Summary
The ultrasonic cardiac output monitor is a non‐invasive, continuous‐wave Doppler monitor that can be used to measure cardiac output. Its accuracy and precision in peri‐operative and critical ...care has been assessed with varied results. We conducted a meta‐analysis to calculate a pooled mean bias, precision and percentage error for this device. Six studies were suitable for inclusion into a pooled parametric analysis consisting of 320 measurements. The mean weighted bias was −0.39 l.min−1 (95% CI −0.25 to −0.53 l.min−1), precision 1.27 l.min−1 and percentage error 42.7% (95% CI 38.5−46.9%). The ultrasonic cardiac output monitor achieved similar agreement with bolus thermodilution to that of other minimally invasive methods of peri‐operative cardiac output monitoring, and may have a useful role in cardiac output monitoring.
A self-passivating Li2ZrO3 layer with a thickness of 5–10 nm, which uniformly encapsulates the surfaces of LiNiO2 cathode particles, is spontaneously formed by introducing excess Zr (1.4 atom %). A ...thin layer of Li2ZrO3 on the surface is converted into a stable impedance-lowering solid–electrolyte interphase layer during subsequent cycles. The Zr-doped LiNiO2 cathode with an initial discharge capacity of 233 mA·h·g–1 exhibited significantly improved capacity retention (86% after 100 cycles) and thermal stability, compared to the undoped LiNiO2. While the spontaneously formed Zr-rich coating layer provides surface protection, the Zr ions in the LiNiO2 lattice delay the detrimental phase transition occurring in the deeply charged state of LiNiO2 and partially suppress the anisotropic strain emerging from the phase transition. Further optimization of the proposed simultaneous coating and doping strategy can mitigate the inherent structural instability of the LiNiO2 cathode, making it a promising high-energy-density cathode for electric vehicles.
Assessing mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation status is crucial to verify therapeutic efficacy and optimize treatment procedures. Currently, this involves destructive methods including ...antibody‐based protein detection and polymerase chain reaction gene analysis, or laborious and technically challenging genetic reporters. Development of noninvasive methods for real‐time differentiation status assessment can greatly benefit MSC‐based therapies. This report introduces a nanoparticle‐based sensing platform that encapsulates two molecular beacon (MB) probes within the same biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles. One MB targets housekeeping gene glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) as an internal reference, while another detects alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a functional biomarker. Following internalization, MBs are gradually released as the nanoparticle degrades. GAPDH MBs provide a stable reference signal throughout the monitoring period (18 days) regardless of differentiation induction. Meanwhile, ALP mRNA undergoes well‐defined dynamics with peak expression observed during early stages of osteogenic differentiation. By normalizing ALP‐MB signal with GAPDH‐MB, changes in ALP expression can be monitored, to noninvasively validate osteogenic differentiation. As proof‐of‐concept, a dual‐colored nanosensor is applied to validate MSC osteogenesis on 2D culture and polycaprolactone films containing osteo‐inductive tricalcium phospate.
A smart nanosensor platform is developed for the noninvasive, reference‐free, and longitudinal tracking of osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. This platform is built on the encapsulation and slow release of mRNA targeting molecular beacons within biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles.
We have developed a novel cathode material based on lithium–nickel–manganese–cobalt oxide, where the manganese concentration remains constant throughout the particle, while the nickel concentration ...decreases linearly and the cobalt concentration increases from the center to the outer surface of the particle. This full concentration gradient material with a fixed manganese composition (FCG–Mn-F) has an average composition of LiNi0.60Co0.15Mn0.25O2 and is composed of rod-shaped primary particles whose length reaches 2.5 μm, growing in the radial direction. In cell tests, the FCG–Mn-F material delivered a high capacity of 206 mAh g–1 with excellent capacity retention of 70.3% after 1000 cycles at 55 °C. This cathode material also exhibited outstanding rate capability, good low-temperature performance, and excellent safety, compared to a conventional cathode having the same composition (LiNi0.60Co0.15Mn0.25O2), where the concentration of the metals is constant across the particles.
Research has shown that minority stress is linked to poorer mental health across a variety of stigmatized populations, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) people. It is therefore ...essential to understand factors that can counteract minority stress. To date, most research on LGBQ people's resilience relied on retrospective reports of stressful identity-salient experiences. This limits the understanding about resilience factors that enable LGBQ people to thrive in the face of minority stressors as they occur on a day-to-day basis. The present study addressed this gap by using a daily diary design to test whether self-compassion protects LGBQ people's affective well-being from daily stressful sexual orientation-salient experiences (SOSEs). A sample of 235 LGBQ adults completed a baseline survey that assessed self-compassion, as well as brief online surveys twice daily for a maximum of 17 days that assessed SOSEs and affect, providing a total of 3,310 days of data. As anticipated, results of multilevel modeling showed that negative and positive SOSEs were linked to negative and positive evening affect, respectively, at both the daily and person levels. Self-compassion moderated the link between daily negative SOSEs and positive evening affect, such that daily negative SOSEs were linked to lower positive affect only among those with lower self-compassion. Moderation effect was not observed for negative evening affect as an outcome. Exploratory analysis suggested that the buffering effect of self-compassion could be impacted by contextual factors. Our study showed the importance of self-compassion and access to positive SOSEs for LGBQ people's well-being.
Public Significance Statement
This study suggested that trait self-compassion may protect LGBQ people from lowered positive affect as negative SOSEs occur on a day-to-day basis. Exploratory analysis also suggested that such protective effect may be particularly important when one typically does not perceive any positive SOSEs, and yet less promising when the negative experience involved someone emotionally closed.
A novel heterogeneous catalyst, the ionic liquid (IL) of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (BmimOAc) immobilized on MIL-101-NH
, denoted as IL(OAc
)-MIL-101-NH
, was prepared by the ..."ship-in-a-bottle" strategy. The IL of BmimOAc was prepared in the MIL-101-NH
nanocages primordially, in which the condensation product of MIL-101-NH
's amine group with 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) reacted with 1-bromo butane, and then the intermediate exchanged with potassium acetate. The structure and physicochemical properties of IL(OAc
)-MIL-101-NH
were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, DRS UV-vis, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, and elemental analysis. The results indicated that BmimOAc was anchored in the MIL-101-NH
skeleton via the acylamino group and confined in the nanocages in the form of a single molecule. The composite material of IL(OAc
)-MIL-101-NH
exhibited excellent catalytic activity and catalytically synthesized 3-aryl-2-oxazolone in an excellent yield of 92%. It can be reused up to six times without noteworthy loss of its activity and demonstrated distinct size-selective property for substrates. It was conjectured that the diffusion kinetics of reactants could be controlled by the aperture size of the metal-organic framework support.
Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) represents a chronic, immune/antigen-mediated esophageal disease characterized clinically by symptoms related to esophageal dysfunction and histologically by ...eosinophil-predominant inflammation. With few exceptions, 15 eosinophils per high-power field (peak value) in ≥1 biopsy specimens are considered a minimum threshold for a diagnosis of EoE. The disease is restricted to the esophagus, and other causes of esophageal eosinophilia should be excluded, specifically proton pump inhibitor-responsive esophageal eosinophilia. This position paper aims at providing practical guidelines for the management of children and adolescents with EoE.
Relevant literature from searches of PubMed, CINAHL, and recent guidelines was reviewed. In the absence of an evidence base, recommendations reflect the expert opinion of the authors. Final consensus was obtained during 3 face-to-face meetings of the Gastroenterology Committee and 1 teleconference.
The cornerstone of treatment is an elimination diet (targeted or empiric elimination diet, amino acid-based formula) and/or swallowed, topical corticosteroids. Systemic corticosteroids are reserved for severe symptoms requiring rapid relief or where other treatments have failed. Esophageal dilatation is an option in children with EoE who have esophageal stenosis unresponsive to drug therapy. Maintenance treatment may be required in case of frequent relapse, although an optimal regimen still needs to be determined.
EoE is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory disease with largely unquantified long-term consequences. Investigations and treatment are tailored to the individual and must not create more morbidity for the patient and family than the disease itself. Better maintenance treatment as well as biomarkers for assessing treatment response and predicting long-term complications is urgently needed.
Because electric vehicles (EVs) are used intermittently with long resting periods in the fully charged state before driving, calendar aging behavior is an important criterion for the application of ...Li‐ion batteries used in EVs. In this work, Ni‐rich LiNixCoyMn1−x−yO2 (x = 0.8 and 0.9) cathode materials with high energy densities, but low cycling stabilities are investigated to characterize their microstructural degradation during accelerated calendar aging. Although the particles seem to maintain their crystal structures and morphologies, the microcracks which develop during calendar aging remain even in the fully discharged state. An NiO‐like phase rock‐salt structure of tens of nanometers in thickness accumulates on the surfaces of the primary particles through parasitic reactions with the electrolyte. In addition, the passive layer of this rock‐salt structure near the microcracks is gradually exfoliated from the primary particles, exposing fresh surfaces containing Ni4+ to the electrolyte. Interestingly, the interior primary particles near the microcracks have deteriorated more severely than the outer particles. The microstructural degradation is worsened with increasing Ni contents in the cathode materials, directly affecting electrochemical performances such as the reversible capacities and voltage profiles.
Microstructural degradation of Ni‐rich LiNixCoyMn1–x–yO2 cathode materials during calendar aging is reported. Because of parasitic reactions, microcracks develop and remain across the entire secondary particle, even after discharging. An NiO‐like phase rock‐salt structure accumulates and exfoliates from the main particles, continuously exposing fresh surfaces. This phenomenon reflects in the electrochemical performance including the discharge capacity and the voltage profile.
Over the past three decades, improved immunosuppression has significantly reduced T cell–mediated acute rejection rates, but long‐term graft survival rates have seen only marginal improvement. The ...cause of late graft loss has been under intense investigation, and chronic antibody‐mediated rejection (AMR) has been identified as one of the leading causes, thus providing a strong rationale for basic science investigation into donor‐specific B cells and antibodies in transplantation and ways to mitigate their pathogenicity. In 2018, the American Society of Transplantation launched a community‐wide online discussion of Outstanding Questions in Transplantation, and the topic of B cell biology and donor‐specific antibody prevention emerged as a major area of interest to the community, leading to a highly engaged dialogue, with comments from basic and translational scientists as well as physicians (http://community.myast.org/communities/community-home/digestviewer). We have summarized this discussion from a bedside to bench perspective and have organized this review into outstanding questions within the paradigm that AMR is a leading cause of graft loss in the clinic, and points of view that challenge aspects of this paradigm. We also highlight opportunities for basic and translational scientists to contribute to the resolution of these questions, mapping important future directions for the transplant research field.
The authors summarize the continuum of discussion regarding B cell biology, donor‐specific antibody formation, and antibody‐mediated rejection, focusing on the degree to which these processes contribute to graft loss, and discuss points of view that challenge aspects of this paradigm. See the introduction to this minireview on page 2149.
Trainees often express anxieties when working with clients from different sociocultural backgrounds. Group supervision can provide a space to address such concerns, including managing culturally ...related countertransference and understanding sociocultural factors in issues faced by clients. This process requires critical consciousness and discussion of trainees’ and clients’ cultural identities. This study built on research highlighting the positive role of cultural humility in individual supervision and group therapy to examine cultural humility in group supervision and its contribution to trainees’ self-efficacy in adapting therapy and managing relationship conflicts with a range of clients (i.e., cultural responsiveness self-efficacy), via sociocultural awareness and minimal cultural concealment about themselves and their clients. Ninety-one master’s level counseling trainees in Hong Kong from 18 supervision groups in two training programs completed measures of cultural humility, cultural concealment, sociocultural awareness, and cultural responsiveness self-efficacy. Multilevel modeling indicated that, at the within-trainee level, higher group cultural humility was associated with higher sociocultural awareness and lower cultural concealment about themselves and their clients. Greater sociocultural awareness, but not cultural concealment, was, in turn, linked to higher cultural responsiveness self-efficacy. At the between-trainee level, higher group cultural humility correlated with lower trainee cultural concealment, but not sociocultural awareness, which was associated with cultural responsiveness self-efficacy, although no mediation was observed. This study underscores the value of cultural humility in the context of group supervision. Implications for multicultural group supervision are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)
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