Diatomic molecules of alkali-metal and alkaline-earth-metal atoms: interaction potentials, dipole moments, and polarizabilities

Ultracold diatomic molecules find application in quantum studies ranging from controlled chemistry and precision measurement physics to quantum many-body simulation and potentially quantum computing. Accurate knowledge of molecular properties is required to guide and explain ongoing experiments. Here, in an extensive and comparative study, we theoretically investigate the electronic properties of the ground-state diatomic molecules composed of alkali-metal (Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr) and alkaline-earth-metal (Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra) atoms. We study 78 hetero- and homonuclear diatomic combinations, including 21 alkali-metal molecules in the $X^1\Sigma^+$ and $a^3\Sigma^+$ electronic states, 36 alkali-metal--alkaline-earth-metal molecules in the $X^2\Sigma^+$ electronic state, and 21 alkaline-earth-metal molecules in the $X^1\Sigma^+$ electronic state. We calculate potential energy curves, permanent electric dipole moments, and polarizabilities using the hierarchy of coupled cluster methods upto CCSDTQ with large Gaussian basis sets and small-core relativistic energy-consistent pseudopotentials. We collect and analyze corresponding spectroscopic constants. We estimate computational uncertainties and compare the present values with previous experimental and theoretical data to establish a new theoretical benchmark. The presented results should be useful for further application of the studied molecules in modern ultracold physics and chemistry experiments.Comment: 31 pages, 11 figures, 7 table

Chemical reactions of ultracold alkaline-earth-metal diatomic molecules

We study the energetics of chemical reactions between ultracold ground-state alkaline-earth-metal diatomic molecules. We show that the atom-exchange reactions forming homonuclear dimers are energetically allowed for all heteronuclear alkaline-earth-metal combinations. We perform high-level electronic structure calculations on the potential energy surfaces of all possible homo- and heteronuclear alkaline-earth-metal trimers and show that trimer formation is also energetically possible in collisions of all considered dimers. Interactions between alkaline-earth-metal diatomic molecules lead to the formation of deeply bound reaction complexes stabilized by large non-additive interactions. We check that there are no barriers to the studied chemical reactions. This means that all alkaline-earth-metal diatomic molecules are chemically unstable at ultralow temperature, and optical lattice or shielding schemes may be necessary to segregate the molecules and suppress losses.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, 4 table

Symptomatic hamulus-pisiform coalition in a 53-year-old woman with a flexor carpi ulnaris pain

Hamulus-pisiform coalition is a rare form of carpal bone fusion that is usually asymptomatic but can occasionally cause chronic wrist pain and ulnar neuropathy. We present the case of a 53-year-old woman with persistent ulnar-sided wrist pain lasting over a year despite multiple corticosteroid injections and physiotherapy. Imaging confirmed a complete osseous fusion between the pisiform and hamulus of the hamate bone, accompanied by moderate chronic enthesopathy of the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon. Due to ongoing symptoms and failure of conservative management, surgical excision of the coalition was performed. Three weeks postoperatively, the patient experienced complete pain relief and full recovery of wrist range of motion. This case emphasizes the importance of considering hamulus-pisiform coalition as a possible diagnosis in patients presenting unexplained ulnar-sided wrist pain nonresponding to conservative treatment

Ab initio electronic structure and prospects for the formation of ultracold calcium--alkali-metal-atom molecular ions

Experiments with cold ion-atom mixtures have recently opened the way for the production and application of ultracold molecular ions. Here, in a comparative study, we theoretically investigate ground and several excited electronic states and prospects for the formation of molecular ions composed of a calcium ion and an alkali-metal atom: CaAlk$^{+}$ (Alk=Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs). We use a quantum chemistry approach based on non-empirical pseudopotential, operatorial core-valence correlation, large Gaussian basis sets, and full configuration interaction method for valence electrons. Adiabatic potential energy curves, spectroscopic constants, and transition and permanent electric dipole moments are determined and analyzed for the ground and excited electronic states. We examine the prospects for ion-neutral reactive processes and the production of molecular ions via spontaneous radiative association and laser-induced photoassociation. After that, spontaneous and stimulated blackbody radiation transition rates are calculated and used to obtain radiative lifetimes of vibrational states of the ground and first-excited electronic states. The present results pave the way for the formation and spectroscopy of calcium--alkali-metal-atom molecular ions in modern experiments with cold ion-atom mixtures.Comment: 17 pages, 13 figures, 8 table

Heat-stable Camel Milk-base Culture Medium Efficiency to Improve Microbiological Analysis of Raw Camel Milk

The development of an optimal culture medium for microbiological analysis is a significant advancement in the field. The conventional PCA for RAMF enumeration may not accurately assess raw camel milk’s microflora, potentially compromising food safety evaluations. Our study addresses this crucial issue. We developed CaM-PCA medium using sterilized whole camel milk and compared it with standard PCA using twenty-three raw milk samples. Enumeration results were analyzed using Mann-Whitney test and exclusive isolates were identified through 16S rDNA sequencing. CaM-PCA yielded significantly higher RAMF counts (8.50±0.45 log10 CFU ml-1) than PCA (8.20±0.60 log10 CFU ml-1), P=0.048. Three isolates exclusive to CaM-PCA were identified as Metabacillus sp., Hafnia alvei and Enterobacter hormaechi subsp. hoffmannii, demonstrating CaM-PCA’s enhanced ability to detect spoilage and opportunistic pathogens in raw camel milk

Repurposing Metformin for the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation: Current Insights

Aparajita Sarkar,1 Kareem Imad Fanous,1 Isra Marei,2 Hong Ding,2 Moncef Ladjimi,3 Ross MacDonald,4 Morley D Hollenberg,5 Todd J Anderson,6 Michael A Hill,7 Chris R Triggle2 1Department of Medical Education, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar; 2Department of Pharmacology & Medical Education, Weill Cornell Medicine- Qatar, Doha, Qatar; 3Department of Biochemistry & Medical Education, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar; 4Health Sciences Library, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar; 5Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, and Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; 6Department of Cardiac Sciences and Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; 7Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center & Department of Medical Pharmacology & Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USACorrespondence: Aparajita Sarkar; Chris R Triggle, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Metformin is an orally effective anti-hyperglycemic drug that despite being introduced over 60 years ago is still utilized by an estimated 120 to 150 million people worldwide for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Metformin is used off-label for the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and for pre-diabetes and weight loss. Metformin is a safe, inexpensive drug with side effects mostly limited to gastrointestinal issues. Prospective clinical data from the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS), completed in 1998, demonstrated that metformin not only has excellent therapeutic efficacy as an anti-diabetes drug but also that good glycemic control reduced the risk of micro- and macro-vascular complications, especially in obese patients and thereby reduced the risk of diabetes-associated cardiovascular disease (CVD). Based on a long history of clinical use and an excellent safety record metformin has been investigated to be repurposed for numerous other diseases including as an anti-aging agent, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, cancer, COVID-19 and also atrial fibrillation (AF). AF is the most frequently diagnosed cardiac arrythmia and its prevalence is increasing globally as the population ages. The argument for repurposing metformin for AF is based on a combination of retrospective clinical data and in vivo and in vitro pre-clinical laboratory studies. In this review, we critically evaluate the evidence that metformin has cardioprotective actions and assess whether the clinical and pre-clinical evidence support the use of metformin to reduce the risk and treat AF. Keywords: metformin, atrial fibrillation, AMPK, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, cardiac metabolism, cardiovascular protection, atrial remodelin