University of Aberdeen

About: University of Aberdeen is a education organization based out in Aberdeen, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 21174 authors who have published 49962 publications receiving 2105479 citations. The organization is also known as: Aberdeen University.

Long‐term non‐pharmacological weight loss interventions for adults with prediabetes

Abstract: Most persons with prediabetes (impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose) are overweight, and obesity worsens the metabolic and physiologic abnormalities associated with this condition. Prediabetes is an important risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes. The objective of this review was to assess the effectiveness of dietary, physical activity, and behavioural weight loss, and weight control interventions for adults with prediabetes.

C-type lectin receptors orchestrate antifungal immunity

Abstract: Immunity to pathogens critically requires pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) to trigger intracellular signaling cascades that initiate and direct innate and adaptive immune responses. For fungal infections, these responses are primarily mediated by members of the C-type lectin receptor family. In this Review, we highlight recent advances in the understanding of the roles and mechanisms of these multifunctional receptors, explore how these PRRs orchestrate antifungal immunity and briefly discuss progress in the use of these receptors as targets for antifungal and other vaccines.

Auger effect in semiconductors

Abstract: This paper presents a calculation of the lifetimes (τ) of excess electrons and holes in a semiconductor aaanming the Auger effect between bands (electron-electron and hole-hole collisions) to be the only recombination mechanism. If pair annihilation, and the corresponding reverse process of pair creation, are counted separately, there are four classes of processes to be considered. The suitably weighted algebraic sum of the rates of these processes yields a net recombination rate R . If N be the non-equilibrium number of pairs, then τ = N/R . In the calculation the effect of traps is neglected, and the group of electrons in the conduction band and the group in the valence band are each assumed to be in equilibrium among themselves, but not with each other, by the use of quasi-Fermi levels. Bloch functions ψk = u(k, r) exp (ik.r) are used. The matrix element of the Coulomb interaction is obtained as a multiple sum over reciprocal lattice vectors. Most of these terms correspond to Umklapp-type processes whose probability of occurrence is shown to be small. The dominant term, after integration over all initial and final states, yields the dependence of lifetime on temperature, carrier concentration, energy gap and other parameters. The absolute value of the lifetime depends also on an overlap intergral of the form S u *(k, r) u(k9, r) dr where k, k9 are in different bands. This integral is estimated on the basis of a one-dimensional model. The theory is compared with experimental lifetimes in InSb, and shows that the mechanism envisaged may dominate radiative recombination above 240 °K and accounts for the order of magnitude of the observed lifetimes (~ 10 -8 s) in the neighbourhood of the highest temperature (330 °K) at which recombination in InSb has so far been studied.

SimpleNLG: A Realisation Engine for Practical Applications

Abstract: This paper describes SimpleNLG, a realisation engine for English which aims to provide simple and robust interfaces to generate syntactic structures and linearise them. The library is also flexible in allowing the use of mixed (canned and non-canned) representations.

CHARACTERIZATION OF THE k-SUBTYPE OF THE OPIATE RECEPTOR IN THE GUINEA-PIG BRAIN

Abstract: 1. In homogenates of guinea-pig brain, the characteristics of the binding of [3H]-ethylketazocine, an agonist for the putative kappa-receptor, were determined by estimation of the affinity and capacity of binding, by competitive inhibition for the binding site by unlabelled ligands and by selective protection of the binding site from alkylation by phenoxybenzamine. 2. At 25 degrees C the maximum number of binding sites for [3H]-ethylketazocine was about 14 pmol/g fresh brain, of which about 50% were high affinity sites. 3. In competition experiments, the high affinity binding of [3H]-ethylketazocine to the kappa-binding site was readily displaced by several kappa-agonists but not by the selective mu-ligand, D-Ala2, MePhe4, Gly-ol5-enkephalin or the selective delta ligand, D-Ala2, D-Leu5-enkephalin. In contrast, the kappa-agonists tested so far exhibit a high degree of cross-reactivity with the mu-binding site but somewhat less with the sigma-binding site. Similar specificities were observed in protection experiments. 4. The approximate proportions of the three subtypes of opiate receptor in the guinea-pig brain are 25% mu-binding sites, 45% delta-binding sites and 30% kappa-binding sites. 5. The endogenous opioids, Met-enkephalin, Leu-enkephalin and porcine beta-endorphin have only a low affinity for the kappa-binding site.