bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recommandations nutritionnelles lors de diabète sucré chez le chien et le chat
Authors: Blanchard Géraldine
Published: June 2024

La gestion du diabète nécessite de comprendre que le glucose issu de la digestion des glucides alimentaires passe dans le sang, ne peut entrer dans les cellules par manque d’insuline, et augmente la glycémie du diabétique.

Le chien et le chat sont capables de néoglucogenèse cellulaire à partir d’acides aminés. En cas de diabète, on peut diminuer l’hyperglycémie par une alimentation la plus pauvre possible en glucides et riche en protéines.

Chez le chat, cela peut même permettre le retour à l’euglycémie avec arrêt de l’insuline.

Une alimentation sans glucides est nécessairement humide (ration ménagère ou pâtée sans féculent), les croquettes nécessitant toutes de l’amidon pour leur fabrication.

Après une transition progressive pour faire accepter le changement, l’alimentation humide sera donnée en 4 repas chez le chat (même avec 1 seule injection d’insuline par jour), et en 2 repas chez le chien (chacun avec une injection d’insuline).

La stabilité de l’alimentation du diabétique est indispensable pour espérer une dose d’insuline identique chaque jour. Comme la glycémie dépend de la composition en macronutriments de l’alimentation, il faudra suivre la glycémie sur 24 heures une fois l’alimentation stable depuis quelques jours.

En cas de pathologie multiple nécessitant un ajustement nutritionnel, une ration sur mesure peut être calculée, qui prenne en compte les contraintes de toutes les maladies en présence.
Visible-Light-Mediated gem-Difunctionalization of Diazo Compounds with Vinyl Sulfoxonium Ylides and Thiols
Authors: Vaitla Janakiram , Bhardwaj Srashti , Sen Raju , Adhikari Payel
Published: June 2024

A visible-light-induced multicomponent reaction of vinyl sulfoxonium ylide, thiol, and diazo ester to generate tertiary sulfide is described. The present diastereoselective gem-difunctionalization of the diazo ester can be achieved under mild conditions, as it does not require any additives, catalysts, or transition metals and is tolerant of air and moisture. Due to more nucleophilicity, vinyl sulfoxonium ylide undergoes S–H insertion with thiols to generate an allyl sulfide intermediate. Simultaneously, diazo ester undergoes photolysis to generate a carbene intermediate. Subsequently, the coupling of carbene and allyl sulfide intermediates generates sulfonium ylide, which undergoes Doyle–Kirmse rearrangement to generate tertiary sulfide scaffolds.
Emittance preservation for the electron arm in a single PWFA-LC stage using quasi-adiabatic plasma density ramp matching sections
Authors: Zhao Yujian , Hildebrand Lance , An Weiming , Xu Xinlu , Li Fei , Dalichaouch Thamine N. , Su Qianqian , Joshi Chan , Mori Warren B.
Published: June 2024

Plasma-based acceleration (PBA) is being considered for a next generation linear collider (LC). In some PBA-LC designs for the electron arm, the extreme beam parameters are expected to trigger background ion motion within the witness beam, which can lead to longitudinally varying nonlinear focusing forces and result in an unacceptable emittance growth of the beam. To mitigate this, we propose to use quasi-adiabatic plasma density ramps as matching sections at the entrance and exit of each stage. We match the witness electron beam to the low density plasma entrance, where the beam initially has a large matched spot size so the ion motion effects are relatively small. As the beam propagates in the plasma density upramp, it is quasi-adiabatically focused, and its distribution maintains a non-Gaussian equilibrium distribution in each longitudinal slice throughout the process, even when severe ion collapse has occurred. This only causes small amounts of slice emittance growth. The phase mixing between slices with different betatron frequencies leads to additional projected emittance growth within the acceleration stage. A density downramp at the exit of an acceleration section can eliminate much of the slice and projected emittance growth as the beam and ion motion adiabatically defocuses and decreases, respectively. Simulation results from QuickPIC with Azimuthal Decomposition show that within a single acceleration stage with a 25 GeV energy gain, this concept can limit the projected emittance growth to only ∼2% for a 25 GeV, 100 nm emittance witness beam and ∼20% for a 100 GeV, 100 nm normalized emittance witness beam. The trade-off between the adiabaticity of the plasma density ramp and the initial ion motion at the entrance for a given length of the plasma density ramp is also discussed.
Relaxed magnetic structures in the Saturn's ring
Authors: Gondal S. M.
Published: June 2024

A theoretical investigation is presented to explain the formation and characteristics of relaxed equilibrium structures in a three-component dusty plasma within Saturn's atmosphere, composed of negatively charged dust particles, electrons, and ions. The Quadruple Beltrami equation is derived by utilizing the vortex dynamic equations along with the current density. Solutions for the higher Beltrami states are obtained in two different modes, a simple rectangular geometry and a coplanar rectangular geometry, to explore the characteristics of relaxed structures within the Saturn magnetosphere and its rings. The solutions are depicted through some plots by varying the Beltrami parameters and the densities of the plasma species. It is observed that only paramagnetic structures are formed in the coplanar geometry, while variations in the Beltrami parameters and plasma species densities significantly affect the magnetic characteristics of the relaxed structures in a simple rectangular geometry. This paper will provide an important contribution to understand the atmospheric vortical structures developed in different astronomical bodies that have double or more than double configurations, such as Saturn's rings, Jupiter magnetosphere, Uranus, Neptune, etc.
Dynamics of reduced perylene bisimide cyclophane redox species by ultrafast spectroelectrochemistry
Authors: Fröhlich Rebecca , Rühe Jessica , Moos Michael , Kontschak Laura , Ehrmann Patrik , Würthner Frank , Lambert Christoph , Brixner Tobias
Published: June 2024

Charged molecules play essential roles in many natural and artificial functional processes, ranging from photosynthesis to photovoltaics to chemical reactions and more. It is often difficult to identify the optical dynamic properties of relevant redox species because they cannot be easily prepared, their spectra overlap, or they evolve on a femtosecond timescale. Here, we address these challenges by combining spectroelectrochemistry, ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy, and suitable data analysis. We illustrate the method with the various redox species of a cyclophane composed of two perylene bisimide subunits. While singular-value decomposition is a well-established tool in the analysis of time-dependent spectra of a single molecular species, we here use it additionally to separate transient maps of individual redox species. This is relevant because at any specific applied electrochemical potential, several redox species coexist in the ensemble, and our procedure allows disentangling their spectroscopic response. In the second step, global analysis is then employed to retrieve the excited-state lifetimes and decay-associated difference spectra. Our approach is generally suitable for unraveling ultrafast dynamics in materials featuring charge-transfer processes.
Shear wave propagation in a liquid crystal: An inelastic X-ray scattering study
Authors: Lynch S. T. , De Francesco A. , Scaccia L. , Suvorov A. , Cai Y. Q. , Agra-Kooijman D. M. , Sharpnack L. L. , Kumar Satyendra , Cunsolo A.
Published: June 2024

We investigated the spectrum of density fluctuations of a liquid crystal, CB7CB, in two different orientations by using high-resolution inelastic x-ray scattering. Our analysis, based on Bayesian principles, revealed that high-frequency collective excitations propagate through this mesoscale-ordered sample in a peculiar manner that lies somewhere between those observed in liquids and crystalline systems. Interestingly, when we probed longer length scales, a more pronounced solid-like response emerged. This was mainly characterized by anomalously sharp inelastic excitations and the onset of shear mode propagation. Comparison with previous x-ray diffraction results suggests a correlation between the observed behavior and the mesogen arrangement.
Iron dopant energy levels in β-Ga2O3
Authors: Angeloni Louis A. , Shan I.-J. , Leach J. H. , Schroeder W. Andreas
Published: June 2024

The energetic positions of the two Fe dopant levels in the bandgap of β-Ga2O3 are determined to be at 3.05(±0.05) and 3.85(±0.05) eV below the conduction band minimum from transmission measurements employing a sub-picosecond tunable ultraviolet laser radiation source. A further measurement of the quantum efficiency of photoelectron emission from the Fe:Ga2O3(010) photocathode is consistent with the obtained absorption data and a dominant optical phonon assisted Franck–Condon emission mechanism, while also providing an estimate of 100 ps for the conduction band electron lifetime.
Hydrodynamic response of swinging or slewing rotating cylinders subject to a ship's rolling motion
Authors: Lin Jianfeng , Wang Shizhao , Yao Hua-Dong , Su Yumin
Published: June 2024

In maritime engineering, ensuring vessel stability remains a paramount concern. This study investigates the hydrodynamic response of Magnus anti-rolling devices, modeled as swinging or slewing rotating cylinders, under a ship's rolling motion. Through numerical simulations using the overset mesh technique and large eddy simulation, we analyze various parameters, including rolling angles, rotating speeds, and swinging amplitudes. Our findings highlight the importance of considering the ship's degree of freedom as substantial ship rolling significantly affects hydrodynamic coefficients on the rotating cylinder. We observe interesting dynamics during slewing motion, with the cylinder forming a spiral tip vortex. Optimizing the cylinder's rotating speed enhances the lift-to-drag ratio, particularly for small rolling angles. Furthermore, the effective lift generated during swinging motion is lower than during slewing motion, emphasizing the need to optimize the swinging amplitude, which is recommended to be no less than 170°. These insights advance our understanding of Magnus anti-rolling devices and offer practical guidance for improving vessel stability in complex maritime environments.
PHD2 enzyme is an intracellular manganese sensor that initiates the homeostatic response against elevated manganese
Authors: Gurol Kerem C. , Jursa Thomas , Cho Eun Jeong , Fast Walter , Dalby Kevin N. , Smith Donald R. , Mukhopadhyay Somshuvra
Published: June 2024

Intracellular sensors detect changes in levels of essential metals to initiate homeostatic responses. But, a mammalian manganese (Mn) sensor is unknown, representing a major gap in understanding of Mn homeostasis. Using human-relevant models, we recently reported that: 1) the primary homeostatic response to elevated Mn is upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), which increases expression of the Mn efflux transporter SLC30A10; and 2) elevated Mn blocks the prolyl hydroxylation of HIFs by prolyl hydroxylase domain (PHD) enzymes, which otherwise targets HIFs for degradation. Thus, the mammalian mechanism for sensing elevated Mn likely relates to PHD inhibition. Moreover, 1) Mn substitutes for a catalytic iron (Fe) in PHD structures; and 2) exchangeable cellular levels of Fe and Mn are comparable. Therefore, we hypothesized that elevated Mn directly inhibits PHD by replacing its catalytic Fe. In vitro assays using catalytically active PHD2, the primary PHD isoform, revealed that Mn inhibited, and Fe supplementation rescued, PHD2 activity. However, a mutation in PHD2 (D315E) that selectively reduced Mn binding without substantially impacting Fe binding or enzymatic activity resulted in complete insensitivity of PHD2 to Mn in vitro. Additionally, hepatic cells expressing full-length PHD2
D315E
were less sensitive to Mn-induced HIF activation and SLC30A10 upregulation than PHD2
wild-type
. These results: 1) define a fundamental Mn sensing mechanism for controlling Mn homeostasis—elevated Mn inhibits PHD2, which functions as a Mn sensor, by outcompeting its catalytic Fe, and PHD2 inhibition activates HIF signaling to up-regulate SLC30A10; and 2) identify a unique mode of metal sensing that may have wide applicability.
Sociocultural dynamics of learners’ emotions in a Chinese English-medium instruction context
Authors: Sun Youzhi
Published: June 2024

Drawing on Activity Theory, this study is an attempt to explore and explicate learners’ emotions in a Chinese
English-medium instruction (EMI) context. This paper detailed two cases of university learners to address two issues: how the
relationship between EMI learners and their perceived sociocultural contexts shapes their foreign language enjoyment and anxiety
and how the factors affecting the two emotions can be explained from an Activity Theory (AT) perspective. Qualitative content
analysis was performed on data collected from in-depth, face-to-face interviews and journals. The findings illustrated that a
diversity of sociocultural factors, ranging from the object of learning to the rules of learning, could influence learners’
emotions. Contradictions between these factors also influenced EMI learners’ two emotions. This study could inform educational
language policy and the development of EMI curricula and pedagogy.
Evidence for phase transitions in CoFe2O4 and NiCo2O4 thin films in temperature-dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
Authors: Subedi Arjun , Yang Detian , Xu Xiaoshan , Dowben Peter A
Published: June 2024

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) shows that dramatic changes in the core level binding energies can provide strong indications of transitions between more dielectric and more metallic CoFe2O4 and NiCo2O4 thin films. These significant variations in the XPS core level binding energies are possible with a combination of annealing and oxygen exposure; however, the behaviors of the CoFe2O4 and NiCo2O4 thin films are very different. The XPS Co and Fe 2p
3/2 core levels for the CoFe2O4 thin film at room temperature show large photovoltaic surface charging, leading to binding energy shifts, characteristic of a highly dielectric (or insulating) surface at room temperature. The photovoltaic charging, observed in the XPS binding energies of the Co and Fe 2p
3/2 core levels, decreases with increasing temperature. The XPS core level binding energies of CoFe2O4 thin film saturated at lower apparent binding energies above 455 K. This result shows that the prepared CoFe2O4 thin film can be dielectric at room temperature but become more metallic at elevated temperatures. The dielectric nature of the CoFe2O4 thin film was restored only when the film was annealed in sufficient oxygen, indicating that oxygen vacancies play an important role in the transition of the film from dielectric (or insulating) to metallic. In contrast, the XPS studies of initially metallic NiCo2O4 thin film demonstrated that annealing NiCo2O4 thin film led to a more dielectric or insulating film. The original more metallic character of the NiCo2O4 film was restored when the NiCo2O4 was annealed in sufficient oxygen. Effective activation energies are estimated for the carriers from a modified Arrhenius-type model applied to the core level binding energy changes of the CoFe2O4 and NiCo2O4 thin films, as a function of temperature. The origin of the carriers, however, is not uniquely identified. This work illustrates routes to regulate the surface metal-to-insulator transition of dielectric oxides, especially in the case of insulating NiCo2O4 thin film that can undergo reversible metal-to-insulator transition with temperature.
High-accuracy beam generation and scanning using reconfigurable coding metasurface
Authors: Zhang Xinyu , Kong Xiangkun , Zhou Shaochun , Liu Peiqi , Zou Yukun , Cheng Jianlai , Pang Xiaoyu , Gao Steven
Published: June 2024

Metasurface technology has attracted widespread attention, owing to its remarkable capability to control electromagnetic properties. In this paper, we design a reconfigurable reflective metasurface array operating at 5 GHz for beam generation and scanning based on coding metasurface. Field programmable gate array (FPGA) is equipped for switching the states of PIN (positive-intrinsic-negative) diodes loaded on the metasurface in real-time, resulting in a 180° phase difference. To obtain multi-beam radiation and high-accuracy beam steering, the coding sequence to produce the target radiation pattern is calculated by an algorithm program. We design the fitness function of a genetic algorithm (GA) to optimize the sequence corresponding to the target directions. The simulation result shows that with the accuracy of 1°, the proposed metasurface is capable of generating multi-beam and scanning two-dimensional beams within the 50° range. Further, we fabricate and measure a prototype sample of 15 × 15 elements, which is verified feasible by comparing the measured result and the simulation. This work demonstrates the great potential of applying this reflective metasurface to wireless communication or radar.
Modelling nanomagnet vertex dynamics through Coulomb charges
Authors: Slöetjes Samuel D , Grassi Matías P , Kapaklis Vassilios
Published: June 2024

We investigate the magnetization dynamics in nanomagnet vertices often found in artificial spin ices. Our analysis involves creating a simplified model that depicts edge magnetization using magnetic charges. We utilize the model to explore the energy landscape, its associated curvatures, and the fundamental modes. Our study uncovers specific magnonic regimes and transitions between magnetization states, marked by zero-modes, which can be understood within the framework of Landau theory. To verify our model, we compare it with micromagnetic simulations, demonstrating a noteworthy agreement.
Flat-bands in translated and twisted bilayer Penrose quasicrystals
Authors: Díaz-Reynoso U A , Huipe-Domratcheva E , Navarro O
Published: June 2024

Correlated phases in Moiré materials together with the flat-bands in twisted systems play a central role to explain superconductivity in the new twisted bilayer graphene. In this paper, flat-bands are shown to exist in both translated and twisted bilayer of quasicrystals. Such flat-bands arise for different displacements and twisting angles of two-coupled Penrose lattices where Moiré patterns are also shown. Moiré patterns analyzed in this work have at least two inverted worms showing an interference pattern going along the five-fold axes of the pentagon. In order to analyze the behavior of the flat band, our study has been done for fixed interference worm directions but increasing the worm interference density, and for fixed worm interference density but increasing the number of worm directions. In case of rotations, the Moiré patterns that occurs for special angles such as π/5, 2π/5, 3π/5, 4π/5 and π are discussed in detail because they clearly show flat-bands along with quasicrystalline electronic states at the Fermi level.
Open-circuit voltage deficits in Tin-based perovskite solar cells
Authors: Ma Xue , Wang Ning
Published: June 2024

The power conversion efficiency of Pb-based single-junction perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has surpassed 26%; however, the biocompatibility concerns associated with Pb pose threats to both the environment and living organisms. Consequently, the development of Pb-free PSCs is imperative. Among the various alternatives to Pb-based PSCs, Sn-based PSCs have exhibited outstanding optoelectronic properties, showing great potential for large-scale manufacturing and commercialization. Nevertheless, there remains a significant efficiency gap between Sn-based and Pb-based PSCs. The disparity primarily stems from substantial open-circuit voltage (V
OC) deficits in Sn-based PSCs, typically ranging from 0.4 to 0.6 V. The main reason of V
OC deficits is severe non-radiative recombination losses, which are caused by the uncontrolled crystallization kinetics of Sn halide perovskites and the spontaneous oxidation of Sn2+. This review summarizes the reasons for V
OC deficits in Sn-based PSCs, and the corresponding strategies to mitigate these issues. Additionally, it outlines the persistent challenges and future prospects for Sn-based PSCs, providing guidance to assist researchers in developing more efficient and stable Sn-based perovskites.
Electronic instability in pressured black phosphorus under strong magnetic field
Authors: Wang Zhong-Yi , Liu Da-Yong , Zou Liang-Jian
Published: June 2024

In this paper, we have systematically studied the electronic instability of pressured black phosphorous (BP) under strong magnetic field. We first present an effective model Hamiltonian for pressured BP near the Lifshitz point. Then we show that when the magnetic field exceeds a critical value, the nodal-line semimetal (NLSM) state of BP with a small band overlap re-enters the semiconductive phase by re-opening a small gap. This results in a narrow-bandgap semiconductor with a partially flat valence band edge. Moreover, we demonstrate that above this critical magnetic field, two possible instabilities, i.e. charge density wave phase and excitonic insulator (EI) phase, are predicted as the ground state for high and low doping concentrations, respectively. By comparing our results with the experiment (Sun et al 2018 Sci. Bull.
63 1539), we suggest that the field-induced instability observed experimentally corresponds to an EI. Furthermore, we propose that the semimetallic BP under pressure with small band overlaps may provide a good platform to study the magneto-exciton insulators. Our findings bring the first insight into the electronic instability of topological NLSM in the quantum limit.
Ti3C2T
x
MXene as surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrate
Authors: Minassian Hayk , Melikyan Armen , Goncalves Manuel Rodrigues , Petrosyan Petros
Published: June 2024

The electromagnetic field enhancement mechanisms leading to surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of R6G molecules near Ti3C2T
x
MXene flakes of different shapes and sizes are analyzed theoretically in this paper. In COMSOL simulations for the enhancement factor (EF) of SERS, the dye molecule is modeled as a small sphere with polarizability spectrum based on experimental data. It is demonstrated, for the first time, that in the wavelength range of

500
 
nm

–

1000
 
nm

, the enhancement of Raman signals is largely conditioned by quadrupole surface plasmon (QSP) oscillations that induce a strong polarization of the MXene substrate. We show that the vis-NIR spectral range quadrupole SP resonances are strengthened due to interband transitions (IBTs), which provide EF values of the order of 105–107 in agreement with experimental data. The weak sensitivity of the EF to the shape and size of MXene nanoparticles (NPs) is interpreted as a consequence of the low dependence of the absorption cross-section of QSP oscillations and IBT on the geometry of the flakes. This reveals a new feature: the independence of EF on the geometry of MXene substrates, which allows to avoid the monitoring of the shape and size of flakes during their synthesis. Thus, MXene flakes can be advantageous for the easy manufacturing of universal substrates for SERS applications. The electromagnetic SERS enhancement is determined by the ‘lightning rod’ and ‘hot-spot’ effects due to the partial overlapping of the absorption spectrum of the R6G molecule with these MXene resonances.
Inflation and isotropization in quintom cosmology
Authors: Tajahmad Behzad
Published: June 2024

This paper studies inflation and isotropization in the quintom model in the Bianchi-I, Bianchi-III, and Kantowski-Sachs backgrounds. First, we investigate inherent properties and generalize Heusler's proposition. Then by the use of the dynamical system approach, we consider the system in multiplicative and collective modes of potentials. The conclusions of Collins and Hawking and also Burd and Barrow are discussed.
Turbulence link to L-mode, I-mode, and H-mode confinement in the DIII-D tokamak
Authors: Chen J. , Brower D.L. , McClenaghan J. , Yan Z. , Hubbard A.E. , Groebner R.
Published: June 2024

Understanding the physics of low-confinement (L-), improved-confinement (I-), and high-confinement (H-) modes is critical for fusion reactors. The finding herein reports observations of two types of turbulence coexisting near the L-mode edge, one magnetohydrodynamic (MHD)-like and another micro-tearing mode (MTM)-like, linked to the H-mode and I-mode confinement in the DIII-D tokamak. Ion-scale magnetic and density turbulence is measured using a Faraday-effect radial-interferometer-polarimeter and beam-emission-spectroscopy (BES). Broadband turbulence spectra of up to ∼600 kHz are observed in two discharges where transitions between L-mode, I-mode, and H-mode occurs. Turbulence is found to be inversely correlated with confinement, meaning lower turbulence power at higher confinement. Distinctively, the high-frequency (HF, >∼100 kHz) magnetic turbulence power changes by the most (55%) during transitions primarily involving energy confinement change, whereas the low-frequency (LF, <∼100 kHz) magnetic and density turbulence power changes by the most (80%) during transitions primarily involving particle confinement change. The LF turbulence amplitude oscillates with and leads to deuterium-alpha emission oscillations before an H-mode. These results imply that HF turbulence mainly affects energy confinement whereas LF turbulence can affect particle confinement. The magnetic and density turbulence exhibits coherence up to 0.6 and cross-phase magnitude close to

π

/

2

in most cases, suggesting they have a common origin in both the LF and HF ranges. BES suggests that LF turbulence resides at the edge (

ρ
=
0.95

) and HF turbulence can be at the outer core (

ρ
=
0.8

) or edge (

ρ
=
0.95

). Comparisons of measurements, theory, and gyrokinetic simulations suggest that HF turbulence is MTM-like in all cases, whereas LF turbulence is more consistent with MHD-like modes and the exact instability might change during transitions—except that a drift-wave origin is possible in a low collisionality H-mode. These results suggest that the H-mode involves suppressed MHD-like turbulence, whereas the I-mode mitigates MTM-like turbulence along with largely unchanged MHD-like turbulence.
Molecular dynamics simulations and analyzation of Cu deposited on stainless steel substrate surfaces
Authors: Ying Wang , Zewei Yuan , Meiling Tang , Jingting Sun , Yan He
Published: June 2024

Copper (Cu) is used in integrated circuits and microdevices and has the potential to replace aluminum alloys due to its low resistivity, strong electromigration properties, and affordability. However, a significant factor that influences the performance of devices at the micro and nano scales is the surface roughness of the deposits. LAMMPS software is employed to simulate the deposition Cu on an ideal state for a stainless-steel substrate. The deposition process and deformation behavior of Cu on the surface and the roughness of the deposition surface are analyzed. Taking the deposition process of Cu atoms as an object, the effects of different atomic numbers, different temperatures, different velocities, and different heights on the surface roughness of the deposits were investigated. The atomic structure composition of the deposition velocity is analyzed, and the radial distribution function is analyzed to reveal the microscopic mechanism of action. The results of the theoretical deposition and analysis show that the surface roughness increases with the number of atoms deposited and decreases with increasing substrate temperature. The surface roughness first decreases and then, after some fluctuation, stays constant at a particular level with increasing velocity. Additionally, as the deposition height increases, the surface roughness reduces. There is a nonlinear relationship between the various components and the deposited surface roughness. The surface quality of deposits can be improved during the deposition process by optimizing the deposition parameters of deposition atoms, substrate temperature, deposition velocity, and deposition height.
A comparative evaluation of polymeric materials as tissue equivalent phantoms in diagnostic radiology
Authors: Şirin Erdi , Altinsoy Nesrin
Published: June 2024

In this study tissue equivalency of the polymeric materials was investigated by comparing with ICRP 110 Male Adult Computational Phantom tissues. For this purpose, radiological properties of polyamide (PA), high density polyethylene (HDPE), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyoxymethylene (POM) and polyurethane foam (PU FOAM) were evaluated in the diagnostic energy range (15–150 keV). The radiological properties of the materials and ICRP 110 Male and Female Adult Computational Phantom tissues were calculated with Phy-X/PSD software. No major differences were seen except for sex-specific organs, and comparisons were made using an adult male phantom. To confirm the results experimentally, a chest phantom was designed with the polymeric materials. The phantom was scanned by Siemens SOMATOM Edge CT device with tube voltage of 120 kVp and Hounsfield Unit (HU) values were measured. In addition, HU values were calculated using theoretical relationships and significant agreement was obtained between measured and calculated HUs. It was determined that PA, PP, UHMWPE and HDPE were equivalent to muscle and adipose tissue, PVC and PTFE were equivalent to mineral bone, PET and POM were equivalent to spongiosa bone and PU FOAM was equivalent to lung tissue.
The Origins of British Port Chaplaincy
Authors: Sampson Helen , Turgo Nelson , Cadge Wendy , Gilliat-Ray Sophie
Published: June 2024

This chapter outlines the historical development of some of the major faith-based charities that provide and support port chaplaincy in UK ports today. It focuses on two organizations that have played a major role in delivering port chaplaincy services—the Stella Maris, which, before 2020, was known as Apostleship of the Sea (AoS), and the Mission to Seafarers (MtS). Using archived documentation and secondary sources, the chapter describes the ways in which port chaplaincy services have been developed in the United Kingdom, the reasons for their development and the transformation of provision over time.
Investigating the link between antipsychotic use and post-stroke infections in older people: multi-centre propensity score analysis
Authors: Park Hae-Yeon , Jung Moa , Park Geun-Young , Lee Jong In , Kim Youngkook , Kim Yeo Hyung , Lim Seong Hoon , Yoo Yeun Jie , Im Sun
Published: June 2024

Background

The risk of stroke increases with age, and although previous reports have suggested that infection risk may increase with antipsychotic use, relevant studies after stroke are scarce. We aimed to investigate whether antipsychotics increase post-stroke infection risk in the acute stroke period.

Methods

This propensity score matching study included adults diagnosed with first-ever stroke between 2011 and 2020 at five university hospitals. In-hospital antipsychotic exposure was defined as any administration during hospitalisation for stroke. The primary outcome was post-stroke infection after the first 2 days of hospitalisation, and the secondary outcome was the presence of pneumonia, bacteraemia and/or bacteriuria.

Result

Among 23,885 first-ever stroke patients, 2,773 antipsychotic users (age 71.6 ± 12.4, male 54.6%) and 2,773 non-users (age 71.2 ± 13.2, male 54.6%) were selected as matched cohorts. After adjusting for propensity score, antipsychotics were not associated with an increased risk of post-stroke infection (odds ratio 0.99, 95% confidence interval 0.87–1.14).

Conclusion

While our study did not find conclusive evidence linking antipsychotic medication to an increased risk of post-stroke infection, prescribing these medications should still be approached with prudence. Until further research can provide more definitive insights, clinicians should carefully weigh the potential infection risks when considering antipsychotic treatment during the acute stroke care period.
Mixture effects of prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers on urinary oxidative stress biomarkers in the Chemicals in Our Bodies Cohort
Authors: Sehgal Neha , Morello-Frosch Rachel , Padula Amy M , DeMicco Erin , Wang Yunzhu , Smith Sabrina , Park June-Soo , Milne Ginger L , Woodruff Tracey J , Eick Stephanie M
Published: June 2024

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) exposure is associated with preterm birth. Laboratory studies suggest that PBDEs lead to elevated oxidative stress, a known contributor to preterm birth in epidemiologic studies. We hypothesized that elevated levels of PBDEs would be associated with increased oxidative stress during human pregnancy. Participants in this analysis were enrolled in the Chemicals in Our Bodies cohort and resided in the San Francisco Bay Area (N=201). Four PBDEs (BDE-47, -99, -100, -153) were measured in second trimester serum. Urinary oxidative stress biomarkers were measured at two timepoints (second and third trimester) and included 8-isoprostane-prostaglandin-F2α [8-iso-PGF2α], 2,3-dinor-5,6-dihydro-8-iso-PGF2α, 2,3-dinor-8-iso-PGF2α, and prostaglandin-F2α [PGF2α]. Associations between individual PBDEs and oxidative stress biomarkers (averaged and trimester specific) were examined using linear regression. Quantile g-computation and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to assess cumulative effects of PBDEs. Quantile g-computation showed that higher concentrations of PBDEs were associated with increasing 8-iso-PGF2α, 2,3-dinor-8-iso-PGF2α, and PGF2α. Associations were greatest in magnitude for second trimester levels of 2,3-dinor-8-iso-PGF2α (mean change per quartile increase=0.25, 95% confidence interval=0.09, 0.41). Associations were similar using BKMR and linear regression. Our findings suggest that oxidative stress may be a plausible biological pathway by which PBDE exposure might lead to preterm birth.
Development of a rural–urban classification system for public health research that accommodates structural differences between states
Authors: Erly Steven , Mocha Claire M , Amiya Rachel M , Glick Sara N
Published: June 2024

Rural environments in the United States present challenges to wellness, but there is a lack of tools with which to categorize rurality at the subcounty level. The most common tool, the Food and Drug Administration’s 2010 Rural–Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) codes, uses data that are over a decade old and cannot accommodate regional differences in rurality. The purpose of this study was to develop a census-tract classification system of rurality and demonstrate its use in describing HIV outcomes. We transformed census-tract measures (population density, natural resource workforce, walkability index, household type, and air quality) into local scales of rurality using factor analysis. We surveyed public health practitioners to determine cutpoints and compared the resulting categorization with RUCA codes. We characterized the incidence of HIV in Washington State according to rurality category. Our classification system categorized 25% of census tracts as rural, 19% as periurban, and 56% as urban. Our survey yielded cutoffs that were more conservative in categorizing urban areas than RUCA codes. The rate of HIV diagnosis was substantially higher in urban areas. Our rural–urban classification system offers an alternative to RUCA codes that is more responsive to regional differences.
Neighborhood-level fatal police violence and severe maternal morbidity in California
Authors: Hailu Elleni M , Riddell Corinne A , Tucker Curisa , Ahern Jennifer , Bradshaw Patrick T , Carmichael Suzan L , Mujahid Mahasin S
Published: June 2024

Police violence is a pervasive issue that may have adverse implications for severe maternal morbidity (SMM). We assessed how the occurrence of fatal police violence (FPV) in one’s neighborhood before or during pregnancy may influence SMM risk. Hospital discharge records from California between 2002 and 2018 were linked with the Fatal Encounters database (n = 2 608 682). We identified 2184 neighborhoods (census tracts) with at least 1 FPV incident during the study period and used neighborhood fixed-effects models adjusting for individual sociodemographic characteristics to estimate odds of SMM associated with experiencing FPV in one’s neighborhood anytime within the 24 months before childbirth. We did not find conclusive evidence on the link between FPV occurrence before delivery and SMM. However, estimates show that birthing people residing in neighborhoods where 1 or more FPV events had occurred within the preceding 24 months of giving birth may have mildly elevated odds of SMM than those residing in the same neighborhoods with no FPV occurrence during the 24 months preceding childbirth (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.99-1.05), particularly among those living in neighborhoods with fewer FPV incidents (1-2) throughout the study period (OR = 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00-1.06). Our findings provide evidence for the need to continue to examine the population health consequences of police violence.
Visual periodicity reveals distinct attentional signatures for face and non-face categories
Authors: Quek Genevieve L , de Heering Adélaïde
Published: June 2024

Observers can selectively deploy attention to regions of space, moments in time, specific visual features, individual objects, and even specific high-level categories—for example, when keeping an eye out for dogs while jogging. Here, we exploited visual periodicity to examine how category-based attention differentially modulates selective neural processing of face and non-face categories. We combined electroencephalography with a novel frequency-tagging paradigm capable of capturing selective neural responses for multiple visual categories contained within the same rapid image stream (faces/birds in Exp 1; houses/birds in Exp 2). We found that the pattern of attentional enhancement and suppression for face-selective processing is unique compared to other object categories: Where attending to non-face objects strongly enhances their selective neural signals during a later stage of processing (300–500 ms), attentional enhancement of face-selective processing is both earlier and comparatively more modest. Moreover, only the selective neural response for faces appears to be actively suppressed by attending towards an alternate visual category. These results underscore the special status that faces hold within the human visual system, and highlight the utility of visual periodicity as a powerful tool for indexing selective neural processing of multiple visual categories contained within the same image sequence.
Dependence of rhythmic activity and oddball effects in the rat cortex on the depth of sedation during dissociative anesthesia
Authors: Belov Dmitry , Fesenko Zoia , Lakstygal Anton , Efimov Andrey , Tikhonravov Dmitry
Published: June 2024

The reactions to novelty manifesting in mismatch negativity in the rat brain were studied. During dissociative anesthesia, mismatch negativity–like waves were recorded from the somatosensory cortex using an epidural 32-electrode array. Experimental animals: 7 wild-type Wistar rats and 3 transgenic rats. During high-dose anesthesia, deviant 1,500 Hz tones were presented randomly among many standard 1,000 Hz tones in the oddball paradigm. “Deviant minus standard_before_deviant” difference waves were calculated using both the classical method of Naatanen and method of cross-correlation of sub-averages. Both methods gave consistent results: an early phasic component of the N40 and later N100 to 200 (mismatch negativity itself) tonic component. The gamma and delta rhythms power and the frequency of down-states (suppressed activity periods) were assessed. In all rats, the amplitude of tonic component grew with increasing sedation depth. At the same time, a decrease in gamma power with a simultaneous increase in delta power and the frequency of down-states. The earlier phasic frontocentral component is associated with deviance detection, while the later tonic one over the auditory cortex reflects the orienting reaction. Under anesthesia, this slow mismatch negativity–like wave most likely reflects the tendency of the system to respond to any influences with delta waves, K-complexes and down-states, or produce them spontaneously.
Reduced gyrification in fetal growth restriction with prenatal magnetic resonance images
Authors: Yehuda Bossmat , Rabinowich Aviad , Zilberman Ayala , Wexler Yair , Haratz Karina Krajden , Miller Elka , Sira Liat Ben , Hiersch Liran , Bashat Dafna Ben
Published: June 2024

Placental-related fetal growth restriction, resulting from placental dysfunction, impacts 3–5% of pregnancies and is linked to elevated risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. In response, the fetus employs a mechanism known as brain-sparing, redirecting blood flow to the cerebral circuit, for adequate supply to the brain. In this study we aimed to quantitatively evaluate disparities in gyrification and brain volumes among fetal growth restriction, small for gestational age and appropriate-for gestational-age fetuses. Additionally, we compared fetal growth restriction fetuses with and without brain-sparing. The study encompassed 106 fetuses: 35 fetal growth restriction (14 with and 21 without brain-sparing), 8 small for gestational age, and 63 appropriate for gestational age. Gyrification, supratentorial, and infratentorial brain volumes were automatically computed from T2-weighted magnetic resonance images, following semi-automatic brain segmentation. Fetal growth restriction fetuses exhibited significantly reduced gyrification and brain volumes compared to appropriate for gestational age (P < 0.001). Small for gestational age fetuses displayed significantly reduced gyrification (P = 0.038) and smaller supratentorial volume (P < 0.001) compared to appropriate for gestational age. Moreover, fetal growth restriction fetuses with BS demonstrated reduced gyrification compared to those without BS (P = 0.04), with no significant differences observed in brain volumes. These findings demonstrate that brain development is affected in fetuses with fetal growth restriction, more severely than in small for gestational age, and support the concept that vasodilatation of the fetal middle cerebral artery reflects more severe hypoxemia, affecting brain development.
Who takes the lead in consumer choices within romantic relationships: the evidence from electroencephalography hyperscanning and granger causality analysis
Authors: Zhong Yifei , Zhang Ye , Zhang Chenyu , Liu Jingyue , Wang He , Liu Yingjie
Published: June 2024

In real-life scenarios, joint consumption is common, particularly influenced by social relationships such as romantic ones. However, how romantic relationships affect consumption decisions and determine dominance remains unclear. This study employs electroencephalography hyperscanning to examine the neural dynamics of couples during joint-consumption decisions. Results show that couples, compared to friends and strangers, prefer healthier foods, while friends have significantly faster reaction times when selecting food. Time–frequency analysis indicates that couples exhibit significantly higher theta power, reflecting deeper emotional and cognitive involvement. Strangers show greater beta1 power, indicating increased cognitive effort and alertness due to unfamiliarity. Friends demonstrate higher alpha2 power when choosing unhealthy foods, suggesting increased cognitive inhibition. Inter-brain phase synchrony analysis reveals that couples display significantly higher inter-brain phase synchrony in the beta1 and theta bands across the frontal–central, parietal, and occipital regions, indicating more coordinated cognitive processing and stronger emotional bonds. Females in couples may be more influenced by emotions during consumption decisions, with detailed sensory information processing, while males exhibit higher cognitive control and spatial integration. Granger-causality analysis shows a pattern of male dominance and female dependence in joint consumption within romantic relationships. This study highlights gender-related neural synchronous patterns during joint consumption among couples, providing insights for further research in consumer decision-making.
Novel formylpeptide receptor 1/2 agonist limits hypertension-induced cardiovascular damage
Authors: Singh Jaideep , Jackson Kristy L , Fang Haoyun , Gumanti Audrey , Claridge Bethany , Tang Feng Shii , Kiriazis Helen , Salimova Ekaterina , Parker Alex M , Nowell Cameron , Woodman Owen L , Greening David W , Ritchie Rebecca H , Head Geoffrey A , Qin Cheng Xue
Published: June 2024

Aims

Formylpeptide receptors (FPRs) play a critical role in the regulation of inflammation, an important driver of hypertension-induced end-organ damage. We have previously reported that the biased FPR small-molecule agonist, compound17b (Cmpd17b), is cardioprotective against acute, severe inflammatory insults. Here, we reveal the first compelling evidence of the therapeutic potential of this novel FPR agonist against a longer-term, sustained inflammatory insult, i.e. hypertension-induced end-organ damage. The parallels between the murine and human hypertensive proteome were also investigated.

Methods and results

The hypertensive response to angiotensin II (Ang II, 0.7 mg/kg/day, s.c.) was attenuated by Cmpd17b (50 mg/kg/day, i.p.). Impairments in cardiac and vascular function assessed via echocardiography were improved by Cmpd17b in hypertensive mice. This functional improvement was accompanied by reduced cardiac and aortic fibrosis and vascular calcification. Cmpd17b also attenuated Ang II-induced increased cardiac mitochondrial complex 2 respiration. Proteomic profiling of cardiac and aortic tissues and cells, using label-free nano-liquid chromatography with high-sensitivity mass spectrometry, detected and quantified ∼6000 proteins. We report hypertension-impacted protein clusters associated with dysregulation of inflammatory, mitochondrial, and calcium responses, as well as modified networks associated with cardiovascular remodelling, contractility, and structural/cytoskeletal organization. Cmpd17b attenuated hypertension-induced dysregulation of multiple proteins in mice, and of these, ∼110 proteins were identified as similarly dysregulated in humans suffering from adverse aortic remodelling and cardiac hypertrophy.

Conclusion

We have demonstrated, for the first time, that the FPR agonist Cmpd17b powerfully limits hypertension-induced end-organ damage, consistent with proteome networks, supporting development of pro-resolution FPR-based therapeutics for treatment of systemic hypertension complications.