recent wheezing and 4.8% for physician-diagnosed asthma. The prevalence of sneezing or runny or blocked nose in the past 12 months when the child did not have a cold or flu was 30%. The prevalence of physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis was 17%. The prevalence of an itchy rash that was coming and going for at least 6 months was 7.2% and the prevalence of physician-diagnosed eczema was 4.9%. Atopic sensitization prevalence in the population was 8.8% with house-dust mite sensitization being the most frequent one. Secretion rales and sibilant wheezing rhoncus were detected in 2.7% of children by chest auscultation. In 1.1% of children flexural dermatitis was detected. Objective tests are necessary for epidemiologic studies of the aforementioned diseases.