The functionalization of MoS2 is of paramount importance for tailoring its properties towards optoelectronic applications and unlocking its full potential. Zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) carrying an ...1,2‐dithiolane oxide linker was used to functionalize MoS2 at defect sites located at the edges. The structure of ZnPc‐MoS2 was fully assessed by complementary spectroscopic, thermal, and microscopy imaging techniques. An energy‐level diagram visualizing different photochemical events in ZnPc‐MoS2 was established and revealed a bidirectional electron transfer leading to a charge separated state ZnPc.+‐MoS2.−. Markedly, evidence of the charge transfer in the hybrid material was demonstrated using fluorescence spectroelectrochemistry. Systematic studies performed by femtosecond transient absorption revealed the involvement of excitons generated in MoS2 in promoting the charge transfer, while the transfer was also possible when ZnPc was excited, signifying their potential in light‐energy‐harvesting devices.
Transfer to a plane: The covalent functionalization of two‐dimensional semiconducting MoS2 with an electron‐donating photosensitizer zinc phthalocyanine has been successfully achieved. The hybrid material exhibits excited‐state charge transfer and is, therefore, a candidate for optoelectronic applications.
The implementation of people-centred care requires strategies that respond to local conditions and contexts, with the participation of local stakeholders in collaborative approaches such as ...co-design. Within this framework, the authors performed a literature review to identify the most implemented practices in health and social care services for co-designing digital solutions.
The literature review was conducted following five steps: (i) Definition of the Keywords and their relations; (ii) Definition of the selection criteria; (iii) Search in PubMed; (iv) Selection of papers; and (v) Analysis of the selected papers.
20 papers addressed to co-design health digital solutions with stakeholders were analysed in terms of the activities implemented and participants involved.
Previous studies using co-design methods for the deployment of health digital solutions employed a wide range of activities, most of them combining activities and/or mixed target groups.
Co-design is the key to deliver people-centred care as it allows to involve stakeholders in the development of health digital solutions. Implementing one or more of the co-design methods identified in this literature review should be considered to better address the needs and specific projects and target groups.
Streptococcus suis is a major bacterial pathogen of young pigs causing worldwide economic problems for the pig industry. S. suis is also an emerging pathogen of humans. Colonization of porcine ...oropharynx by S. suis is considered to be a high risk factor for invasive disease. In the oropharyngeal cavity, where glucose is rapidly absorbed but dietary α-glucans persist, there is a profound effect of carbohydrate availability on the expression of virulence genes. Nineteen predicted or confirmed S. suis virulence genes that promote adhesion to and invasion of epithelial cells were expressed at higher levels when S. suis was supplied with the α-glucan starch/pullulan compared to glucose as the single carbon source. Additionally the production of suilysin, a toxin that damages epithelial cells, was increased more than ten-fold when glucose levels were low and S. suis was growing on pullulan. Based on biochemical, bioinformatics and in vitro and in vivo gene expression studies, we developed a biological model that postulates the effect of carbon catabolite repression on expression of virulence genes in the mucosa, organs and blood. This research increases our understanding of S. suis virulence mechanisms and has important implications for the design of future control strategies including the development of anti-infective strategies by modulating animal feed composition.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The effect of the fungicide tebuconazole (0.41, 0.52, 0.71 and 1.14mg/L) on survival, reproduction and growth of Daphnia magna organisms was monitored using 14 and 21 days exposure tests. A third ...experiment was performed by exposing D. magna to the fungicide for 14 days followed by 7 days of recovery (14+7). In order to test fungicide effects on D. magna, parameters as survival, mean whole body length, mean total number of neonates per female, mean number of broods per female, mean brood size per female, time to first brood/reproduction and intrinsic rate of natural increase (r) were used. Reproduction was seriously affected by tebuconazole. All tebuconazole concentrations tested affected the number of broods per female and day to first brood. At 14-days test, number of neonates per female and body size decreased by concentrations of tebuconazole higher than 0.52mg/L, whereas at 21-days test both parameters were affected at all the concentrations tested. Survival of the daphnids after 14 days fungicide exposure did not exhibited differences among experimental and control groups. In this experiment r value was reduced (in a 22%) when animals were exposed to concentrations of 0.71mg/L and 1.14mg/L. Survival of daphnids exposed during 21 days to 1.14mg/L declined, and the intrinsic rate of natural increase (r) decreased in a 30 % for tebuconazole concentrations higher than 0.41mg/L. Longevity of daphnids pre-exposed to tebuconazole for 14 days and 7 days in clean water did not show differences from control values and all of them survived the 21 days of the test. However, after 7 days in fungicide free medium animals were unable to restore control values for reproductive parameters and length. The maximum acceptable toxicant concentration (MATC) was calculated using the r values as parameter of evaluation. MATC estimations were 0.61mg/L and 0.46mg/L for 14 and 21 days, respectively. Results showed that the number of neonates per female was the highest sensitive parameter to the effects of tebuconazole on D. magna. On the other hand, a recovery period of 7 days in a free toxicant medium would not be longer enough to reestablish normal reproduction parameters in pre-exposed tebuconazole daphnids.
•Effect of tebuconazole on Daphnia magna was monitored using 14, 21 and 14+7 days test.•Tebuconazole affected the survival, fecundity and growth of D. magna during all three tests.•Total number of neonates per female was the most sensitive parameter.•A 14 days test was not enough to predict the chronic toxicity of tebuconazole.
This study was conducted to investigate the change of some biochemical parameters in the aquatic invertebrate
Daphnia magna following exposure to the fungicide tebuconazole and to determine the most ...sensitive biomarker among the ones tested in this species. Four biochemical biomarkers (protein, glycogen, lipids and caloric content) were correlated with feeding behaviour studies of
D. magna after fungicide exposure. Juveniles of
D. magna were exposed to four sublethal concentrations of tebuconazole (0.41, 0.52, 0.71 and 1.14
mg
L
−1) for 5
d. Daphnid samples were taken from each test and control group at 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120
h after the start of the experiment. Tebuconazole EC
50 values were calculated on
D. magna in our laboratory as 56.83 and 40.10
mg
L
−1 at 24 and 48
h, respectively. Results showed that daphnid energy content decreased as tebuconazole concentration increased, especially after 96–120
h of exposure to 0.52
mg
L
−1 and higher fungicide concentrations. The data suggest that tebuconazole is moderately toxic to
D. magna but also that it seriously impairs the metabolic functions, resulting in alterations in biochemical constituents. In the
D. magna feeding study, algae feeding rates were inhibited after fungicide exposure. Such findings indicate the importance of feeding studies in laboratory toxicity test as well as their relationship with others studies. The results emphasize the importance of considering different kind of biomarkers to identify and evaluate the biological effect of a fungicide in the aquatic environment. Although the biochemical biomarkers used resultated good indicators of tebuconazole toxicity, feeding rates in
D. magna decreased after only 5
h exposure to the fungicide resulting in the most sensitive parameter of daphnid fungicide exposure.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder characterized by loss of motor neurons. Mitochondria are essential for neuronal survival but the developmental timing and ...mechanistic importance of mitochondrial dysfunction in sporadic ALS (sALS) neurons is not fully understood. We used human induced pluripotent stem cells and generated a developmental timeline by differentiating sALS iPSCs to neural progenitors and to motor neurons and comparing mitochondrial parameters with familial ALS (fALS) and control cells at each developmental stage. We report that sALS and fALS motor neurons have elevated reactive oxygen species levels, depolarized mitochondria, impaired oxidative phosphorylation, ATP loss and defective mitochondrial protein import compared with control motor neurons. This phenotype develops with differentiation into motor neurons, the affected cell type in ALS, and does not occur in the parental undifferentiated sALS cells or sALS neural progenitors. Our work demonstrates a developmentally regulated unifying mitochondrial phenotype between patient derived sALS and fALS motor neurons. The occurrence of a unifying mitochondrial phenotype suggests that mitochondrial etiology known to SOD1-fALS may applicable to sALS. Furthermore, our findings suggest that disease-modifying treatments focused on rescue of mitochondrial function may benefit both sALS and fALS patients.
The functionalization of MoS
is of paramount importance for tailoring its properties towards optoelectronic applications and unlocking its full potential. Zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) carrying an ...1,2-dithiolane oxide linker was used to functionalize MoS
at defect sites located at the edges. The structure of ZnPc-MoS
was fully assessed by complementary spectroscopic, thermal, and microscopy imaging techniques. An energy-level diagram visualizing different photochemical events in ZnPc-MoS
was established and revealed a bidirectional electron transfer leading to a charge separated state ZnPc
-MoS
. Markedly, evidence of the charge transfer in the hybrid material was demonstrated using fluorescence spectroelectrochemistry. Systematic studies performed by femtosecond transient absorption revealed the involvement of excitons generated in MoS
in promoting the charge transfer, while the transfer was also possible when ZnPc was excited, signifying their potential in light-energy-harvesting devices.
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION
In lesbian couples, is shared motherhood IVF (SMI) associated with an increase in perinatal complications compared with artificial insemination with donor sperm (AID)?
SUMMARY ...ANSWER
Singleton pregnancies in SMI and AID had very similar outcomes, except for a non-significant increase in the rate of preeclampsia/hypertension (PE/HT) in SMI (recipient’s age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.9, 95% CI = 0.7–5.2; P = 0.19), but twin SMI pregnancies had a much higher frequency of PE/HT than AID twins (recipient’s age-adjusted OR = 21.7, 95% CI = 2.8–289.4; P = 0.01).
WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY
Oocyte donation (OD) pregnancies are associated with an increase in perinatal complications, in particular, preterm delivery and low birth weight, and PE/HT. However, it is unclear to what extent these complications are due to OD process or to the conditions why OD was performed, such as advanced age and underlying health conditions. Unfortunately, the literature concerning perinatal outcomes in SMI is scarce.
STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION
Retrospective study involving 660 SMI cycles (299 pregnancies) and 4349 AID cycles (949 pregnancies) assisted over a 10-year period.
PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS
All cycles fulfilling the inclusion criteria performed in lesbian couples seeking fertility treatment in 17 Spanish clinics of the same group. Pregnancy rates of SMI and AID cycles were compared. Perinatal outcomes were compared: gestational length, newborn weight, preterm and low birth rates, PE/HT rates, cesarean section rates, perinatal mortality, and newborn malformations.
MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE
Pregnancy rates were higher in SMI than in AID (45.3% versus 21.8%, P < 0.001). There was a non-significant trend to higher multiple rate in AID (4.7% versus 8.5%, P = 0.08). In single pregnancies, there were no differences between SMI and AID in gestational age (278 days (268–285) versus 279 (272–284), P = 0.24), preterm rate (8.3% versus 7.3%, P = 0.80), preterm <28 weeks (0.6% versus 0.4%, P = 1.00), newborn weight (3195 g (2915–3620) versus 3270 g (2980–3600), P = 0.296), low birth rate (6.4% versus 6.4%, P = 1.00), extremely low birth weight (0.6% versus 0.5%, P = 1.00), and the distribution of newborns by weight groups. Cesarean section rate, newborn malformation rate, and perinatal mortality were also similar in SMI and AID. Additionally, there was non-significant trend in hypertensive disorders to an increase in PE/HT among SMI (recipient’s age-adjusted OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 0.7–5.2). Overall, perinatal data are consistent with what is reported in the general population. In twin pregnancies, the aforementioned perinatal parameters were also very similar in SMI and AID. However, SMI twin pregnancies had a very high risk of PE/HT when compared with AID (recipient’s age-adjusted OR = 21.7, 95% CI = 2.8–289.4, P = 0.01).
LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION
Our data regarding the pregnancy course were obtained from information registered in the delivery report as well as from what was reported by the patients themselves, so a certain degree of inaccuracy cannot be ruled out. Additionally, in some parameters, there was up to 10% of data missing. However, since the methodology of reporting was the same in SMI and AID groups, one should not expect a differential reporting bias. It cannot be ruled out that the risk of PE/HT in simple gestations would be significant in a larger study. Additionally, in the SMI group allocation to the transfer of 2 embryos was not randomized so some bias is possible.
WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS
SMI, if single embryo transfer is performed, seems to be is a safe procedure. Double embryo transfer should not be performed in SMI. Our data suggest that the majority of complications in OD could be related more with recipient status than with OD itself, since with SMI (performed in women without fertility problems) the perinatal complications were much lower than usually described in OD.
STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)
No external funding was received. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
N/A.
Summary
Nasal cytology is an easy, cheap, non‐invasive and point‐of‐care method to assess nasal inflammation and disease‐specific cellular features. By means of nasal cytology, it is possible to ...distinguish between different inflammatory patterns that are typically associated with specific diseases (ie, allergic and non‐allergic rhinitis). Its use is particularly relevant when other clinical information, such as signs, symptoms, time‐course and allergic sensitizations, is not enough to recognize which of the different rhinitis phenotypes is involved; for example, it is only by means of nasal cytology that it is possible to distinguish, among the non‐allergic rhinitis, those characterized by eosinophilic (NARES), mast cellular (NARMA), mixed eosinophilic‐mast cellular (NARESMA) or neutrophilic (NARNE) inflammation. Despite its clinical usefulness, cheapness, non‐invasiveness and easiness, nasal cytology is still underused and this is at least partially due to the fact that, as far as now, there is not a consensus or an official recommendation on its methodological issues. We here review the scientific literature about nasal cytology, giving recommendations on how to perform and interpret nasal cytology.
Abstract
Electrification is playing a major role in the industrial and energy sector, with heat pump (HP) market expected to grow significantly in the next future in accordance with the current ...energy transition phase, which aims to reduce the utilization of fossil fuels for heat production sector. It is therefore of crucial importance to find new ways to increase heat pump performance and reliability, containing maintenance costs. The use of dynamic compressors in HPs makes it possible to combine good performance with high compactness and silent operation, but unlike the volumetric compressor, this equipment could undergo dangerous instability during operation, which can occur in closed-cycle configuration, quite unusual for dynamic compressors. The aim of this paper is to present a new test-rig for stable and unstable performance analysis of dynamic compressors for innovative heat pumps. An in-depth description of the plant and instrumentation system is provided. The performance of the compressor is analyzed for different operating points, with a particular focus on near-surge operation. Experimental uncertainties and their reduction through data reconciliation techniques is thoroughly investigated.
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