Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:6.2.1.1 (ACS)
 78,556 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

"Memory" is an essential building block in learning and decision-making in biological systems. Unlike modern semiconductor memory devices, needless to say, human memory is by no means eternal. Yet, forgetfulness is not always a disadvantage since it releases memory storage for more important or more frequently accessed pieces of information and is thought to be necessary for individuals to adapt to new environments. Eventually, only memories that are of significance are transformed from short-term memory into long-term memory through repeated stimulation. In this study, we show experimentally that the retention loss in a nanoscale memristor device bears striking resemblance to memory loss in biological systems. By stimulating the memristor with repeated voltage pulses, we observe an effect analogous to memory transition in biological systems with much improved retention time accompanied by additional structural changes in the memristor. We verify that not only the shape or the total number of stimuli is influential, but also the time interval between stimulation pulses (i.e., the stimulation rate) plays a crucial role in determining the effectiveness of the transition. The memory enhancement and transition of the memristor device was explained from the microscopic picture of impurity redistribution and can be qualitatively described by the same equations governing biological memories.
ACS Nano 2011 Sep 27
PMID:Short-term memory to long-term memory transition in a nanoscale memristor. 2186 6

The global response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic has improved access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and has contributed to decreased HIV/AIDS morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Patient adherence to ART is crucial to the success of HIV/AIDS treatment. However, little is known about the determinants of adherence to ART among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This qualitative study used in-depth semi-structured patient interviews, a purposive sampling strategy and thematic analysis scheme to identify barriers and facilitators of adherence to ART in the DRC. We recruited three categories of participants from the Centre Hospitalier Monkole and the NGO ACS/Amo-Congo including participants on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment (n = 19), on ARV re-treatment (n = 13) and lost to follow-up (n = 6). Among 38 participants interviewed, 24 were female and the median age was 41 years. Food insecurity as a barrier to adherence emerged as a dominant theme across the three categories of participants. Other barriers included financial constraints, forgetfulness and fear of disclosure/stigma. Religious beliefs were both a barrier and a facilitator to ART adherence. We found that food insecurity was a common and an important barrier to ART adherence among patients in the DRC. Our findings suggest that food insecurity should be appropriately addressed and incorporated into ARV treatment programs to ensure patient adherence and ultimately the long-term success of HIV treatment in the region.
 ...
PMID:"If I have nothing to eat, I get angry and push the pills bottle away from me": A qualitative study of patient determinants of adherence to antiretroviral therapy in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 2338 57