•Concerns about microplastic pollution in aquatic environment is recent.•Sampling to monitor microplastic pollution temporal dynamic are sporadic and recent.•Natural History Collection time series ...are useful for biota microplastic monitoring.•Natural History Collection have specificities to reckon with to perform such studies.•Bioindicator species can be determined from Natural History Collections specimens.
Microplastic pollution has risen to such a level that concerns are being raised regarding its consequences on the environment, especially the marine environment. Understanding microplastic pollution temporal dynamics is critical but requires time-series. However, concerns about microplastic pollution being recent, long term monitoring programs have only started very recently and remain scarce. Natural History Collections that represent archives from the past can constitute time-series. Although underused, they have evinced their success to study various stressors including pollutants, in particular when using bioindicators. Bioindicator species should be defined with regards to the studied environmental disturbance according to established criteria. Those criteria include occurring frequently, being sensitive to the pollutant, and allowing, via their monitoring, a summary of the pollutant’s impacts at molecular, organismal or population levels. However, to analyse bioindicator species in Natural History Collection time-series, several specificities need to be considered. Starting from a review of articles that utilised such collections to study microplastic evolution in a given ecosystem, and focusing on their methodologies, we emphasise Natural History Collection features that need to be taken into account when choosing the most adequate taxon and extraction techniques. In particular we discuss four collection features: sampling heterogeneity, taxonomic misidentification, past environmental contamination and specimen destruction and provide leads to address these issues. We believe that combining the concept of bioindicator with valuable samples from Natural History Collections is of particular interest to monitor past microplastic pollution and better predict future trends. This constitutes a necessary step in assessing the basal level and the continuing evolution of this ever-increasing pollution.
•Semi-automatic ImageJ plugin for quantitative morphometric analysis of dendritic spines.•Designed for super-resolution microscopy image data (e.g. nanoscale spine necks).•Intuitive and user-friendly ...graphical user interface for fast and accurate analysis.•Three-step workflow based on wavelet filtering, reconnection, and segmentation.•Validated performance for accuracy and improved speed over manual analysis.
Super-resolution microscopy provides diffraction-unlimited optical access to the intricate morphology of neurons in living brain tissue, resolving their finest structural details, which are critical for neuronal function. However, as existing image analysis software tools have been developed for diffraction-limited images, they are generally not well suited for quantifying nanoscale structures like dendritic spines. We present SpineJ, a semi-automatic ImageJ plugin that is specifically designed for this purpose. SpineJ offers an intuitive and user-friendly graphical user interface, facilitating fast, accurate, and unbiased analysis of spine morphology.
Following the Hunga Tonga eruption (20.6°S, 175.4°W, mid‐January 2022), we present a balloon‐borne characterization of the stratospheric aerosol plume one week after its injection (on 23 and 26 ...January 2022, La Réunion island at 21.1°S, 55.3°E). Satellite observations show that flight (a) took place during the overpass of a denser plume of sulfate aerosols (SA) compared to a more diluted plume during flight. (b) Observations show that the sampled plumes (at around 22, 25 and 19 km altitude, respectively) consist exclusively of very small particles (with radius <1 µm). Particles with radii between 0.5 and 1.0 µm show optically transparent features pointing to predominant SA. Particles with radii below 0.5 µm are partly absorbing, which could point to small sulfate coated ash particles, a feature not identified with space‐borne observations. This shows that in situ observations are necessary to fully characterize the microphysical properties of the plumes tracked by space‐borne instruments.
Plain Language Summary
The Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai volcano (at 20.6°S, 175.4°W) erupted on 13 and 15 January 2022 with injection of gases and aerosols up to 55 km altitude. Here, we present a study based on in situ aerosol observations on weather balloons on La Réunion (21.1°S, 55.3°E) within the injected Hunga Tonga aerosol plume one week after the eruption (23 and 26 January 2022). With respective satellite observations, we show that the first measurement flight took place during the overpass of a denser aerosol plume compared to the second flight. We find that the plume exhibits only small particles <1 μm, mainly consisting of sulfate aerosols (for particles between 0.5 and 1 μm in size) and an absorbing component for very small particles (<0.5 μm), possibly pointing to small ash particles coated by sulfur. This letter “absorbing” feature is a unique contribution brought by in situ measurements that fills a gap left by space‐borne instruments.
Key Points
Predominant particle size range of <1 μm within the stratospheric aerosol plume of the Hunga Tonga eruption
Optically absorbing particles within the plume for particles <0.5 μm point to fractured, very small ash particles
Mostly optically semi‐transparent particles, for particle sizes between 0.5 and 1.0 μm result from small sulfur coated ash particles
We present novel polyethylene (PE) composites for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding application. They are based on cobalt modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) produced via in ...situ polymerization of ethylene, with the Ti-Ziegler–Natta catalyst preliminarily immobilized on Co/MWCNT hybrids. The electromagnetic properties of the composites were tuned by varying the filler loading and Co:MWCNT ratio. The microstructure of the composites and electromagnetic absorption process were carefully characterized by transmission and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometry, ferromagnetic resonance and vector network analysis. The electromagnetic wave absorbing properties of the nanocomposite were investigated in the 10 MHz−18 GHz frequency range revealing that the EMI absorption properties can be tuned by varying the Co:MWCNT weight ratio in the filler. Interestingly, the Co/MWCNT-PE composite with a total filler and Co loading of only 12 and 1.7 wt%, respectively, showed extremely high reflection loss (RL) of −55 dB. More importantly, an effective bandwidth of 12.8–17.8 GHz (RL below −10 dB) was achieved for a matching thickness of only 1.5 mm. The specific RL value (RL/filler loading) of the composite was superior in comparison with the previously reported nanostructured carbon materials. The highly effective absorbing properties of Co/MWCNT-PE composites are explained primarily by the unprecedented uniform filler distribution in the polyethylene as well as by the synergistic effect of MWCNTs and Co nanoparticles. This approach thus offered an effective strategy to design cost-effective, lightweight and flexible EMI shielding materials with tunable dielectric and magnetic performance.
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•New Co/MWCNT/polyethylene composites for EMI shielding applications were designed.•In situ polymerization ensured uniform distribution of Co/MWCNT filler in PE.•EMI shielding properties can be tuned by varying filler loading and Co:MWCNT ratio.•The effective bandwidth was 12.8–17.8 GHz at reflection loss below −10 dB.•Co/MWCNT/PE composite shows a minimum reflection loss value of −55 dB at 5.2 GHz.
Hypothyroidism may be associated with changes in the autonomic regulation of the cardiovascular system, which may have clinical implications.
To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the ...impact of hypothyroidism on HRV.
PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and Google Scholar were searched until 20 August 2021 for articles reporting HRV parameters in untreated hypothyroidism and healthy controls. Random-effects meta-analysis were stratified by degree of hypothyroidism for each HRV parameters: RR intervals (or normal to normal-NN intervals), SDNN (standard deviation of RR intervals), RMSSD (square root of the mean difference of successive RR intervals), pNN50 (percentage of RR intervals with >50ms variation), total power (TP), LFnu (low-frequency normalized unit), HFnu (high-frequency), VLF (very low frequency), and LF/HF ratio.
We included 17 studies with 11438 patients: 1163 hypothyroid patients and 10275 healthy controls. There was a decrease in SDNN (effect size = -1.27, 95% CI -1.72 to -0.83), RMSSD (-1.66, -2.32 to -1.00), pNN50 (-1.41, -1.98 to -0.84), TP (-1.55, -2.1 to -1.00), HFnu (-1.21, -1.78 to -0.63) with an increase in LFnu (1.14, 0.63 to 1.66) and LF/HF ratio (1.26, 0.71 to 1.81) (p <0.001). HRV alteration increased with severity of hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism is associated with a decreased HRV, that may be explained by molecular mechanisms involving catecholamines and by the effect of TSH on HRV. The increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activity may have clinical implications.
Super-resolution microscopy offers tremendous opportunities to unravel the complex and dynamic architecture of living cells. However, current super-resolution microscopes are well suited for ...revealing protein distributions or cell morphology, but not both. We present a super-resolution platform that permits correlative single-molecule imaging and stimulated emission depletion microscopy in live cells. It gives nanoscale access to the positions and movements of synaptic proteins within the morphological context of growth cones and dendritic spines.
Abinitis a material- and nanostructure-oriented package that implements density-functional theory (DFT) and many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) to find, from first principles, numerous properties ...including total energy, electronic structure, vibrational and thermodynamic properties, different dielectric and non-linear optical properties, and related spectra. In the special issue to celebrate the 40th anniversary of CPC, published in 2009, a detailed account of Abinitwas included Gonze et al. (2009), and has been amply cited. The present article comes as a follow-up to this 2009 publication. It includes an analysis of the impact that Abinithas had, through for example the bibliometric indicators of the 2009 publication. Links with several other computational materials science projects are described. This article also covers the new capabilities of Abinitthat have been implemented during the last three years, complementing a recent update of the 2009 article published in 2016. Physical and technical developments inside the abinitapplication are covered, as well as developments provided with the Abinitpackage, such as the multibinitand a-tdepprojects, and related Abinitorganization developments such as AbiPy. The new developments are described with relevant references, input variables, tests, and tutorials.
Program Title:Abinit
Program Files doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.17632/csvdrr4d68.1
Licensing provisions: GPLv3
Programming language: Fortran2003, Python
Journal reference of previous version: X .Gonze et al, Comput. Phys. Commun. 205 (2016) 106–131
Does the new version supersede the previous version?: Yes. The present 8.10.3 version is now the up-to-date stable version of abinit, and supercedes the 7.10.5 version.
Reasons for the new version: New developments
Summary of revisions:•Many new capabilities of the main abinitapplication, related to density-functional theory, density-functional perturbation theory, GW, the Bethe-Salpeter equation, dynamical mean-field theory, etc.•New applications in the package: multibinit(second-principles calculations)and tdep(temperature-dependent properties)
Nature of problem: Computing accurately material and nanostructure properties: electronic structure, bond lengths, bond angles, primitive cell, cohesive energy, dielectric properties, vibrational properties, elastic properties, optical properties, magnetic properties, non-linear couplings, electronic and vibrational lifetimes, etc. For large-scale systems, second-principles calculations, building upon the first-principles results, are also possible.
Solution method: Software application based on density-functional theory and many-body perturbation theory, pseudopotentials, with plane waves or wavelets as basis functions. Different real-time algorithms are implemented for second-principles calculations.
Cardiorenal syndromes (CRSs) are reputed to result in worse prognosis than isolated heart failure (HF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Whether it is true for all major outcomes over the long-term ...regardless of CRS chronology (simultaneous, cardiorenal and renocardiac CRS) is unknown.
The 5-year adjusted risk of major outcomes was assessed in this nationwide retrospective cohort study in all 385 687 with either CKD or HF (out of 5 123 193 patients who were admitted in a French hospital in 2012).
Overall, 84.0% patients had HF and 8.9% had CKD (they had similar age, sex ratio, diabetes and hypertension prevalence), while 7.1% had CRS (cardiorenal: 44.6%, renocardiac: 14.5%, simultaneous CRS: 40.8%).The incidence of major outcomes was 57.3%, 53.0%, 79.2% for death; 18.8%, 10.9%, 27.5% for cardiovascular death; 52.6%, 34.7%, 64.3% for HF; 6.2%, 5.5%, 5.6% for myocardial infarction (MI); 6.1%, 5.8%, 5.3% for ischaemic stroke; and 23.1%, 4.8%, 16.1% for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) for isolated CKD, isolated HF and CRS, respectively.As compared with isolated CKD or HF, the risk of death, cardiovascular death and HF was markedly increased in CRS, the worse phenotype being cardiorenal CRS, while the increased risk of MI and ischaemic stroke associated with CRS subtypes was statistically but not clinically significant. As compared with isolated CKD, the risk of ESKD was similar for cardiorenal CRS only and marginally increased for renocardiac and simultaneous CRS. We could not find a synergy between HF and CKD on major clinical outcomes in the whole population (n = 5 123 193 patients).
The additional impact of CRS versus isolated HF or CKD on long-term kidney and cardiovascular risk is highly heterogenous, depending of the event considered and CRS chronology. No synergy between HF and CKD could be demonstrated.
Smoking is a major public health problem. Although physicians have a key role in the fight against smoking, some of them are still smoking. Thus, we aimed to conduct a systematic review and ...meta-analysis on the prevalence of smoking among physicians.
PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases were searched. The prevalence of smoking among physicians was estimated and stratified, where possible, by specialties, continents, and periods of time. Then, meta-regressions were performed regarding putative influencing factors such as age and sex.
Among 246 studies and 497,081 physicians, the smoking prevalence among physicians was 21% (95CI 20 to 23%). Prevalence of smoking was 25% in medical students, 24% in family practitioners, 18% in surgical specialties, 17% in psychiatrists, 16% in medical specialties, 11% in anesthesiologists, 9% in radiologists, and 8% in pediatricians. Physicians in Europe and Asia had a higher smoking prevalence than in Oceania. The smoking prevalence among physicians has decreased over time. Male physicians had a higher smoking prevalence. Age did not influence smoking prevalence.
Prevalence of smoking among physicians is high, around 21%. Family practitioners and medical students have the highest percentage of smokers. All physicians should benefit from targeted preventive strategies.
Nickel‐catalyzed selective cross‐coupling of aromatic electrophiles (bromides, chlorides, fluorides and methyl ethers) with organolithium reagents is presented. The use of a commercially available ...nickel N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complex allows the reaction with a variety of (hetero)aryllithium compounds, including those prepared via metal‐halogen exchange or direct metallation, whereas a commercially available electron‐rich nickel‐bisphosphine complex smoothly converts alkyllithium species into the corresponding coupled product. These reactions proceed rapidly (1 h) under mild conditions (room temperature) while avoiding the undesired formation of reduced or homocoupled products.
Nickel‐catalyzed cross‐coupling of aromatic electrophiles with organolithium reagents is presented. The use of a commercially available nickel N‐heterocyclic carbene complex allows reaction with a variety of (hetero)aryllithium compounds, whereas a commercially available electron‐rich nickel bisphosphine complex smoothly converts alkyllithium species into the corresponding coupled product.
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