The studies on phonons and magnons in (Ni80Fe20/Au/Co/Au) multilayers of different number of repetitions

In Ni80Fe20/Au/Co/Au deposited on silicon substrate the interaction between spin waves and surface acoustic waves is observed by Brillion light scattering spectroscopy. We show that by changing the number of receptions in the multilayer we can tune the dispersion of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) not affecting significantly fundamentals spin wave (SW) mode. As a result, we can control (activate or deactivate) the magnetoelastic interaction between fundamental SW mode and SAWs by the thickness of the magnetostrictive multilayer

Creation of a Web-Based Tool to Facilitate Community Connectivity

Introduction: Artificial intelligence-based modelling has created an opportunity to improve upon existing hospital readmission risk score systems by redefining priority and uncovering new criteria, but inherent systematic errors known as algorithmic bias can impact applicability. This study evaluated whether there is racial bias for unplanned readmission risk scores in a novel model prepared for the CMS AI challenge. Methods: The study population provided by the CMS challenge included Medicare recipients from 2012 (unique beneficiaries n=1,667,362, total claims n=34,233,260). Risk scores for unplanned hospital readmissions were projected on the basis of clinical and demographic criteria, including age, sex, comorbidities, and prior hospitalizations. Evaluation of algorithmic bias on racial subgroups was estimated using Kernel Density Estimate (KDE) plot and Jensen-Shannon divergence, methods for visualizing probability density and describing similarity between probability distributions. The Jensen-Shannon distances for each race’s model forecasts were calculated between two racial groups and scaled relative to mean values within each individual racial group. Results: Comparison of probability distributions between racial subgroups using Jensen-Shannon distances scaled relative to individual racial groups were 0 to 0.1 and depicted using KDE plot (Figure 1). At a predefined “high risk” model threshold of 0.1, false negatives (missed readmissions predictions) totaled 159,169 (FN rates of 0.36-0.51% for all racial groups). False positives (incorrect high-risk labels) totaled 5,861,737. Discussion: Jensen-Shannon distances of 0-0.01 between racial groups and our KDE plot curves suggest no significant implicit algorithmic bias for racial subgroups with regards to readmission risk. Our threshold yields minimal false negatives at expense of greater false positives, a potentially justified trade-off in cases where costs of failure to identify high risk is greater than cost of intervention. The models prepared in this CMS AI challenge submission may be effective, with low false negative rate, for clinical use in readmission risk assessment for patients regardless of race

Potencial Analítico de los Polímeros de Impronta Molecular (MIPs) como Elementos de Reconocimiento Biomimético

Los polímeros de impronta molecular (MIPs) son materiales sintéticos que presentan propiedades de reconocimiento molecular específico hacia determinados compuestos. Estos materiales con “memoria selectiva” presentan un elevado potencial analítico como sustitutos de elementos de reconocimiento de origen biológico para el desarrollo de sensores, como sorbentes en procesos de extracción en fase sólida (SPE) y como fases estacionarias para HPLC y CE. La síntesis de estos materiales se basa en la formación de una estructura polimérica, altamente entrecruzada, alrededor de una molécula que actúa como plantilla que se extrae después de la polimerización. De esta forma, el MIP contendrá sitios de unión que son complementarios a la molécula plantilla en forma, tamaño y distribución de grupos funcionales que permiten su reconocimiento posterior, de forma selectiva Los MIPs suelen presentar ventajas interesantes en comparación con los receptore

Structure of Fe-Cu coatings prepared by the magnetron sputtering method

This work presents the results of our research concerning the synthesis of metallic Fe-Cu coatings by use of the magnetron sputtering method. The structure of the coatings synthesized during two modes of pulsed magnetron sputtering was compared . In our experiment the pulsed magnetron power supply generated a series of pulses gated at 1kHz - standard pulsed mode (SPM) and 2 Hz - low frequency pulsed mode (LFPM). The analysis of the microstructure by means of SEM and TEM show that obtained coatings are characterized by nanocrystalline structure. Additionally the optical emission spectra (OES) during the copper and iron sputtering were measured

Determination of sp³ fraction in ta-C coating using XPS and Raman spectroscopy

The paper presents results of studies on the structure of tetrahedral amorphous carbon films (ta-C) with a thickness in the range from 20 to 280 nm, deposited using pulsed vacuum arc technique with an electromagnetic Venetian blind plasma filter. The results of the phase structure analysis, obtained using visible Raman spectroscopy and UV Raman spectroscopy methods, showed a strong dependence of the results on the presence, on the surface of synthesized thin carbon films, even of a minimum number of microparticles. The presence of microparticles in the deposited coatings strongly affects the accuracy of the measured data, used next for calculation the ID/IG, IT/IG ratios and determination of the G-peak dispersion, for all coating thicknesses, which pointed to significant diversification in sp³ -bonds content in deposited films.Представлены результаты исследования структуры тетраэдральных аморфных углеродных пленок (tа-С) толщиной в интервале 20…280 нм, осажденных методом импульсной вакуумной дуги с электромагнитным жалюзи плазменного фильтра. Результаты фазово-структурного анализа, полученные методами спектроскопии комбинационного рассеяния света в видимом и УФ-диапазонах, демонстрируют сильную зависимость результатов от наличия на поверхности тонких углеродных пленок микрочастиц даже в минимальном количестве. Присутствие микрочастиц в осажденных покрытиях сильно влияет на точность измеренных данных, используемых далее для вычисления соотношений ID/IG, IT/IG и определения дисперсии G-пика для покрытий всех толщин, что приводит к значительному разбросу данных при оценке связей в осажденных пленках.Представлені результати дослідження структури тетраедральних аморфних вуглецевих плівок (tа-С) завтовшки в інтервалі 20…280 нм, осаджених методом імпульсної вакуумної дуги з електромагнітним жалюзі плазмового фільтра. Результати фазово-структурного аналізу, що отримані методами спектроскопії комбінаційного розсіяння світла у видимому і УФ-діапазонах, демонструють велику залежність результатів від наявності на поверхні тонких вуглецевих плівок мікрочасток навіть у мінімальній кількості. Присутність мікрочасток в осаджених покриттях дуже впливає на точність виміряних даних, що використовувалися для обчислення співвідношень ID/IG, IT/IG і визначення дисперсії G-піка для покриттів усієї товщини, що призводить до значного розкиду даних при оцінці зв'язків в осаджених плівках

Deletion of SA β-Gal+ Cells Using Senolytics Improves Muscle Regeneration in Old Mice

Systemic deletion of senescent cells leads to robust improvements in cognitive, cardiovascular, and whole-body metabolism, but their role in tissue reparative processes is incompletely understood. We hypothesized that senolytic drugs would enhance regeneration in aged skeletal muscle. Young (3 months) and old (20 months) male C57Bl/6J mice were administered the senolytics dasatinib (5 mg/kg) and quercetin (50 mg/kg) or vehicle bi-weekly for 4 months. Tibialis anterior (TA) was then injected with 1.2% BaCl2 or PBS 7- or 28 days prior to euthanization. Senescence-associated β-Galactosidase positive (SA β-Gal+) cell abundance was low in muscle from both young and old mice and increased similarly 7 days following injury in both age groups, with no effect of D+Q. Most SA β-Gal+ cells were also CD11b+ in young and old mice 7- and 14 days following injury, suggesting they are infiltrating immune cells. By 14 days, SA β-Gal+/CD11b+ cells from old mice expressed senescence genes, whereas those from young mice expressed higher levels of genes characteristic of anti-inflammatory macrophages. SA β-Gal+ cells remained elevated in old compared to young mice 28 days following injury, which were reduced by D+Q only in the old mice. In D+Q-treated old mice, muscle regenerated following injury to a greater extent compared to vehicle-treated old mice, having larger fiber cross-sectional area after 28 days. Conversely, D+Q blunted regeneration in young mice. In vitro experiments suggested D+Q directly improve myogenic progenitor cell proliferation. Enhanced physical function and improved muscle regeneration demonstrate that senolytics have beneficial effects only in old mice

A nanostructural view of the cell wall disassembly process during fruit ripening and postharvest storage by atomic force microscopy

Background: The mechanical properties of parenchyma cell walls and the strength and extension of adhesion areas between adjacent cells, jointly with cell turgor, are main determinants of firmness of fleshy fruits. These traits are modified during ripening leading to fruit softening. Cell wall modifications involve the depolymerisation of matrix glycans and pectins, the solubilisation of pectins and the loss of neutral sugars from pectin side chains. These changes weaken the cell walls and increase cell separation, which in combination with a reduction in cell turgor, bring about textural changes. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to characterize the nanostructure of cell wall polysaccharides during the ripening and postharvest storage of several fruits. This technique allows the imaging of individual polymers at high magnification with minimal sample preparation. Scope and approach: This paper reviews the main features of the cell wall disassembly process associated to fruit softening from a nanostructural point of view, as has been provided by AFM studies. Key findings and conclusions: AFM studies show that pectin size, ramification and complexity is reduced during fruit ripening and storage, and in most cases these changes correlate with softening. Postharvest treatments that improve fruit quality have been proven to preserve pectin structure, suggesting a clear link between softening and pectin metabolism. Nanostructural characterization of cellulose and hemicellulose during ripening has been poorly explored by AFM and the scarce results available are not conclusive. Globally, AFM could be a powerful tool to gain insights about the bases of textural fruit quality in fresh and stored fruits

Dissociation of EphB2 Signaling Pathways Mediating Progenitor Cell Proliferation and Tumor Suppression

SummarySignaling proteins driving the proliferation of stem and progenitor cells are often encoded by proto-oncogenes. EphB receptors represent a rare exception; they promote cell proliferation in the intestinal epithelium and function as tumor suppressors by controlling cell migration and inhibiting invasive growth. We show that cell migration and proliferation are controlled independently by the receptor EphB2. EphB2 regulated cell positioning is kinase-independent and mediated via phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, whereas EphB2 tyrosine kinase activity regulates cell proliferation through an Abl-cyclin D1 pathway. Cyclin D1 regulation becomes uncoupled from EphB signaling during the progression from adenoma to colon carcinoma in humans, allowing continued proliferation with invasive growth. The dissociation of EphB2 signaling pathways enables the selective inhibition of the mitogenic effect without affecting the tumor suppressor function and identifies a pharmacological strategy to suppress adenoma growth

Circulating cardiovascular biomarkers in recurrent atrial fibrillation: data from the GISSI-atrial fibrillation trial.

Objective. We evaluated the prognostic role of circulating cardiovascular biomarkers in patients with a history of recent atrial fibrillation (AF).Background. Predicting long-term maintenance of sinus rhythm in patients with AF is difficult.Methods. Plasma concentrations of three specific cardiac markers [high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT), N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and mid-regional proatrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP)] and three stable fragments of vasoactive peptides [mid-regional proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM), copeptin (CT-proAVP) and CT-proendothelin-1 (CT-proET-1)] were measured at baseline and after 6 and 12 months in 382 patients enrolled in the GISSI-AF study, a prospective randomized trial to determine the effect of valsartan to reduce the recurrence of AF. The association between these markers, clinical characteristics and recurrence of AF was tested by univariate and multivariate Cox models.Results. Mean patient age was 68 \ub1 9 years (37.2% females). A total of 84.8% of patients had a history of hypertension. In total, 59.7% qualified for history of AF because of successful cardioversion, 11.8% because of two or more episodes of AF in the 6 months preceding randomization and 28.5% because of both. Patients in AF at 6 or 12 months (203 (53.1%) with first recurrence) had significantly higher concentrations of most biomarkers. Despite low baseline levels, higher concentrations of hsTnT {adjusted hazard ratio (HR) [95% confidence intervals (CIs) for 1 SD increment] (1.15 [1.04-1.28], P = 0.007), MR-proANP (1.15 [1.01-1.30], P = 0.04), NT-proBNP (1.24 [1.11-1.39], P = 0.0001) and CT-proET-1 (1.16 [1.01-1.33], P = 0.03) independently predicted higher risk of a first recurrence of AF. Changes over time of MR-proANP tended to predict subsequent recurrence (adjusted HR [95%CI]) (1.53 [0.98-2.37], P = 0.06).Conclusion. Circulating markers of cardiomyocyte injury/strain and endothelin are related to recurrence of AF in patients in sinus rhythm with a history of recent AF