The conversion of oxygen-rich biomass into hydrocarbon fuels requires efficient hydrodeoxygenation catalysts during the upgrading process. However, traditionally prepared CoMoS2 catalysts, although ...efficient for hydrodesulfurization, are not appropriate due to their poor activity, sulfur loss and rapid deactivation at elevated temperature. Here, we report the synthesis of MoS2 monolayer sheets decorated with isolated Co atoms that bond covalently to sulfur vacancies on the basal planes that, when compared with conventionally prepared samples, exhibit superior activity, selectivity and stability for the hydrodeoxygenation of 4-methylphenol to toluene. This higher activity allows the reaction temperature to be reduced from the typically used 300 °C to 180 °C and thus allows the catalysis to proceed without sulfur loss and deactivation. Experimental analysis and density functional theory calculations reveal a large number of sites at the interface between the Co and Mo atoms on the MoS2 basal surface and we ascribe the higher activity to the presence of sulfur vacancies that are created local to the observed Co-S-Mo interfacial sites.
Challenges in semileptonic B decays Gambino, P.; Kronfeld, A. S.; Rotondo, M. ...
The European physical journal. C, Particles and fields,
10/2020, Volume:
80, Issue:
10
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Two of the elements of the Cabibbo–Kobayashi–Maskawa quark mixing matrix,
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V
ub
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and
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V
cb
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, are extracted from semileptonic
B
decays. The results of the
B
factories, analysed in the light of ...the most recent theoretical calculations, remain puzzling, because for both
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V
ub
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and
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V
cb
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the exclusive and inclusive determinations are in clear tension. Further, measurements in the
τ
channels at Belle, Babar, and LHCb show discrepancies with the Standard Model predictions, pointing to a possible violation of lepton flavor universality. LHCb and Belle II have the potential to resolve these issues in the next few years. This article summarizes the discussions and results obtained at the MITP workshop held on April 9–13, 2018, in Mainz, Germany, with the goal to develop a medium-term strategy of analyses and calculations aimed at solving the puzzles. Lattice and continuum theorists working together with experimentalists have discussed how to reshape the semileptonic analyses in view of the much higher luminosity expected at Belle II, searching for ways to systematically validate the theoretical predictions in both exclusive and inclusive
B
decays, and to exploit the rich possibilities at LHCb.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
•Kerosene enthalpies were estimated at different temperatures using samples and simulations.•Numerical ORC and financial models were developed to assess feasibility of waste heat-to-power ...conversion.•Six pure fluids and two mixtures were investigated for selecting optimum fluid.•It is technically and economically feasible to install a 250kW ORC unit to capture kerosene waste heat.
Industrial waste heat is a large potential resource for generation of carbon-free electricity. This study investigates the technical and economic feasibility of converting waste heat from a stream of liquid kerosene which must be cooled down to control the vacuum distillation temperature. The process conditions were determined for a simple 250kW organic Rankine cycle (ORC) with a heat extraction loop. The pinch point technique was adopted to determine the optimum evaporation and condensation temperatures and assess the influence of the kerosene temperature at the evaporator exit on net power output. The operating conditions and performance of the ORC system were evaluated with eight potential refrigerants and refrigerant mixtures such as R123, R134a, R245fa, isobutane, butane, pentane, an equimolar mixture of butane and pentane, and a mixture of 40% isobutane and 50% butane on a mole basis. A financial model was established for the total plant cost. Results show that isobutane, of the pure fluids, yields the best plant efficiency of 6.8% with approximately half of the kerosene flow available, and the efficiency can be increased up to 7.6% using the butane/pentane mixture. The optimum kerosene temperature at the evaporator outlet is estimated to be 70°C for all the fluid, except the butane/pentane mixture, which meets the design constraint not to disturb the existing distillation process. A capital cost target of $3000/kW could be achieved with a payback period of 6.8years and the internal rate of return (IRR) of 21.8%. Therefore, if the detailed engineering, component fabrication and construction can be achieved within the cost target, the installation of a 250kW ORC waste heat power converter on the kerosene cooling line would be technically feasible and economically viable.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Summary
Background Prospective nationwide multicentre studies that have evaluated endoscopic findings and reflux symptoms using a well‐designed questionnaire are very rare.
Aim To compare the ...prevalence rates of and risk factors for erosive oesophagitis and non‐erosive reflux disease (NERD) in the Korean population.
Methods A gastroscopic examination was performed on 25 536 subjects who visited 40 Healthcare Centers for a health check‐up. A gastro‐oesophageal reflux questionnaire and multivariate analysis were used to determine the risk factors for erosive oesophagitis and NERD.
Results 2019 (8%) and 996 subjects (4%) had erosive oesophagitis and non‐erosive reflux disease, respectively; only 58% of subjects with erosive oesophagitis had reflux symptoms. Multivariate analysis showed that the risk factors for erosive oesophagitis and NERD differed, i.e. those of erosive oesophagitis were male, a Helicobacter pylori eradication history, alcohol, body mass index ≥25 and hiatal hernia. In contrast, the risk factors for NERD were female, age <40 and ≥60 vs. 40–59 years, body mass index <23 and a monthly income <$1000, glucose ≥126 mg/dL, smoking, a stooping posture at work and antibiotic usage.
Conclusions The prevalence rates of erosive oesophagitis and NERD were 8% and 4%, respectively, in Korean health check‐up subjects. The risk factors for erosive oesophagitis and NERD were found to differ, which indicates that their underlying pathogeneses are distinct.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Summary
Selecting a topical treatment from among the numerous topical agents for external genital warts remains challenging without clear evidence. Our aim was to evaluate comparatively the efficacy ...and safety of topical agents for external genital warts using a network meta‐analysis. We included all randomized controlled trials that evaluated any topically applied treatment for external genital warts. Using the R package netmeta, network meta‐analyses were performed with a frequentist approach. We identified 41 relevant studies comprising 6371 patients. Among conventional agents, podophyllotoxin 0·5% solution (odds ratio 1·94, 95% confidence interval 1·02–3·71) was significantly more efficacious than imiquimod 5% cream for lesion clearance; however, it was associated with a higher overall adverse event rate. Sinecatechins 15% ointment (odds ratio 0·21, 95% confidence interval 0·12–0·34) was significantly less efficacious than imiquimod 5% cream. Idoxuridine, polyhexamethylene biguanide, cidofovir and SB206 showed comparable therapeutic efficacies with conventional therapies. None of the treatments were significantly different from each other with respect to recurrence, patients with severe adverse events, or patients who withdrew because of treatment‐related adverse events. Conventional modalities were efficacious and well tolerated, although each of them had their advantages and disadvantages. Additional efficacy and safety studies are warranted for unconventional agents.
Linked Comment: Doiron. Br J Dermatol 2020; 183:5–6.
Plain language summary available online
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Background
Many surgical instruments have been replaced with powered devices in open gastrointestinal and laparoscopic surgery. The production of smoke as a result of vaporization of surgical tissue ...is inevitable, and exposure to surgical smoke is a long‐standing concern. These vapours are potentially hazardous to patients and surgical teams. The present research was designed to compare various surgical devices to determine whether viable cells exist in their surgical smoke.
Methods
The search for viable cells in surgical smoke was conducted using both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Various cancers were cauterized with electrocautery, radiofrequency ablation and ultrasonic scalpels, and the resulting surgical smoke was aspirated with Transwell® membrane; viable cells were sought in the surgical smoke. In an in vivo experiment, samples of SCC7 were cauterized with an ultrasonic scalpel and the sediment from the rinsed Transwell® membrane liquid after centrifugation was injected subcutaneously into the lower back of mice.
Results
Viable cells were found only in the smoke from ultrasonic scalpels (in all 25 samples taken 5 cm from the cautery; 2 of 25 samples at 10 cm). Viable cells in the surgical smoke from ultrasonic scalpels implanted in mice grew in 16 of 40 injection sites. Histological and biochemical analyses revealed that these cancer cells were identical to the cancer cells cauterized by the ultrasonic scalpel.
Conclusion
Viable tumour cells are produced in the surgical smoke from tumour dissection by ultrasonic scalpel.
Surgical relevance
Surgical smoke is a byproduct of dissection using a number of powered devices. Hazards to operating room personnel and patients are unclear.
This study has shown that use of an ultrasonic dissection device can produce smoke that contains viable tumour cells.
Although the model is somewhat artificial, a theoretical risk exists, and measures to evacuate surgical smoke efficiently are important.
Surgical smoke is potentially hazardous
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
No randomized controlled trials have evaluated the comparative outcomes of cefazolin versus nafcillin for methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteraemia.
A prospective observational ...cohort study including all S. aureus bacteraemia was conducted at 10 hospitals. Patients (≥15 years) with MSSA bacteraemia who received cefazolin or nafcillin as definitive antibiotics were included. The rates of treatment failure (premature discontinuation of antibiotics because of adverse effects, switching of antibiotics because of clinical failure, all-cause mortality within 1 month, or recurrence) were compared between the cefazolin and nafcillin groups. Propensity score matching analyses were performed to balance the factors influencing the selection of antibiotics.
Among the 242 included cases, the bones and joints (36.8%) were the most common sites of infection and 60.7% of the patients had sepsis. The overall treatment failure rate was 43.8% (106/242). All-cause mortality within 1 month was 6.2% (15/242). After propensity score matching, the treatment failure rate of cefazolin was lower than that of nafcillin (30.4% (24/79) vs. 49.4% (39/79), p 0.015) because of a higher rate of discontinuation caused by adverse events. When the data were limited to patients with sepsis, the treatment failure rates of both groups were not significantly different. Approximately 22% (24/110) of MSSA isolates exhibited a cefazolin-inoculum effect (CIE) that had significant impact on the failure rate and mortality of the cefazolin group.
Cefazolin might be recommended as an adequate and better-tolerated treatment for MSSA bacteraemia in the absence of CIE.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Dysregulation of cell surface proteolysis has been strongly implicated in tumorigenicity and metastasis. In this study, we delineated the role of hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor-2 ...(HAI-2) in prostate cancer (PCa) cell migration, invasion, tumorigenicity and metastasis using a human PCa progression model (103E, N1, and N2 cells) and xenograft models. N1 and N2 cells were established through serial intraprostatic propagation of 103E human PCa cells and isolation of the metastatic cells from nearby lymph nodes. The invasion capability of these cells was revealed to gradually increase throughout the serial isolations (103E<N1<N2). In this series of cells, the expression of HAI-2 but not HAI-1 was significantly decreased throughout the progression and occurred in parallel with increased activation of matriptase. The expression level and activity of matriptase increased whereas the HAI-2 protein level decreased over the course of orthotopic tumor growth in mice, which was consistent with the immunohistochemical profiles of matriptase and HAI-2 in archival PCa specimens. Knockdown of matriptase reduced the PCa cell invasion induced by HAI-2 knockdown. HAI-2 overexpression or matriptase silencing in N2 cells downregulated matriptase activity and significantly decreased tumorigenicity and metastatic capability in orthotopically xenografted mice. These results suggest that during the progression of human PCa, matriptase activity is primarily controlled by HAI-2 expression. The imbalance between HAI-2 and matriptase expression led to matriptase activation, thereby increasing cell migration, invasion, tumorigenicity and metastasis.
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DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Jung WH, Kang D‐H, Han JY, Jang JH, Gu B‐M, Choi J‐S, Jung MH, Choi C‐H, Kwon JS. Aberrant ventral striatal responses during incentive processing in unmedicated patients with obsessive–compulsive ...disorder.
Objective: Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by the dysfunction of control and reward mechanisms. However, only few neuroimaging studies of OCD have examined the reward processing. We examined the neural responses during incentive processing in OCD.
Method: Twenty unmedicated patients with OCD and 20 age‐, sex‐, and IQ‐matched healthy controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a modified monetary incentive delay task.
Results: Compared with controls, patients with OCD showed increased ventral striatal activation in the no‐loss minus loss outcome contrast and a significant positive correlation between the ventral striatal activation and compulsion symptom severity. In addition, patients with OCD showed increased activations in the frontostriatal regions in the gain minus no‐gain outcomes contrast. During loss anticipation, patients with OCD showed less activations in the lateral prefrontal and inferior parietal cortices. However, during gain anticipation, patients with OCD and healthy controls did not differ in the ventral striatal activation.
Conclusion: These findings provide neural evidence for altered incentive processing in unmedicated patients with OCD, suggesting an elevated sensitivity to negatively affect stimuli as well as dysfunction of the ventral striatum.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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