The variation in fragility of the glasses is explained in the context of frozen-in configurational entropy in the glasses.
This configurational entropy has minima at the endpoints of the one-dimensional network of amorphous selenium and the fully three-dimensional network of As(40)Se(60), and an apparent maximum at the composition As(30)Se(70). The frozen-in configurational entropy can be well described by a modified entropy of mixing of two solid solutions model, implying that the topological contribution to configurational entropy is nearly constant across the composition space studied. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3638122]“
“Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) shows dry skin. Water-soluble, low molecular weight components, collectively known as natural moisturizing factor (NMF), play an important role in maintaining the stratum Selleck Torin 1 corneum (SC) hydration. Previous studies focused
on reduced levels of free amino acids (FAAs) in NMF from AD skin. It remains unknown, however, whether other NMF components are also altered in AD.
Objective: To characterize the levels of various NMF components in the SC of healthy subjects PF-03084014 solubility dmso and in mild AD adult patients.
Methods: NMF components were extracted from three sequential tape-stripped SC samples obtained from the volar forearm. NMF components which were decreased in AD skin were topically applied to examine their contribution to SC moisturization in AD skin.
Results: We found that although FAAs levels were not remarkably reduced, levels of pyrrolidone carboxylic MLN2238 Proteases inhibitor acid (PCA), lactate, urea, sodium and potassium were significantly decreased in NMF from mild AD skin. Among those components, only the topical application of potassium lactate effectively increased skin surface hydration indicating that reductions of lactate and potassium influence dry skin in mild AD patients. Unlike the distribution of filaggrin-derived FAAs and PCA, lactate, urea, potassium and sodium were abundant in the surface layer of the SC compared with the inner layer of the SC. Such findings strongly suggest that
those components are supplied from outside the SC, i.e. they originate from sweat.
Conclusion: The reduced levels of sweat-derived NMF components in mild AD patients suggests that impaired sweat function might in part result in the SC dryness. (C) 2012 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Background: Iron and zinc are important micronutrients for child growth and development. One would expect that iron and zinc supplementation in infancy would affect long-term cognitive development and school achievement, but this has not been evaluated.
Objective: We investigated the effect of iron or zinc supplementation or both during infancy on cognitive performance 8 y later.