We investigate the interplay between quenching and strong coupling in systems that include a collection of quantum emitters interacting with a metal nanoparticle. By using detailed numerical ...simulations and analytical modeling, we demonstrate that quantum emitters can exhibit strong coupling with the particle dipole resonance at distances at which the quenching to nonradiative channels is expected to dominate the dynamics. These results can be accounted for in terms of the pseudomode character of the higher multipole modes of the nanoparticle and the corresponding reduction of the induced loss rate. These findings expand the current understanding of light-matter interaction in plasmonic systems and could contribute to the development of novel quantum plasmonic platforms.
•Sequential biodegradation-solar AOPs have been applied to remove ECs from MWWTP.•Biological oxidation only removes caffeine and acetaminophen from wastewater.•Ozonation system led to removal of ECs ...in less than 45min.•Solar photocatalytic ozonation with TiO2 showed the highest TOC removal rate.
Treatment of primary wastewater effluent containing a mixture of nine pharmaceuticals model compounds (acetaminophen ACM, antipyrine ANT, caffeine CAF, ketorolac KET, metoprolol MET, sulfamethoxazole SFX, carbamazepine CARB, hydrochlorothiazide HCT and diclofenac DIC) has been carried out by means of aerobic biodegradation followed by different advanced oxidation processes (solar heterogeneous photocatalysis with TiO2, solar photo-Fenton and ozonation). Only ACM and CAF were completely removed from municipal wastewater in aerobic biological experiments. Apparently, the bacteriostatic nature of SFX could lead to some extent to bacterial growth inhibition. Photocatalytic ozonation allows for a higher degradation rate than simple photocatalytic oxidation in the presence of oxygen. Under the conditions investigated, emerging compounds (ECs) degradation (sum of concentrations) in the photocatalytic ozonation was in the range 80–100% depending on the system. Application of solar light (SL) Fe(III) photocatalytic ozonation, SL/O3/Fe (III) (180min) and ozonation (45min) systems reduced the concentrations of the studied emerging contaminants below their detection limit (2μgL−1). Nevertheless, photocatalytic ozonation led to 41.3% mineralization compared to 34% achieved by single ozonation. Toxicity analyses by Daphnia magna showed no effluent toxicity after the application of the three tertiary treatments.
We study the transfer of orbital angular momentum between vortex electron beams and chiral samples, such as staircase plasmonic nanostructures and biomolecules. Inelastic electron scattering from ...these samples produces large dichroism in the momentum-resolved electron energy-loss spectra. We illustrate this phenomenon with calculations for chiral and nonchiral clusters of silver spheres using both focused and extended electron beams, which exhibit ∼10% difference between channels of opposite angular momentum. In addition to its fundamental interest, this remarkably high dichroism suggests a way of spatially resolving chiral optical excitations, including dark plasmons. We also predict a dichroic response when probing a chiral biomolecule, which suggests the use of these electron beams for resolving different enantiomers.
The capacity to propagate magnetic domain walls with spin-polarized currents underpins several schemes for information storage and processing using spintronic devices. A key question involves the ...internal structure of the domain walls, which governs their response to certain current-driven torques such as the spin Hall effect. Here we show that magnetic microscopy based on a single nitrogen-vacancy defect in diamond can provide a direct determination of the internal wall structure in ultrathin ferromagnetic films under ambient conditions. We find pure Bloch walls in Ta/CoFeB(1 nm)/MgO, while left-handed Néel walls are observed in Pt/Co(0.6 nm)/AlOx. The latter indicates the presence of a sizable interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, which has strong bearing on the feasibility of exploiting novel chiral states such as skyrmions for information technologies.
Aim
To evaluate in a laboratory setting the effects of Endosequence BC Sealer HiFlow (Brasseler USA, Savannah, GA, USA), a novel calcium silicate‐based sealer developed for use in warm canal filling ...techniques, on human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs).
Methodology
Eluates of EndoSequence BC Sealer HiFlow (BCHiF) (Brasseler USA), EndoSequence BC Sealer (BCS) (Brasseler USA) and AH Plus (AHP) (Dentsply DeTrey GmbH, Konstanz, Germany) were placed in contact with hPDLSCs. The characterization of the chemical elements of the root canal sealers was assessed using scanning electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis (SEM‐EDX). Inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) was used to determine the ion release of the sealers. MTT assay and wound healing techniques were used to determine cell viability and migration, respectively. Cell morphology and cell attachment were assessed using a direct contact technique of hPDLSCs onto the surface of the sealers and analysed by SEM. The bioactivity potential was carried out with the Alizarin Red and qPCR testing methods. The statistical differences were evaluated using one‐way anova and Tukey’s test (P < 0.05).
Results
ICP‐MS and EDX revealed significantly more zirconium in BCHiF than BCS (P < 0.05), whereas BCS had slightly higher levels of Ca2+ than BCHiF (P < 0.05). The cell viability assay revealed no relevant differences between BCS and BCHiF when compared with the control group (P > 0.05). Both BCS and BCHiF had similar rates of cell migration to the control group at 24 and 48 h. Cell morphology and adhesion capacity were also similar for BCS and BCHiF groups, whilst the AHP group was associated with reduced adhesion capacity. The Alizarin Red assay revealed a significant difference between the BCS and the control group (P < 0.001), as well as for the BCHiF group (P < 0.001). Finally, BCS and BCHiF promoted overexpression of osteo/cementogenic genes.
Conclusions
In general, EndoSequence BC Sealer HiFlow possesses suitable biological properties to be safely used as a root canal filling material and promote increased expression of oste/cementogenic genes by hPDLSCs.
The rising costs of fishmeal worldwide promote great research effort aimed to find alternative and renewable ingredients for aquafeeds. In the last years considerable attention has been paid to the ...use of algae as a potential ingredient for fish feeds. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of the microalgae Scenedesmus almeriensis incorporated to diets intended to feed sea bream (Sparus aurata) juveniles in a 45-day trial. Growth, body composition, and intestinal functionality of fish were studied. Microalgae meal was tested in triplicate at different inclusion levels (0%, 12%, 20%, 25% and 39%). At the end of the trial, individual body weight was recorded for evaluation of growth and nutrient utilization, and biological samples were obtained for proximate analysis, determination of digestive enzyme activities, intestinal histology, and microvilli morphological evaluation. Results indicated that S. almeriensis did not cause negative effects on fish growth or nutrient utilization efficiency. Growth rate and protein utilization in fish fed on a diet with 20% Scenedesmus meal tended to be higher, although not significantly different from those fed on control diet. None of the treatments caused adverse effects on body composition. Fish fed 12% S. almeriensis showed higher trypsin than animals fed on control diet. Leucine-aminopeptidase and alkaline phosphatase activities showed a quadratic response with increasing levels of Scenedesmus biomass. Ultrastructural study revealed that the dietary inclusion of algal biomass, especially at 20% level, significantly increased the absorptive capacity of intestinal mucosa in both the anterior and posterior intestinal regions. This study confirmed the usefulness of S. almeriensis to partially replace fishmeal in practical diets for gilthead sea bream juveniles.
•The use of Scenedesmus meal did not affect fish growth and nutrient utilization.•The dietary inclusion of Scenedesmus biomass did not affect muscle composition.•The level of intestinal enzyme activities was increased in Scenedesmus-fed sea bream.•Scenedesmus almeriensis biomass may be useful to enhance gut functionality in fish.•S. almeriensis can partially replace fishmeal in diets for sea bream juveniles.
The Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model version 6 (WACCM6) is a major update of the whole atmosphere modeling capability in the Community Earth System Model (CESM), featuring enhanced physical, ...chemical and aerosol parameterizations. This work describes WACCM6 and some of the important features of the model. WACCM6 can reproduce many modes of variability and trends in the middle atmosphere, including the quasi‐biennial oscillation, stratospheric sudden warmings, and the evolution of Southern Hemisphere springtime ozone depletion over the twentieth century. WACCM6 can also reproduce the climate and temperature trends of the 20th century throughout the atmospheric column. The representation of the climate has improved in WACCM6, relative to WACCM4. In addition, there are improvements in high‐latitude climate variability at the surface and sea ice extent in WACCM6 over the lower top version of the model (CAM6) that comes from the extended vertical domain and expanded aerosol chemistry in WACCM6, highlighting the importance of the stratosphere and tropospheric chemistry for high‐latitude climate variability.
Plain Language Summary
This manuscript describes the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model Version 6 (WACCM6), a chemistry and climate model which extends up to 140 km in the upper atmosphere. WACCM6 reproduces many important features of the climate system, and the addition of detailed chemistry and the higher than normal model top produces slightly improved simulations of the Arctic region.
Key Points
WACCM6 is a major upgrade to previous versions
WACCM6 can reproduce many modes of variability and trends in the middle atmosphere
WACCM6 provides improvements in high‐latitude climate variability at the surface and sea ice extent over a low top model
Purpose
The study’s objective was to develop diagnostic predictive models using data from two commonly used
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IFP-CIT SPECT assessment methods: region-of-interest (ROI) analysis and whole-brain ...voxel-based analysis.
Methods
We included retrospectively 80 patients with vascular parkinsonism (VP) and 164 patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who underwent
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IFP-CIT SPECT. Nuclear-medicine specialists evaluated the scans and calculated bilateral caudate and putamen
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IFP-CIT uptake and asymmetry indices using BRASS software. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was used to compare the radioligand uptake between the two diseases at the voxel level. Quantitative data from these two methods, together with potential confounding factors for dopamine transporter availability (sex, age, disease duration and severity), were used to build predictive models following a tenfold cross-validation scheme. The performance of logistic regression (LR), linear discriminant analysis and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms for ROI data, and their penalized versions for SPM data (penalized LR, penalized discriminant analysis and SVM), were assessed.
Results
Significant differences were found in the ROI analysis after covariate correction between VP and PD patients in
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IFP-CIT uptake in the more affected side of the putamen and the ipsilateral caudate. Age, disease duration and severity were also found to be informative in feeding the statistical model. SPM localized significant reductions in
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IFP-CIT uptake in PD with respect to VP in two specular clusters comprising areas corresponding to the left and right striatum. The diagnostic predictive accuracy of the LR model using ROI data was 90.3 % and of the SVM model using SPM data was 90.4 %.
Conclusion
The predictive models built with ROI data and SPM data from
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IFP-CIT SPECT provide great discrimination accuracy between VP and PD. External validation of these methods is necessary to confirm their applicability across centres.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Resolution of inflammation is mediated by endogenous molecules with anti‐inflammatory and pro‐resolving activities and they have generated new possibilities for the treatment ...of inflammatory diseases. Here, we have investigated the possible anti‐hyperalgesic effects of two lipids, aspirin‐triggered resolvin D1 (AT‐RvD1) and its precursor, 17(R)‐hydroxy‐4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,15E,17R,19Z‐docosahexaenoic acid (17(R)HDoHE).
EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The anti‐hyperalgesic effects of both lipid mediators were evaluated, using mechanical and thermal stimuli, at different time‐points in adjuvant‐induced arthritis in rats. Cytokine levels were measured, and immunohistochemistry and real‐time PCR for pro‐inflammatory mediators were also performed.
KEY RESULTS The precursor of resolvin D series, 17(R)HDoHE, given systemically, inhibited the development and the maintenance of mechanical hyperalgesia in acute inflammation. Such effects were likely to be associated with modulation of both NF‐κB and COX‐2 in dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord. 17(R)HDoHE was also effective against sub‐chronic pain. Unexpectedly, repeated treatment with 17(R)HDoHE did not modify paw and joint oedema in the sub‐chronic model, while joint stiffness was prevented. Notably, AT‐RvD1 exhibited marked anti‐hyperalgesic effects in acute inflammation when given systemically. The efficacy of long‐term treatment with either 17(R)HDoHE or AT‐RvD1 was partly related to decreased production of TNF‐α and IL‐1β in rat hind paw.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Our findings provide fresh evidence for the anti‐hyperalgesic properties of 17(R)HDoHE and its pro‐resolution metabolite AT‐RvD1. Such lipid mediators might be useful for treating pain associated with acute or chronic inflammation.
LINKED ARTICLE This article is commented on by Xu and Ji, pp. 274–277 of this issue. To view this commentary visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1476‐5381.2011.01348.x
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