Neutron stars are an excellent laboratory for nuclear physics. They probe the nucleon-nucleon interaction, the structure of nuclei, and the nature of dense QCD in ways which complement current ...experimental efforts. This article very briefly summarizes some of the current frontiers in neutron stars and dense matter with an emphasis on how our understanding might be improved in the near future.
Fundamental aspects of the influence of the nanomorphology in phase-separated conjugated polymer/fullerene bulk heterojunction blends are presented. A variety of experimental techniques were combined ...to resolve the structure of fullerene and polymer domains on the nanometer scale. As predicted theoretically, it is experimentally identified that the phase-separated domain size as well as the percolation of both hole- and electron-conducting phases is crucial to improve the power conversion efficiency of organic solar cell devices. Among the experimental techniques we applied atomic force microscopy (AFM), Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM). New insights are presented about the conformation and distribution of the conjugated polymer within the photoactive layer, which has a major impact on the device performance.
Abstract
Objectives
The Joint
tissue
Activity and Damage Exam (JADE) is a point-of-care (POC) musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSKUS) protocol for non-radiologists to evaluate hemophilic arthopathy. Our ...aim was to determine the consistency of cross-sectional analyses of direct tissue measurements (JADE protocol) and clinical Hemophilia Joint Health Score HJHS and functional joint assessments (arc) at three clinic visits.
Methods
We prospectively studied adults (n = 44) with hemophilia (A or B) of any severity and arthropathy at 3 North American sites. We assessed HJHS, total arc, and JADE parameters (bilateral elbows, ankles, and knees) at study entry, at ≈12–18 months, and at ≈24–36 months, and used MSKUS to evaluate painful episodes between study visits. JADE measurements included osteochondral alterations, cartilage thickness, and soft tissue expansion at sentinel positions. Associations between joint HJHS and total arc with each JADE variable were examined with random intercept models.
Results
At each visit increasing HJHS and decreasing total arc were associated in the expected direction with increasing length of OAs and soft tissue expansion in all joints, and decreasing cartilage thickness in the knee. However, HJHS associations with cartilage thickness were U-shaped for elbow and ankle (i.e. cartilage thinning and thickening). Associations between total arc and cartilage thickness followed a similar curve. (Near) normal levels of both joint parameters (HJHS and total arc) were associated with normal ranges of cartilage thickness. JADE views were also helpful to detect hemarthrosis in association with joint pains.
Conclusions
POC MSKUS applying direct tissue measurements using the JADE protocol provided reproducible cross-sectional associations with joint health outcomes on three visits. These findings advance protocol validation and enable iterative adaptations resulting in JADE protocol version 2.
Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, including infliximab and adalimumab, are a mainstay of pediatric Crohn’s disease therapy; however, nonresponse and loss of response are common. As combination ...therapy with methotrexate may improve response, we performed a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pragmatic trial to compare tumor necrosis factor inhibitors with oral methotrexate to tumor necrosis factor inhibitor monotherapy.
Patients with pediatric Crohn’s disease initiating infliximab or adalimumab were randomized in 1:1 allocation to methotrexate or placebo and followed for 12–36 months. The primary outcome was a composite indicator of treatment failure. Secondary outcomes included anti-drug antibodies and patient-reported outcomes of pain interference and fatigue. Adverse events (AEs) and serious AEs (SAEs) were collected.
Of 297 participants (mean age, 13.9 years, 35% were female), 156 were assigned to methotrexate (110 infliximab initiators and 46 adalimumab initiators) and 141 to placebo (102 infliximab initiators and 39 adalimumab initiators). In the overall population, time to treatment failure did not differ by study arm (hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.45–1.05). Among infliximab initiators, there were no differences between combination and monotherapy (hazard ratio, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.55–1.56). Among adalimumab initiators, combination therapy was associated with longer time to treatment failure (hazard ratio, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.19–0.81). A trend toward lower anti-drug antibody development in the combination therapy arm was not significant (infliximab: odds ratio, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.49–1.07; adalimumab: odds ratio, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.24–2.07). No differences in patient-reported outcomes were observed. Combination therapy resulted in more AEs but fewer SAEs.
Among adalimumab but not infliximab initiators, patients with pediatric Crohn’s disease treated with methotrexate combination therapy experienced a 2-fold reduction in treatment failure with a tolerable safety profile. ClinicalTrials.gov, Number: NCT02772965.
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Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, including infliximab and adalimumab, are a mainstay of pediatric Crohn’s disease therapy; however, nonresponse and loss of response is common. Combination therapy with methotrexate may improve response. This randomized clinical trial compared tumor necrosis factor inhibitor combination therapy with methotrexate to tumor necrosis factor inhibitor alone. Combination therapy outperformed monotherapy for patients starting adalimumab, but not infliximab.
A nuclear forensics investigation involving a uranium ore concentrate relies on accurate and precise analysis of impurities. Analytical data defensibility requires the use of reference materials as ...part of quality control. This study presents a compilation of trace element concentration results of the CUP-2 Uranium Ore Concentrate Standard measured by 11 different laboratories. The laboratories employed various dissolution methods, analytical preparation methods, and instrumental platforms. The data presented here contain concentrations of 66 impurities with up to 138 individual data points for each impurity. Consensus values have been assigned to each impurity following a statistical analysis of the data set.
The study of phthalocyanines, known photosensitizers, for biomedical applications has been of high research interest for several decades. Of specific interest, nanophotosensitizers are crystalline ...aluminum phthalocyanine nanoparticles (AlPc NPs). In crystalline form, they are water-insoluble and atoxic, but upon contact with tumors, immune cells, or pathogenic microflora, they change their spectroscopic properties (acquire the ability to fluoresce and become phototoxic), which makes them upcoming agents for selective phototheranostics. Aqueous colloids of crystalline AlPc NPs with a hydrodynamic size of 104 ± 54 nm were obtained using ultrasonic dispersal and centrifugation. Intracellular accumulation and localization of AlPc were studied on HeLa and THP-1 cell cultures and macrophages (M0, M1, M2) by fluorescence microscopy. Crystallinity was assessed by XRD spectroscopy. Time-resolved spectroscopy was used to obtain characteristic fluorescence kinetics of AlPc NPs upon interaction with cell cultures. The photodynamic efficiency and fluorescence quantum yield of AlPc NPs in HeLa and THP-1 cells were evaluated. After entering the cells, AlPc NPs localized in lysosomes and fluorescence corresponding to individual AlPc molecules were observed, as well as destruction of lysosomes and a rapid decrease in fluorescence intensity during photodynamic action. The photodynamic efficiency of AlPc NPs in THP-1 cells was almost 1.8-fold that of the molecular form of AlPc (Photosens). A new mechanism for the occurrence of fluorescence and phototoxicity of AlPc NPs in interaction with cells is proposed.
A concentrator standard test condition (CSTC) efficiency of 43.4% for the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity is demonstrated with a subunit of a concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) module. ...This is the highest reported CSTC efficiency for CPV applications thus far. This test device consists of a four-junction solar cell and uses an achromatic full-glass lens for concentrating the sunlight. The high efficiency is made possible by the combination of a high-efficiency solar cell (46%) and a high-efficiency lens (95%). The I-V curve of the solar cell has been measured for varying distances to the glass lens and compared with the results for a silicone-on-glass Fresnel lens. In this manner, chromatic aberration effects on solar cell performance are discussed in this study.
Information needs in terminal illness Kutner, Jean S; Steiner, John F; Corbett, Kitty K ...
Social science & medicine (1982),
05/1999, Letnik:
48, Številka:
10
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Despite evidence that doctor–patient communication affects important patient outcomes, patient expectations are often not met. Communication is especially important in terminal illness, when the ...appropriate course of action may depend more on patient values than on medical dogma. We sought to describe the issues important to terminally ill patients receiving palliative care and to determine whether patient characteristics influence the needs of these patients. We utilized a multimethod approach, first conducting interviews with 22 terminally ill individuals, then using these data to develop a more structured instrument which was administered to a second population of 56 terminally ill patients. Patient needs and concerns were described and associations between patient characteristics and issues of importance were evaluated. Seven key issues were identified in the initial interviews: change in functional status or activity level; role change; symptoms, especially pain; stress of the illness on family members; loss of control; financial burden and conflict between wanting to know what is going on and fearing bad news. Overall, respondent needs were both disease- and illness-oriented. Few easily identifiable patient characteristics were associated with expressed concerns or needs, suggesting that physicians need to individually assess patient needs. Terminally ill patients receiving palliative care had needs that were broad in scope. Given that few patient characteristics predicted responses, and that the majority opinion may not accurately reflect that of an individual patient, health care providers must be aware of the diverse concerns among this population and individualize assessment of each patient's needs and expectations.
Environmental metabolomics provides insight into how anthropogenic activities have an impact on the health of an organism at the molecular level. Within this field, in vivo NMR stands out as a ...powerful tool for monitoring real-time changes in an organism's metabolome. Typically, these studies use 2D
C-
H experiments on
C-enriched organisms. Daphnia are the most studied species, given their widespread use in toxicity testing. However, with COVID-19 and other geopolitical factors, the cost of isotope enrichment increased ~6-7 fold over the last two years, making
C-enriched cultures difficult to maintain. Thus, it is essential to revisit proton-only in vivo NMR and ask, "Can any metabolic information be obtained from Daphnia using proton-only experiments?". Two samples are considered here: living and whole reswollen organisms. A range of filters are tested, including relaxation, lipid suppression, multiple-quantum, J-coupling suppression, 2D
H-
H experiments, selective experiments, and those exploiting intermolecular single-quantum coherence. While most filters improve the ex vivo spectra, only the most complex filters succeed in vivo. If non-enriched organisms must be used, then, DREAMTIME is recommended for targeted monitoring, while IP-iSQC was the only experiment that allowed non-targeted metabolite identification in vivo. This paper is critically important as it documents not just the experiments that succeed in vivo but also those that fail and demonstrates first-hand the difficulties associated with proton-only in vivo NMR.
Melting snow and glacier ice in the Himalaya forms an important source of water for people downstream. Incoming longwave radiation (LWin) is an important energy source for melt, but there are only ...few measurements of LWin at high elevation. For the modelling of snow and glacier melt, the LWin is therefore often represented by parameterizations that were originally developed for lower elevation environments. With LWin measurements at eight stations in three catchments in the Himalaya, with elevations between 3,980 and 6,352 m.a.s.l., we test existing LWin parameterizations. We find that these parameterizations generally underestimate the LWin, especially in wet (monsoon) conditions, where clouds are abundant and locally formed. We present a new parameterization based only on near‐surface temperature and relative humidity, both of which are easy and inexpensive to measure accurately. The new parameterization performs better than the parameterizations available in literature, in some cases halving the root‐mean‐squared error. The new parameterization is especially improving existing parameterizations in cloudy conditions. We also show that the choice of longwave parameterization strongly affects melt calculations of snow and ice.
We assess the performance of incoming longwave radiation models in the Himalaya, using data from eight automatic weather stations. In the Himalaya, clouds often form locally, and we show that a new model, which uses relative humidity as a parameter, performs better than the ones available in previous literature. Source: Usmar Helleman.
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