Browse Articles

405 nm light microbicidal efficacy on Treponema pallidum spiked in ex vivo human platelets

Abstract Pathogen reduction technologies using chemicals and or UV light have been demonstrated to improve the safety of ex vivo platelets from infectious diseases. However, UV light exposure also may affect the treated products, depending on wavelength and exposure. Alternatively, visible spectra 405 nm violet-blue light has broad-spectrum microbicidal activity. Here we tested the effect of 405 nm light on Treponema pallidum, the bacterium that causes syphilis. We contaminated platelets stored in plasma with two treponemal concentrations (low and high titers) and treated an aliquot with 270 J/cm2 dose (irradiance = 15 mW/cm2) of 405 nm light while another aliquot remained untreated. Next, we inoculated intradermally an aliquot of both samples into rabbits. Rabbits inoculated with untreated samples developed syphilis while animals inoculated with light-treated samples did not. Thus, inactivation was demonstrated to the limit of detection of the bioassay. We estimated > 2 log10 and > 4 log10 reduction in the low and high dose studies, respectively. These results provide proof-of-concept that 405 nm light is effective in reducing syphilis risk in ex vivo platelets.

The effect of educational intervention based on the health action model on safe use of pesticides in Iranian farmers

Combustion and emission characteristics of ammonia-diesel marine high pressure direct injection low-speed dual-fuel engine

Persistent Lagrangian transport patterns in the Black Sea identified from climatological Lagrangian Coherent Structures

Prolonged irrigation time in endoscopic aqueous medium impairs MSC/β-TCP adhesion and osteogenic potential

Silencing FGL1 promotes prostate cancer cell apoptosis and inhibits EMT progression

Plasma and MRI biomarkers capture neuronal damage in former professional boxers

Abstract Repetitive Head Impacts (RHI) in boxing may increase the risk for neuronal damage. We evaluated blood-based biomarkers for neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) pathology, clinical features, and MRI biomarkers in former professional boxers compared to patients with AD or patients with subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Nine former boxers were compared to age-matched patients (without single TBI or RHI) with biomarker confirmed AD (N = 15) or SCD (N = 14). Plasma samples were analyzed for amyloid beta (Aβ)42, Aβ42/40 ratio, phosphorylated tau (p-tau)181, p-tau217, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neurofilament light (NfL) concentrations. Brain MRI images were processed through Freesurfer to compute disease-related regions-of-interest (ROIs) for AD, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), or chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Cognitive performance was assessed in memory and executive functioning (EF) domains. Five boxers had follow-up measurements after ~ 7 years. Former boxers had higher plasma GFAP, p-tau181 and p-tau217 than patients with SCD, lower volumes in all pre-specified disease-related brain regions. No differences on neuropsychological test scores between boxers and those with SCD were observed. Longitudinal analysis in the boxer group demonstrated elevation of plasma NfL and p-tau181 over time. The current study suggests the presence of biological processes indicative for neurodegeneration in former boxers, without evident clinical decline. Plasma GFAP, p-tau181 and p-tau217 may be promising biomarkers for indicating risk for neuronal damage following RHI.

Primary closure with self-disengaging biliary stent following laparoscopic CBD exploration in normal-diameter ducts: a propensity score matching study

Flexural behavior of steel-UHPC composite bridge slab under different curing conditions

Investigating the mechanism of Gentiopicroside in rheumatoid arthritis through network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation

Toward the standardization of big datasets of urine output for AKI analysis: a multicenter validation study

Abstract Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a prevalent condition in ICU patients. However, inconsistencies in urine charting and guideline interpretations hinder accurate diagnosis and research. This study aimed to derive and validate a standardization for the processing of big urine output datasets to improve consistency in AKI diagnosis and staging. Using a derivation cohort from 14 ICUs at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (2008–2019) and a validation cohort from an academic center in Amsterdam (2003–2016), we developed and validated an algorithm for computing hourly urine output rates and identifying oliguric AKI across its definitions. Peak AKI stages computed using the method were significantly associated with all clinical outcomes, including severity scores, serum creatinine levels, ICU and hospital lengths of stay, renal replacement therapy requirements, and hospital mortality (all p < 0.001). Adjusted 30-day mortality odds ratios for AKI stages 1–3 were 1.58, 2.93, and 5.24 in the derivation cohort and 2.91, 5.16, and 13.59 in the validation cohort (all p < 0.001). Tested on over 85,000 multinational ICU admissions, this approach demonstrated robust performance and consistent results across diverse settings; it has the potential to enhance clinical practice through e-alerts and support future AKI and fluid balance research, including ML model training and inference. Supported by open-source code, the proposed method advances the standardization of AKI diagnostic criteria and can be applied to other EHR-based databases.

Structure stability of (U, Pu) C and (U, Pu) N compositions

Abstract Atomic scale computer simulations based on density functional theory (DFT) are used to calculate the formation energies and structures associated with phases in the U–N, Pu–N, U–C and Pu–C systems. Stable phases across the compositional spaces, from the metal to the nitrogen gas or graphite end members, are identified using convex hull analysis. Many predicted phases correspond to those known from experimental phase diagrams (e.g. UN, U2N3; PuN; UC, U2C3; Pu2C3). However, many phases only sit on the convex hull upon inclusion of a suitably characterised Hubbard parameter (i.e. DFT + U). A nonstoichiometric composition of UN2−x is identified on the U–N convex hull but others, including stoichiometric UN2, are close to the line. A stoichiometric structure for Pu3C2 with $$R\overline{3}c$$ symmetry is identified, alongside which a nonstoichiometric PuC1−x phase has a similar energy.

Emotion recognition with multiple physiological parameters based on ensemble learning

A prospective randomized study that compares three different dressings for the prevention of surgical site infections following major heart surgery

Depletion of γ-glutamyl cyclotransferase suppresses the proliferation, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells accompanied by the activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway

UANV: UNet-based attention network for thoracolumbar vertebral compression fracture angle measurement

Identifying common trends and ecosystem states to inform Gulf of Alaska ecosystem-based fisheries management

Ecosystem-based fisheries management requires the successful integration of ecosystem information into the fisheries management process. In the Northeast Pacific Ocean, ecosystem data collection and accessibility have achieved successful milestones, yet application to the harvest specification process remains challenging. The synthesis, interpretation, and application of ecosystem information to groundfish fisheries management in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) can be supported by the identification of common ecosystem trends and ecosystem states across a diverse set of indicators. In this study, we used Dynamic Factor Analysis (DFA) and hidden Markov models (HMM) to analyze 92 indicators in climate, lower-trophic, mid-trophic, and seabird models for the western and eastern GOA marine ecosystems. Time series ranged from 25 to 52 years in length, analyzed through 2022. The DFA identified common trends across indicators and groups of covarying indicators (e.g., biomass of zooplankton species), highlighting opportunities to streamline communication of these data to management. Non-stationarity analyses revealed past changes in relationships, and can provide early warnings in future annual updates if previously identified correlations change. The HMM identified two to three ecosystem states in each sub-model that largely aligned with previously observed long- and short-term shifts in ecosystem dynamics in the region (i.e., shifts starting in 1975, 1988, and 2014). Annually updating these analyses, within an existing framework of reporting ecosystem information to management bodies, can streamline communication and improve early warning of changes in ecosystem dynamics. These tools can provide ecosystem support to management decisions relative to groundfish productivity and resulting harvest specifications.

Enhanced etch characteristics of EUV PR masked SiON through the ion beam grid pulsing technique

Abstract EUV lithography technology, applied in nano-patterning processes, enables the creation of fine patterns below 10 nm. However, issues still remain due to the reduced etch selectivity and increased line edge roughness (LER) caused by the thin thickness and weakness of organic EUV photoresist (PR). In this study, research was conducted to improve the low etch selectivity and high LER using a novel grid pulsed ion beam etching technique. In this system, Ar/H2 plasma is generated in the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source, and the Ar+/Hx + ion beam is irradiated while fluorocarbon gas is injected into the process chamber. Grid pulsing technique increases the etch selectivity of SiON over EUV PR while improving LER. With a 50% duty ratio and optimal gas flow conditions (Ar:H2 ratio = 1:3 to the ion beam source and CF4:C4F8 = 1:1), the etch selectivity of SiON over EUV PR approached ∞ while maintaining the LER close to the reference.

Leptospira seroprevalence and associated risk factors among cattle in Bor County, South Sudan

Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease that is distributed globally. In livestock, leptospirosis often presents as a subclinical disease that results in significant reproductive and production losses, which could in turn have detrimental economic consequences, particularly in countries like South Sudan that rely on livestock farming for livelihood. Leptospirosis often presents as a subclinical disease in which case the animal may be a maintenance host for a specific serovar. Recent increases in unexplained abortions have prompted us to investigate Leptospira exposure and associated risk factors among cattle in Bor County South Sudan. A cross-sectional study was conducted between 22nd January to 15th February 2023. Blood samples were collected from 357 cattle in four of the six cattle camps in the County at that time. Seropositivity was determined by detecting anti-Leptospira antibodies in the serum samples by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) based on a panel of 12 serovars representing 12 serogroups. Data on risk factors were obtained using pre-tested questionnaires administered to the owner or herdsman of each sampled herd. Of the 357 cattle sampled, 66.95% (95% CI = 61.91–71.62) were seropositive (cut-off titer ≥100). Seventy-six of the seropositive cattle (21.65%) had MAT titer ≥800, indicating a probable recent infection at the time of sampling. The most prevalent serogroups were L. borgpetersenii Tarassovi (59.83%) and L. borgpetersenii Ballum (17.38%). In the robust Poisson regression model, only the age of cattle was a significant risk factor to Leptospira seroprevalence. The prevalence in adult cattle was 1.43 times higher than in young ones (95% CI 1.09–1.92; P-value = 0.012). The extremely high seroprevalence indicates that leptospirosis may be endemic in cattle in South Sudan, and potentially one of the etiologies for the recently increasing abortion reports. This may require confirmation of the infection status among the aborting cattle.

Computational insights into wide bandgap lead free perovskite solar cells for silicon based tandem configurations