We report the identification of metastable isomeric states of
228
Ac at 6.28 keV, 6.67 keV and 20.19 keV, with lifetimes of an order of 100 ns. These states are produced by the
β
-decay of
228
Ra, a ...component of the
232
Th decay chain, with
β
Q-values of 39.52 keV, 39.13 keV and 25.61 keV, respectively. Due to the low Q-value of
228
Ra as well as the relative abundance of
232
Th and their progeny in low background experiments, these observations potentially impact the low-energy background modeling of dark matter search experiments.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Summary
Background
Skin colonization or infection with Staphylococcus aureus is known to trigger aggravation of atopic dermatitis (AD). However, the exact mechanisms by which S. aureus can worsen AD ...are unknown.
Objective
We investigated whether and how S. aureus‐derived membrane vesicles (MVs) contribute to worsening of AD.
Methods
Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopic analyses were performed to detect staphylococcal protein A (SPA) in the epidermis of AD lesions. HaCaT cells were treated with S. aureus MVs and were analysed for the expression of cytokine genes. Immunopathology and cytokine gene profiles were analysed after topical application of S. aureus MVs to AD‐like skin lesions in a mouse model.
Results
The MV component SPA was detected in the keratinocytes as well as in the intercellular space of the epidermis of AD lesions colonized with S. aureus. Intact MVs from S. aureus delivered their components to keratinocytes and stimulated pro‐inflammatory cytokine gene expression in vitro. A knock‐down of Toll‐like receptor 2 or nucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain 2 using small interfering RNAs suppressed interleukin‐8 gene expression. Topical application of intact S. aureus MVs to AD‐like skin lesions in the mouse model induced massive infiltration of inflammatory cells and the resulting eczematous dermatitis. This inflammatory reaction was associated with a mixed Th1/Th2 immune response and enhanced expression of chemokine genes in AD‐like skin lesions.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance
This study showed the importance of S. aureus MVs as a potent mediator for worsening of AD among many exogenous worsening factors of AD. Thus, S. aureus MVs may be regarded as one of the therapeutic targets for the management of AD aggravation.
We report measurements of annual and diurnal modulations of the cosmic-ray muon rate in the Yangyang underground laboratory (Y2L) using 952 days of COSINE-100 data acquired between September 2016 and ...July 2019. A correlation of the muon rate with the atmospheric temperature is observed and its amplitude on the muon rate is determined. The effective atmospheric temperature and muon rate variations are positively correlated with a measured effective temperature coefficient of αT = 0.82 ± 0.10. This result is consistent with a model of meson production in the atmosphere. We also searched for a diurnal modulation in the underground muon rate by comparing one-hour intervals. No significant diurnal modulation of the muon rate was observed.
In this study, a comparison in the precipitation extremes as exhibited by the seven reference datasets is made to ascertain whether the inferences based on these datasets agree or they differ. These ...seven datasets, roughly grouped in three categories i.e. rain-gauge based (APHRODITE, CPC-UNI), satellite-based (TRMM, GPCP1DD) and reanalysis based (ERA-Interim, MERRA, and JRA55), having a common data period 1998–2007 are considered. Focus is to examine precipitation extremes in the summer monsoon rainfall over South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia. Measures of extreme precipitation include the percentile thresholds, frequency of extreme precipitation events and other quantities. Results reveal that the differences in displaying extremes among the datasets are small over South Asia and East Asia but large differences among the datasets are displayed over the Southeast Asian region including the maritime continent. Furthermore, precipitation data appear to be more consistent over East Asia among the seven datasets. Decadal trends in extreme precipitation are consistent with known results over South and East Asia. No trends in extreme precipitation events are exhibited over Southeast Asia. Outputs of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) simulation data are categorized as high, medium and low-resolution models. The regions displaying maximum intensity of extreme precipitation appear to be dependent on model resolution. High-resolution models simulate maximum intensity of extreme precipitation over the Indian sub-continent, medium-resolution models over northeast India and South China and the low-resolution models over Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand. In summary, there are differences in displaying extreme precipitation statistics among the seven datasets considered here and among the 29 CMIP5 model data outputs.
A grand challenge underlies the entire field of topology-enabled quantum logic and information science: how to establish topological control principles driven by quantum coherence and understand the ...time dependence of such periodic driving. Here we demonstrate a few-cycle THz-pulse-induced phase transition in a Dirac semimetalZrTe5that is periodically driven by vibrational coherence due to excitation of the lowest Raman active mode. Above a critical THz-pump field threshold, there emerges a long-lived metastable phase, approximately 100 ps, with unique Raman phonon-assisted topological switching dynamics absent for optical pumping. The switching also manifests itself by distinct features: nonthermal spectral shape, relaxation slowing near the Lifshitz transition where the critical Dirac point occurs, and diminishing signals at the same temperature that the Berry-curvature-induced anomalous Hall effect magnetoresistance vanishes. These results, together with first-principles modeling, identify a mode-selective Raman coupling that drives the system from strong to weak topological insulators with a Dirac semimetal phase established at a critical atomic displacement controlled by the phonon coherent pumping. Harnessing of vibrational coherence can be extended to steer symmetry-breaking transitions, i.e., Dirac to Weyl ones, with implications for THz topological quantum gate and error correction applications.
Summary Objectives The high incidence of invasive liver abscess caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae in Taiwan, contrasted with the rareness of this disease in Western countries, has aroused special ...interest. There have been few detailed reports from other Asian countries. To investigate a current epidemiology of K. pneumoniae liver abscess in Korea and to determine K serotype distribution in K. pneumoniae strains causing liver abscess, we performed a nationwide prospective study. Methods Community-acquired, culture-proven liver abscess cases were enrolled between 2004 and 2005. Etiologies and clinical features were analyzed. K. pneumoniae isolates were serotyped according to K antigen. Meta-analysis was done to determine the time trend of the etiologies of liver abscess in Korea. Results Out of 371 cases collected prospectively, 290 (78.2%) were caused by K. pneumoniae . Most K. pneumoniae liver abscesses were monomicrobial. Diabetes mellitus was the most common underlying disease (39.9%). Distant metastatic infections were frequently observed (8.7%). magA PCR revealed that 95 (59.4%) out of 160 K. pneumoniae isolates belonged to the K1 serotype. Conclusions Our study indicates that K. pneumoniae has emerged as a major etiologic agent of liver abscess in Korea, and these emerging infections seem to be attributable to invasive K. pneumoniae strains with capsular K1 serotype.
There are a few reports regarding the outcome evaluation of balloon-expandable intracranial stent placement (BEICS). The purpose of our study was to evaluate the outcome and factors related to the ...adverse events (AEs) of BEICS.
We evaluated 100 consecutive patients who underwent BEICS. We assessed the procedural success (residual stenosis < 50%), AEs (minor strokes, major strokes, and death), clinical outcome, and restenosis (> 50%) at 6 months. We also analyzed 18 factors including symptom patterns related to AE rate. Symptom patterns revealed 1) stable patients (n = 73) with improving, stationary, or resolved symptoms; and 2) unstable patients (n = 27) with gradual worsening or fluctuating symptoms (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale NIHSS > or = 4) within 2 days before stent placement.
The procedural success rate was 99%. Overall, there were 10 (10%) AEs within the 6 months: 4 (4%) minor strokes, 3 (3%) major strokes, and 3 (3%) deaths including a death from myocardial infarction. AE rate was 4.1% in stable and 25.9% in unstable patients. Restenosis at 6 months revealed 0% (0/59). Good outcome (modified Rankin Scale < or = 2) at 6 months was 97% (71/73) in stable and 67% (18/27) in unstable patients. Stepwise logistic regression model revealed that symptom pattern (unstable versus stable) was the only significant risk factor (OR, 8.167; 95% CI, 1.933-34.500; P = .004).
BEICS revealed a low AE and good outcome rate at 6 months, especially in the stable patients. Midterm outcome was also favorable in the unstable patient group.
Aims
This study aimed to assess the antifungal and anti‐biofilm effects of 6‐shogaol against Candida auris using in vitro phenotypic and genotypic analyses.
Methods and Results
Our results showed ...that 6‐shogaol exhibited antifungal as well as anti‐biofilm activity by inhibiting biofilm formation and eradicating the preformed biofilms of C. auris. The rate and extent of antifungal activity were further confirmed by a time‐kill assay. The XTT reduction assay confirmed that 6‐shogaol decreased cellular metabolic activity in the biofilm. The effect of 6‐shogaol on established C. auris biofilms was visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Also, this study demonstrated that 6‐shogaol reduced the levels of aspartyl proteinases and downregulated the expression of the efflux pump‐related CDR1 gene in C. auris.
Conclusions
The data indicated that 6‐shogaol extracted from ginger had antifungal and anti‐biofilm effects on C. auris.
Significance and Impact of the Study
This study demonstrated the value of the plant‐derived 6‐shogaol as a promising and potent bioactive compound. The mode of action of this compound against C. auris biofilm was also proposed.
Background
Patients with a previous history of hypersensitivity reaction (HSR) to iodinated contrast media (ICM) are at high risk of the development of HSR to ICM. Many studies have tried to evaluate ...the diagnostic potential of skin tests in this population but have not yet reached a common conclusion. We investigated the role of skin tests in patients with HSR to ICM in terms of positive rate, cross‐reactivity rate, and tolerability to skin test‐negative ICM according to the type of HSR.
Methods
We performed literature searches of the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases and included studies where skin tests were performed in patients with HSR to ICM, with extractable outcomes. Outcomes were pooled using a random‐effects model.
Results
Twenty‐one studies were included. Pooled per‐patient positive rates of skin tests were 17% (95% CI, 10–26%) in patients with immediate HSR, and up to 52% (95% CI, 31–72%) when confined to severe immediate HSR. Among patients with nonimmediate HSR, the positive rate was 26% (95% CI, 15–41%). The pooled per‐patient cross‐reactivity rate was higher in nonimmediate HSR (68%; 95% CI, 48–83%) than that in immediate HSR (39%; 95% CI, 29–50%). Median per‐test cross‐reactivity rates between pairs of ICM were 7% (IQR, 6–9%) in immediate HSR and 38% (IQR, 22–51%) in nonimmediate HSR. Pooled per‐patient recurrence rates of HSR to skin test‐negative ICM were 7% (95% CI, 4–14%) in immediate HSR and 35% (95% CI, 19–55%) in nonimmediate HSR.
Conclusion
Skin tests may be helpful in diagnosing and managing patients with HSR to ICM, especially in patients with severe immediate HSR.
To assess the diagnostic performance of ultrasound (US) for calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) at the level of menisci, hyaline cartilage (HC), tendons, and synovial fluid (SF) of the knee, and ...to examine inter- and intra-observer reliability.
We consecutively included patients with knee effusion over a 2-year period (43 patients with CPPD and 131 controls). All patients underwent SF analysis, conventional radiography (CR), and US examination using the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) definition of the US characteristics of CPPD. Two independent operators performed the US, and inter-observer agreement was calculated. Intra-observer agreement was examined with static images obtained for all enrolled patients.
US revealed calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) deposits in menisci, HC, and tendon more frequently in patients with CPPD than in control patients. The presence of US CPP deposits in SF was not significantly different between the two groups. Combined US evaluation of the three components (menisci, HC, and tendon) showed the best diagnostic performance. The sensitivity and specificity for US evaluation of the three components were 74.4% and 77.1%, respectively, while for CR evaluation, the sensitivity and specificity were 44.2% and 96.9%, respectively. Inter- and intra-observer agreement were excellent for medial (κ = 0.930, 0.972) and lateral menisci (κ = 0.905, 0.942), HC (κ = 0.844, 0.957), and SF (κ = 0.817, 0.925). Tendon showed fair inter-observer (κ = 0.532) and good intra-observer reliability (κ = 0.788).
Based on the OMERACT definition, US demonstrated better diagnostic capacity than CR to diagnose CPPD, with excellent reliability. Combined evaluation of menisci, HC, and tendon showed the best diagnostic accuracy.
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