The goal of ecology is to understand interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms. In principle, ecologists should be able to identify a small number of limiting resources ...for a species of interest, estimate densities of these resources at different locations across the landscape, and then use these estimates to predict the density of the focal species at these locations. In practice, however, development of functional relationships between abundances of species and their resources has proven extremely difficult, and examples of such predictive ability are very rare. Ecological studies of prey requirements of tigers Panthera tigris led us to develop a simple mechanistic model for predicting tiger density as a function of prey density. We tested our model using data from a landscape-scale long-term (1995-2003) field study that estimated tiger and prey densities in 11 ecologically diverse sites across India. We used field techniques and analytical methods that specifically addressed sampling and detectability, two issues that frequently present problems in macroecological studies of animal populations. Estimated densities of ungulate prey ranged between 5.3 and 63.8 animals per km2. Estimated tiger densities (3.2-16.8 tigers per 100 km2) were reasonably consistent with model predictions. The results provide evidence of a functional relationship between abundances of large carnivores and their prey under a wide range of ecological conditions. In addition to generating important insights into carnivore ecology and conservation, the study provides a potentially useful model for the rigorous conduct of macroecological science.
Magnetic behavior of nanostructured mesoporous manganese oxide materials, designated UCT-1 and UCT-18, were studied using a combination of superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) ...magnetometry and 55Mn zero-field spin–echo nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Curie–Weiss fits to the magnetic susceptibility for the UCT-1 and UCT-18 samples calcined at 550 °C yielded paramagnetic moment values consistent with spin-only Mn3+ ions in the α-Mn2O3 phase (S = 2, 4.90 μB). However, the magnetization and NMR results reported here clearly identify a small amount of the Mn3O4 second phase (ferrimagnetic with T C ≈ 43 K) that does not appear in X-ray diffraction (XRD). The study resulted in the observation of fascinating magnetic behavior: (1) exchange bias, which occurs in cases where a ferromagnetic (or ferrimagnetic) phase forms a boundary with an antiferromagnetic phase and (2) a magnetic contribution attributed to uncompensated spins on the surfaces of the α-Mn2O3 nanoparticles. The presence of Mn3O4 and the interplay of Mn3+ and Mn2+ impact the catalytic properties.
MINIWe compared the sensitivity and specificity of peri-implant tissue culture to the vortexing–sonication technique for the diagnosis of spinal implant infection (SII). Lower thresholds of sonicate ...fluid culture positivity showed increased sensitivity with maintained specificity. We recommend a threshold of 20 CFU/10 mL for sonicate culture positivity for the diagnosis of SII.
STUDY DESIGN.This is a retrospective study comparing the diagnosis of spinal implant infection (SII) by peri-implant tissue culture to vortexing–sonication of retrieved spinal implants.
OBJECTIVE.We hypothesized that vortexing–sonication would be more sensitive than peri-implant tissue culture.
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA.We previously showed implant vortexing–sonication followed by culture to be more sensitive than standard peri-implant tissue culture for diagnosing of SII. In this follow-up study, we analyzed the largest sample size available in the literature to compare these two culture methods and evaluated thresholds for positivity for sonicate fluid for SII diagnosis.
METHODS.We compared peri-implant tissue culture to the vortexing–sonication technique which samples bacterial biofilm on the surface of retrieved spinal implants. We evaluated different thresholds for sonicate fluid positivity and assessed the sensitivity and specificity of the two culture methods for the diagnosis of SII.
RESULTS.A total of 152 patients were studied. With more than 100 colony forming units (CFU)/10 mL as a threshold for sonicate fluid culture positivity, there were 46 patients with SII. The sensitivities of peri-implant tissue and sonicate fluid culture were 65.2% and 79.6%; the specificities were 88.7% and 93.4%, respectively. With more than 50 CFU/10 mL as a threshold, there were 50 patients with SII. The sensitivities of peri-implant tissue and sonicate fluid culture were 68.0% and 76.0%; the specificities were 92.2% for both methods. Finally, with more than or equal to 20 CFU/10 mL as a threshold, there were 52 patients with SII. The sensitivities of peri-implant tissue and sonicate fluid culture were 69.2% and 82.7%; the specificities were 94.0% and 92.0%, respectively.
CONCLUSION.Implant sonication followed by culture is a sensitive and specific method for the diagnosis of SII. Lower thresholds for defining sonicate fluid culture positivity allow for increased sensitivity with a minimal decrease in specificity, enhancing the clinical utility of implant sonication.Level of Evidence4
The complex interplay between superconducting and magnetic phases remains poorly understood. Here, we report on the phase separation of doped holes into separate magnetic and superconducting regions ...in superoxygenated La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO(4+y), with various Sr contents. Irrespective of Sr-doping, excess oxygen raises the superconducting onset to 40 K with a coexisting magnetic spin-density wave that also orders near 40 K in each of our samples. The magnetic region is closely related to the anomalous, 1/8-hole-doped magnetic versions of La(2)CuO(4), whereas the superconducting region is optimally doped. The two phases are probably the only truly stable ground states in this region of the phase diagram. This simple two-component system is a candidate for electronic phase separation in cuprate superconductors, and a key to understanding seemingly conflicting experimental observations.
A sol–gel-assisted combustion method was used to prepare Fe-doped manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieve (Fe-KOMS-2) materials with the cryptomelane structure. Characterization of the nanopowder ...samples over a wide range of Fe-doping levels (0 ≤ Fe/Mn ≤ 1/2) was carried out using a variety of experimental techniques. For each sample, Cu Kα XRD and ICP-AES were used to index the cryptomelane structure and determine the elemental composition, respectively. A combination of SEM and TEM images revealed that the morphology changes from nanoneedle to nanorod after Fe doping. Furthermore, TGA scans indicated that the thermal stability is also enhanced with the doping. Anomalous XRD demonstrated that the Fe ions replace the Mn ions in the cryptomelane structure, particularly in the (211) planes, and results in a lattice expansion along the c axis, parallel to the tunnels. Reasonable fits to EXAFS data were obtained using a model based on the cryptomelane structure. Mössbauer spectra for selected Fe-KOMS-2 samples indicated that the Fe is present as Fe3+ in an octahedral environment similar to Mn in the MnO6 building blocks of KOMS-2. Magnetization measurements detected a small amount of γ-Fe2O3 second phase (e.g., 0.6 wt % for the Fe/Mn = 1/10 sample), the vast majority of the Fe being in the structure as Fe3+ in the high-spin state.
A general method to produce self‐assembled metal oxides with hollow structures is developed by controlling the net redox potentials. Nanostructured CoOOH and CeO2 hollow microspheres have been ...successfully prepared by this method. The synthesized CoOOH hollow spheres are versatile precursors for nanomaterials of cobalt oxide derivatives (eg. Co3O4, LiCoO2), and also possess excellent catalytic activity.
A combined magnetization and (57)Fe spin-echo nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) study has been carried out on mesoporous nanostructured materials consisting of the magnetite (Fe3O4) and maghemite ...(γ-Fe2O3) phases. Two series of samples were synthesized using a recently developed one-step soft-templating approach with systematic variations in calcination temperature and reaction atmosphere. Nuclear magnetic resonance has been shown to be a valuable tool for distinguishing between the two magnetic iron oxide spinel phases, Fe3O4 and γ-Fe2O3, on the nanoscale as well as monitoring phase transformation resulting from oxidation. For the Fe3O4 and γ-Fe2O3 phases, peaks in the NMR spectra are attributed to Fe in the tetrahedral (A) sites and octahedral (B) sites. The magnetic field dependence of the peaks was observed and confirmed the site assignments. Fe3O4 on a nanoscale readily oxidizes to form γ-Fe2O3 and this was clearly evident in the NMR spectra. As evidenced by transmission electron microscope (TEM) images, the porous mesostructure for the iron oxide materials is formed by a random close-packed aggregation of nanoparticles; correspondingly, superparamagnetic behavior was observed in the magnetic measurements. Although X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows the spinel structure for the Fe3O4 and γ-Fe2O3 phases, unlike NMR, it is difficult to distinguish between the two phases with XRD. Nitrogen sorption isotherms characterize the mesoporous structures of the materials, and yield BET surface area values and limited BJH pore size distribution curves.
In order to unambiguously identify the source of magnetism reported in recent studies of the Co-Te system, two sets of high-quality, epitaxial CoTex films (thickness ≈ 300 nm) were prepared by pulse ...laser deposition (PLD). X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows that all of the films are epitaxial along the 001 direction and have the hexagonal NiAs structure. There is no indication of any second phase metallic Co peaks (either fcc or hcp) in the XRD patterns. The two sets of CoTex films were grown on various substrates with PLD targets having Co:Te in the atomic ratio of 50:50 and 35:65. From the measured lattice parameters c = 5.396 Å for the former and c = 5.402 Å for the latter, the compositions CoTe1.71 (63.1% Te) and CoTe1.76 (63.8% Te), respectively, are assigned to the principal phase. Although XRD shows no trace of metallic Co second phase, the magnetic measurements do show a ferromagnetic contribution for both sets of films with the saturation magnetization values for the CoTe1.71 films being approximately four times the values for the CoTe1.76 films. 59Co spin-echo nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) clearly shows the existence of metallic Co inclusions in the films. The source of weak ferromagnetism reported in several recent studies is due to the presence of metallic Co, since the stoichiometric composition “CoTe” does not exist.
A detailed magnetization study, along with an assessment of the cellular proliferation, has been carried out on transition-metal-doped hydroxyapatite (HA), Ca10−xMx(PO4)6(OH)2, where M = Mn, Co, and ...Fe. In particular, a series of MnHA powder samples with an x value of 0.04 ≤ x ≤ 1.21, one CoHA (x = 0.48) and one FeHA sample (x = 1.06) were synthesized using a wet chemical method along with an ion-exchange procedure. Characterization by transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that the substitution of M elements does not change the morphology and crystalline structure of pure HA that showing a single phased HA nano-rod. In every case, the magnetization isotherms for 10 K ≤ T ≤ 300 K were linear through the origin characteristic of a paramagnetic response with no indication of superparamagnetic behavior, hysteresis, or magnetic ordering. The magnetic behavior for all samples could be fit to the Curie-Weiss law yielding values for the M ion magnetic moments. The Mn2+ magnetic moments were close to the spin-only value of S = 5/2 or 5.92 μB, while the Co2+ moment (4.41 μB) was larger than the spin-only value for S = 3/2, indicating an orbital contribution due to incomplete quenching. The magnetic behavior for the FeHA sample showed a possible spin-state transition. In addition, no statistically significant differences were observed when cells were treated with the same dose of HA or MnHA up to 50 μg/mL, suggesting that the substituted Mn introduces no cytotoxicity to the HA powders.
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•3d transition metal element M (M = Mn/Co/Fe) has been substituted in hydroxyapatite (HA).•M substituted material showed nano-rod morphology with HA single phase.•The magnetic behavior transferred from diamagnetic to paramagnetic with M substitution.•Mn substituted particles showed good cytocompatibility.
BackgroundSome clinical features of severe COVID-19 represent blood vessel damage induced by activation of host immune responses initiated by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. We hypothesized ...autoantibodies against angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the SARS-CoV-2 receptor expressed on vascular endothelium, are generated during COVID-19 and are of mechanistic importance.MethodsIn an opportunity sample of 118 COVID-19 inpatients, autoantibodies recognizing ACE2 were detected by ELISA. Binding properties of anti-ACE2 IgM were analyzed via biolayer interferometry. Effects of anti-ACE2 IgM on complement activation and endothelial function were demonstrated in a tissue-engineered pulmonary microvessel model.ResultsAnti-ACE2 IgM (not IgG) autoantibodies were associated with severe COVID-19 and found in 18/66 (27.2%) patients with severe disease compared with 2/52 (3.8%) of patients with moderate disease (OR 9.38, 95% CI 2.38-42.0; P = 0.0009). Anti-ACE2 IgM autoantibodies were rare (2/50) in non-COVID-19 ventilated patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Unexpectedly, ACE2-reactive IgM autoantibodies in COVID-19 did not undergo class-switching to IgG and had apparent KD values of 5.6-21.7 nM, indicating they are T cell independent. Anti-ACE2 IgMs activated complement and initiated complement-binding and functional changes in endothelial cells in microvessels, suggesting they contribute to the angiocentric pathology of COVID-19.ConclusionWe identify anti-ACE2 IgM as a mechanism-based biomarker strongly associated with severe clinical outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 infection, which has therapeutic implications.FUNDINGBill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates Philanthropy Partners, Donald B. and Dorothy L. Stabler Foundation, and Jerome L. Greene Foundation; NIH R01 AR073208, R01 AR069569, Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award (5K12GM123914-03), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute R21HL145216, and Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (DGE1746891).
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