Electronic and magnetic structure of epitaxial NiO/Fe3_3O4_4(001) heterostructures grown on MgO(001) and Nb-doped SrTiO3_3(001)

We study the underlying chemical, electronic and magnetic properties of a number of magnetite based thin films. The main focus is placed onto NiO/Fe$_3$O$_4$(001) bilayers grown on MgO(001) and Nb-SrTiO$_3$(001) substrates. We compare the results with those obtained on pure Fe$_3$O$_4$(001) thin films. It is found that the magnetite layers are oxidized and Fe$^{3+}$ dominates at the surfaces due to maghemite ($\gamma$-Fe$_2$O$_3$) formation, which decreases with increasing magnetite layer thickness. From a layer thickness of around 20 nm on the cationic distribution is close to that of stoichiometric Fe$_3$O$_4$. At the interface between NiO and Fe$_3$O$_4$ we find the Ni to be in a divalent valence state, with unambiguous spectral features in the Ni 2p core level x-ray photoelectron spectra typical for NiO. The formation of a significant NiFe$_2$O$_4$ interlayer can be excluded by means of XMCD. Magneto optical Kerr effect measurements reveal significant higher coercive fields compared to magnetite thin films grown on MgO(001), and a 45$^{\circ}$ rotated magnetic easy axis. We discuss the spin magnetic moments of the magnetite layers and find that the moment increases with increasing thin film thickness. At low thickness the NiO/Fe$_3$O$_4$ films grown on Nb-SrTiO$_3$ exhibits a significantly decreased spin magnetic moments. A thickness of 20 nm or above leads to spin magnetic moments close to that of bulk magnetite

Determination of step--edge barriers to interlayer transport from surface morphology during the initial stages of homoepitaxial growth

We use analytic formulae obtained from a simple model of crystal growth by molecular--beam epitaxy to determine step--edge barriers to interlayer transport. The method is based on information about the surface morphology at the onset of nucleation on top of first--layer islands in the submonolayer coverage regime of homoepitaxial growth. The formulae are tested using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of a solid--on--solid model and applied to estimate step--edge barriers from scanning--tunneling microscopy data on initial stages of Fe(001), Pt(111), and Ag(111) homoepitaxy.Comment: 4 pages, a Postscript file, uuencoded and compressed. Physical Review B, Rapid Communications, in press

Particle currents and the distribution of terrace sizes in unstable epitaxial growth

A solid-on-solid model of epitaxial growth in 1+1 dimensions is investigated in which slope dependent upward and downward particle currents compete on the surface. The microscopic mechanisms which give rise to these currents are the smoothening incorporation of particles upon deposition and an Ehrlich-Schwoebel barrier which hinders inter-layer transport at step edges. We calculate the distribution of terrace sizes and the resulting currents on a stepped surface with a given inclination angle. The cancellation of the competing effects leads to the selection of a stable magic slope. Simulation results are in very good agreement with the theoretical findings.Comment: 4 pages, including 3 figure

Deep learning-based post-processing of real-time MRI to assess and quantify dynamic wrist movement in health and disease

While morphologic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the imaging modality of choice for the evaluation of ligamentous wrist injuries, it is merely static and incapable of diagnosing dynamic wrist instability. Based on real-time MRI and algorithm-based image post-processing in terms of convolutional neural networks (CNNs), this study aims to develop and validate an automatic technique to quantify wrist movement. A total of 56 bilateral wrists (28 healthy volunteers) were imaged during continuous and alternating maximum ulnar and radial abduction. Following CNN-based automatic segmentations of carpal bone contours, scapholunate and lunotriquetral gap widths were quantified based on dedicated algorithms and as a function of wrist position. Automatic segmentations were in excellent agreement with manual reference segmentations performed by two radiologists as indicated by Dice similarity coefficients of 0.96 ± 0.02 and consistent and unskewed Bland–Altman plots. Clinical applicability of the framework was assessed in a patient with diagnosed scapholunate ligament injury. Considerable increases in scapholunate gap widths across the range-of-motion were found. In conclusion, the combination of real-time wrist MRI and the present framework provides a powerful diagnostic tool for dynamic assessment of wrist function and, if confirmed in clinical trials, dynamic carpal instability that may elude static assessment using clinical-standard imaging modalities

Bio-optical properties of the cyanobacterium <i>Nodularia spumigena</i>

In the last century, an increasing number of extreme weather events have been experienced across the globe. These events have also been linked to changes in water quality, especially due to heavy rains, flooding, or droughts. In terms of blue economic activities, harmful algal bloom events can pose a major threat, especially when they become widespread and last for several days. We present and discuss advanced measurements of a bloom dominated by the cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena conducted by hyperspectral optical technologies via experiments of opportunity. Absorption coefficients, absorbance and fluorescence were measured in the laboratory, and these data are available at https://doi.org/10.4121/21610995.v1 (Wollschläger et al., 2022), https://doi.org/10.4121/21822051.v1 (Miranda et al., 2023) and https://doi.org/10.4121/21904632.v1 (Miranda and Garaba, 2023). Data used to derive the above-water reflectance are available from https://doi.org/10.4121/21814977.v1 (Garaba, 2023) and https://doi.org/10.4121/21814773.v1 (Garaba and Albinus, 2023). Additionally, hyperspectral fluorescence measurements of the dissolved compounds in the water were carried out. These hyperspectral measurements were conducted over a wide spectrum (200–2500 nm). Diagnostic optical features were determined using robust statistical techniques. Water clarity was inferred from Secchi disc measurements (https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.951239, Garaba and Albinus, 2022). Identification of the cyanobacterium was completed via visual analysis under a microscope. Full sequences of the 16S rRNA and rbcL genes were obtained, revealing a very strong match to N. spumigena; these data are available via GenBank: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/OP918142/ (Garaba and Bonthond, 2022b) and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/OP925098 (Garaba and Bonthond, 2022a). The chlorophyll-a and phycocyanin levels determined are available from https://doi.org/10.4121/21792665.v1 (Rohde et al., 2023). Our experiments of opportunity echo the importance of sustainable, simplified, coordinated and continuous water quality monitoring as a way to thrive with respect to the targets set in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (e.g. 6, 11, 12 and 14) or the European Union Framework Directives (e.g. the Water Framework Directive and Marine Strategy Framework Directive).</p

Exploring MR regression patterns in rectal cancer during neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy with daily T2- and diffusion-weighted MRI

Background To date, only limited magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data are available concerning tumor regression during neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy (RCT) of rectal cancer patients, which is a prerequisite for adaptive radiotherapy (RT) concepts. This exploratory study prospectively evaluated daily fractional MRI during neoadjuvant treatment to analyze the predictive value of MR biomarkers for treatment response. Methods Locally advanced rectal cancer patients were examined with daily MRI during neoadjuvant RCT. Contouring of the tumor volume was performed for each MRI scan by using T2- and diffusion-weighted-imaging (DWI)-sequences. The daily apparent-diffusion coefficient (ADC) was calculated. Volumetric and functional tumor changes during RCT were analyzed and correlated with the pathological response after surgical resection. Results In total, 171 MRI scans of eight patients were analyzed regarding anatomical and functional dynamics during RCT. Pathological complete response (pCR) could be achieved in four patients, and four patients had a pathological partial response (pPR) following neoadjuvant treatment. T2- and DWI-based volumetry proved to be statistically significant in terms of therapeutic response, and volumetric thresholds at week two and week four during RCT were defined for the prediction of pCR. In contrast, the average tumor ADC values widely overlapped between both response groups during RCT and appeared inadequate to predict treatment response in our patient cohort. Conclusion This prospective exploratory study supports the hypothesis that MRI may be able to predict pCR of rectal cancers early during neoadjuvant RCT. Our data therefore provide a useful template to tailor future MR-guided adaptive treatment concepts

Factors associated with worse lung function in cystic fibrosis patients with persistent staphylococcus aureus

Background Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen in cystic fibrosis (CF). However, it is not clear which factors are associated with worse lung function in patients with persistent S. aureus airway cultures. Our main hypothesis was that patients with high S. aureus density in their respiratory specimens would more likely experience worsening of their lung disease than patients with low bacterial loads. Methods Therefore, we conducted an observational prospective longitudinal multi-center study and assessed the association between lung function and S. aureus bacterial density in respiratory samples, co-infection with other CF-pathogens, nasal S. aureus carriage, clinical status, antibiotic therapy, IL-6- and IgG-levels against S. aureus virulence factors. Results 195 patients from 17 centers were followed; each patient had an average of 7 visits. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and generalized linear mixed models. Our main hypothesis was only supported for patients providing throat specimens indicating that patients with higher density experienced a steeper lung function decline (p<0.001). Patients with exacerbations (n = 60), S. aureus small-colony variants (SCVs, n = 84) and co-infection with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (n = 44) had worse lung function (p = 0.0068; p = 0.0011; p = 0.0103). Patients with SCVs were older (p = 0.0066) and more often treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (p = 0.0078). IL-6 levels positively correlated with decreased lung function (p<0.001), S. aureus density in sputa (p = 0.0016), SCVs (p = 0.0209), exacerbations (p = 0.0041) and co-infections with S. maltophilia (p = 0.0195) or A. fumigatus (p = 0.0496). Conclusions In CF-patients with chronic S. aureus cultures, independent risk factors for worse lung function are high bacterial density in throat cultures, exacerbations, elevated IL-6 levels, presence of S. aureus SCVs and co-infection with S. maltophilia