Organic solar cells (OSCs) have received widespread attention due to light weight, low cost, semitransparency and ease of solution processing. By continuously improving materials design, active layer morphology, and device fabrication techniques, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of OSCs have exceeded 20%. The morphology of the active layer, which includes the phase separation structure, the degree of crystallinity of molecules, and the domain sizes, plays a critically important role in the performance, which is significantly influenced by the crystallization dynamics of the donor and acceptor. Therefore, it is crucial to comprehensively understand how the dynamics impact the film structure and how to effectively employ the kinetic procedure to enhance the structure of the active layer in OSCs. In this review, the methods and principles of kinetics characterization were introduced. Afterwards, the latest advancements in the control of film-forming and the post annealing process are outlined, unveiling the underlying mechanism. In conclusion, the potential and future of OSCs were anticipated and projected. Researchers may gain a comprehensive comprehension of how the dynamic process affects the morphology through this review, potentially enhancing the performance of OSCs.

The line of sight (LoS) probability is a key factor for the channel modeling of air-to-ground (A2G) communication. However, the existing LoS probability models do not account for the effects of airframe shadowing (AS) and building density, which can cause serious link obstruction and performance loss due to the six-dimensional (6D) mobility and self-body of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In this paper, a new LoS probability model is proposed that considers the AS and building density for different UAV heights. Adding to this, the AS is derived in terms of UAV framework and 6D mobility. Next, the machine learning (ML) based graph neural network (GNN) method is developed to learn the features and structure of the urban environment and predict the LoS probability. Then, the GNN model is trained and evaluated based on the ray tracing (RT) data to establish the relationship between model parameters and UAV heights under the building density and AS factors. The interpretation and explanation of the proposed GNN model and prediction are also discussed in this paper. It is shown from the simulation analysis that the GNN model accurately captures the effects of AS, building height distributions, and UAV heights, with high accuracy compared to the baseline 3GPP, GCM and NYU models.

Although, great achievements have been made in the synthesis of heterocycles using radical addition/cyclization strategy, developing versatile alkyl radical precursors, especially the non-stabilized ones for this method still remains a huge challenge. Herein, we report an efficient annulation cascade reaction between cyclosulfonium salts and alkenes for the synthesis of sulfur-containing N-heterocycles by visible light/copper catalysis under mild conditions. The C−S bond cleavage/radical cascade reaction delivers a variety of corresponding N-heterocycles containing aryl alkyl thioether motifs with good functional group tolerance. Significantly, the current system could be used for the late-stage functionalization of complex bioactive molecules.

In this paper, foam concrete is modified using graphite and carbon fiber as absorbents. The mechanical properties of the foam concrete are analysed in conjunction with hydration products, pore size distribution based on SEM test and XCT test. Further, the resistivity, complex permittivity and complex permeability are tested. The results demonstrate that carbon fiber enhance the proportion of pores with diameters less than 200µm in foam concrete, thereby substantially enhancing its flexural strength. Besides, adding graphite offsets the initial retardation of sulfoaluminate cement hydration induced by carbon fibers, which increases the average pore size of carbon fiber-reinforced foam concrete, reducing the compressive strength. The addition of carbon fibers at a concentration of 0.6wt.% achieves the percolation threshold, akin to scenarios with singular fiber incorporation. Exceeding 2wt% graphite content results in negligible influence on the conductivity of the carbon fiber-reinforced foam concrete.

Superconducting electrical machines using hightemperature superconductors (HTS) are currently designed without considering losses in the non-superconducting (non-SC) substrate, silver, and copper layers of the HTS. However, alternating magnetic fields induce eddy current losses in these layers, which cannot be overlooked for certain operating temperatures and frequencies. This paper addresses these losses for a full-scale 2.5 MW aviation motor with an HTS armature winding. Using a multilayer H-A-formulated model, the magnitude of the eddy current losses are estimated and compared to the total HTS losses for frequencies between 50 and 500 Hz and temperatures between 25 and 60 K. The results show that eddy current losses are negligible for high HTS temperatures and low frequencies. However, at high frequencies and low temperatures these losses were found to represent a significant share of the total, meaning that while they can be neglected for low-speed machinery, they must be considered for power-dense machinery, particularly if the planned cooling method involves liquid hydrogen (LH2) temperatures. Finally, the work illustrates how to analyze these losses and can give designers insights related to the influence of several design variables, such as the external field, tape height, and copper purity.

Background : Several major sensitization profiles have been described in children with asthma, but it remains unclear how these profiles relate to asthma phenotypes. The aim of this study was to determine allergenic sensitization profiles in a megacity cohort (SAMP). Methods : This was a cross-sectional analysis performed from 2011 to 2015 including preschool and school-age children with severe and moderate asthma from the SAMP cohort. We performed ALEX multiplex array and carried out cluster analysis. Results: Data from 367 children were analysed: 224 of preschool age and 143 of school age, respectively 84 (38%) and 114 (80%) presented at least one allergic sensitization. At preschool age, three clusters were identified: Cluster 1, Few sensitizations to inhaled allergen molecular families and non-type 2 (T2) inflammation (n=61); Cluster 2, Predominant sensitization to HDM molecular families. (n=16); Cluster 3, Severe asthma with multiple sensitizations to inhaled and food allergen molecular families (n=7). At school age, five clusters were identified: Cluster 1, Few sensitizations to inhaled allergen molecular families and non-T2 inflammation (n=43); Cluster 2, Predominant sensitization to HDM molecular families (n=31); Cluster 3, Predominant sensitization to PR-10 family (n=25); Cluster 4, Severe asthma with predominant sensitization to tropomyosin family (n=11); Cluster 5, Severe asthma with multiple sensitizations to inhaled and food allergen molecular families (n=4). Conclusion: These results underline the heterogeneity of sensitization profiles in severe allergic childhood asthma. The most severe asthma phenotypes were associated with multiple sensitizations to both inhaled and food allergen molecular families as expected, and to the tropomyosin molecular family, a novel finding.

Amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition was an important pathomechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Aβ generation was highly regulated by beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), which is a prime drug target for AD therapy. Silence of BACE1 function to slow down Aβ production was accepted as an effective strategy for combating AD. Herein, BACE1 interfering RNA, metallothionein (MT) and ruthenium complexes ([Ru(bpy)2dppz]2+) were all loaded in prussian blue nanoparticles (PRM-siRNA). PRM-siRNA under near-infrared light (NIR) irradiation showed good photothermal effect and triggered instantaneous opening of blood-brain barrier (BBB) for enhanced drug delivery. BACE1 siRNA slowed down Aβ production and Cu2+ chelation by metallothionein (MT) synergistically inhibited Aβ aggregation. Ruthenium (Ru) could real-timely track Aβ degradation and aggregation. The results indicated that PRM-siRNA significantly blocked Aβ aggregation, and attenuated Aβ-induced neurotoxicity and apoptosis in vitro by inhibiting ROS-mediated oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction through regulating Bcl-2 family. PRM-siRNA in vivo effectively improved APP/PS1 mice learning and memory by alleviating neural loss, neurofibrillary tangles and activation of astrocytes and microglial cells in APP/PS1 mice by inhibiting BACE1, oxidative damage and tau phosphorylation. Taken together, our findings validated that BACE1 siRNA-loaded prussian blue nanocomplexes showed enhanced BBB penetrability and AD synergy therapy.

A document by Jean-Charles Guéry. Click on the document to view its contents.

Following the worldwide surge in mpox(monkeypox) in 2022, cases have persisted in Asia, including South Korea, and sexual contact is presumed as the predominant mode of transmission, with a discernible surge in prevalence among immunocompromised patients. Drugs such as tecovirimat can result in drug-resistant mutations, presenting obstacles to treatment. This study aimed to ascertain the presence of tecovirimat-related resistant mutations through genomic analysis of the monkeypox virus isolated from a reported case involving prolonged viral shedding in South Korea. Here, tecovirimat-resistant mutations, previously identified in the B.1 clade, were observed in the B.1.3 clade, predominant in South Korea. These mutations exhibited diverse patterns across different samples from the same patient and reflected the varied distribution of viral subpopulations in different anatomical regions. The A290V and A288P mutant strains we isolated hold promise for elucidating these mechanisms, enabling a comprehensive analysis of viral pathogenesis, replication strategies, and host interactions. Our findings imply that acquired drug-resistant mutations, may present a challenge to individual patient treatment. Moreover, they have the potential to give rise to transmitted drug-resistant mutations, thereby imposing a burden on the public health system. Consequently, the meticulous genomic surveillance among immunocompromised patients, conducted in this research, assumes paramount importance.

Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) is the most common cause of cervical cancer, but most infections are transient and with lesions not progressing to cancer. There is a lack of specific biomarkers for diagnosis and risk stratification. This study aimed to explore the intra-host HPV16 genomic variation in longitudinal samples from HPV16-infected women with different cervical lesion severity (normal, low-grade, and high-grade). The TaME-seq deep sequencing protocol was used to generate whole genome HPV16 sequences of 102 samples collected over time from 40 individuals. Single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and intra-host single nucleotide variants (iSNVs) were identified in the viral genomes. A majority of individuals had a unique set of SNVs and these SNVs were stable over time. Overall, the number of iSNVs and APOBEC3-induced iSNVs were significantly lower in high-grade relative to normal and low-grade samples, respectively. A significant increase in the number of APOBEC3-induced iSNVs over time was observed for normal samples when compared to high-grade. Our results provide new insight into the dynamics of HPV16 within-hosts evolution. Low number of iSNVs and APOBEC3-induced iSNVs, characteristics of high-grade lesions, could potentially serve as biomarkers to guide triage of HPV-induced cervical precancerous lesions.

Detecting crustal deformation during transient deformation events at offshore subduction zones remains challenging. The spatiotemporal evolution of slow slip events (SSEs) on the offshore Hikurangi subduction zone, New Zealand, during February–July 2019, is revealed through a time-dependent inversion of onshore and offshore geodetic data that also account for spatially varying elastic crustal properties. Our model is constrained by seafloor pressure time series (as a proxy for vertical seafloor deformation), onshore continuous Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data, and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) displacements. Large GNSS displacements onshore and uplift of the seafloor (10-33 mm) require peak slip during the event of 150 to >200 mm at 6-12 km depth offshore Hawkes Bay and Gisborne, comparable to maximum slip observed during previous seafloor pressure deployments at north Hikurangi. The onshore and offshore data reveal a complex evolution of the SSE, over a period of months. Seafloor pressure data indicates the slow slip may have persisted longer near the trench than suggested by onshore GNSS stations in both the Gisborne and Hawkes Bay regions. Seafloor pressure data also reveal up-dip migration of SSE slip beneath Hawke Bay occurred over a period of a few weeks. The SSE source region appears to coincide with locations of the March 1947 Mw 7.0–7.1 tsunami earthquake offshore Gisborne and estimated Great earthquake rupture sources from paleoseismic investigations offshore Hawkes Bay, suggesting that the shallow megathrust at north and central Hikurangi is capable of both seismic and aseismic rupture.

Artificial Intelligence-guided mapping of persistent atrial fibrillation:

Children admitted to the ward for status asthmaticus may not receive the first albuterol treatment on schedule. We sought to determine if a difference in timing between scheduled and actual first dose of albuterol is associated with care escalation to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). We conducted a single-center case-control study of children 2-18 years admitted from the emergency department (ED) to the ward for status asthmaticus. Cases required transfer to the PICU within 24 hours of admission. Groups were compared using Fisher’s exact or Mann-Whitney U tests. Firth multivariable logistic regression estimated the association between dose timing and odds of transfer to the PICU. Groups did not differ by demographics, comorbidities, or asthma severity risk factors. The median (IQR) time difference between scheduled and administered first dose of albuterol was 0 (-14 to 63) minutes for cases and 16 (-6 to 42) minutes for controls ( p=.4). Fifty percent of cases received delayed treatment compared to 63% of controls ( p=.28). The adjusted analyses demonstrated that as the time difference between scheduled and administered albuterol increased by 1 minute, odds of care escalation to the PICU remained the same (OR=1.0, 95% CI: 0.9 to 1.0; p=.2). Receiving first albuterol treatment on the ward at a time different than scheduled was not associated with increased odds of transfer to PICU. Delayed albuterol administration did not vary with PICU transfer. Delays in treatment, when taken in the context of evidence-based asthma pathways, did not significantly impact hospital course or quality of care.

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Previous reports indicate variable soybean quality parameters exported from different geographic regions. This review compares soybean and soybean co-products grown under diverse environmental conditions. While numerous studies have been conducted on whole soybean and soybean meal (SBM) composition by origin, similar analysis of soybean oil is lacking. This review has two objectives: 1) summarize soybean and SBM quality by origin using a meta-analysis approach, and 2) analyze collected crude degummed soybean oil samples that originate from the US, Brazil and Argentina for key quality attributes. Soybeans from Brazil have higher levels of protein (P < 0.05) than US soybeans, but US soybeans have lower heat damage (P < 0.05) and total damage (P < 0.05) than soybeans from Brazil. US and Brazil SBM have higher crude protein (CP) (P < 0.05) than SBM from Argentina. At equal CP content, US SBM had less fiber (P < 0.0001), more sucrose (P < 0.0001) and lysine (P < 0.0001) and better protein quality than South American SBMs. Methionine, threonine, and cysteine levels were similar in soybean protein from US and Argentina and higher than that in soybean protein from Brazil. Crude degummed soybean oil from Brazil had more (P < 0.05) free fatty acids, neutral oil loss, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium than crude degummed soybean oil from the US or Argentina. Our analysis suggests that environmental conditions under which soybeans are grown, stored, and handled can have a large impact on chemical composition and nutrient quality of soybean meal and soybean oil.

Objective Migration for pregnant women can be challenging. Access to adequate and respectful care might not be attainable. We aimed to assess the maternity care that immigrant women are receiving, and their satisfaction with the care they experience. Methods This multicenter, prospective study was conducted between April 2023 and July 2023 in a tertiary public hospital and a private Hospital in Istanbul. All data were collected face to face in the postpartum in-patient clinics. Results A total of 267 patients took part in the study. A majority of these patients delivered in the public hospital (75%). Around 21% of deliveries in both hospitals were with foreign mothers. A majority of the patients (82%) in the public hospital said they easily reached a midwife, nurse and an obstetrician, while this number rose to 100% in the private hospital. Patients in the public hospital were less informed on different maternity topics compared to the private hospital group. Most of the patients said their ideas and thoughts were taken seriously by the health care providers (80% and 97%, in the public and private hospitals respectively). Almost all patients recommended giving birth in the same hospital (94% vs 96%, public and private hospital, respectively); while around 99% recommended giving birth in Turkiye.  Conclusion Access to adequate and respectful maternity care is a human right and has to be provided to all, regardless of  any language, cultural or social differences.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of maternal undernutrition on adverse birth outcomes in Gedeo zone public hospitals. Design: A prospective cohort study was employed Setting: Gedeo zone public hospitals Population: Antenatal care women Method: A modified Poisson regression model with robust standard errors was used to determine relative risk and the statistical association was declared at the p-value ≤0.05. Main outcome measures: Risk of obstetrics and birth outcomes from undernutrition during pregnancy. Result: The incidence of the adverse obstetrics outcomes among women with undernourishment were hypertensive disorder during pregnancy 22.78%, antepartum haemorrhage 6.33%, obstructed labor 4.64%, premature rupture of the membrane 8.0%, preterm labor 19.83%, instrumental vaginal delivery 5.49%, operative delivery 18.14%, postpartum haemorrhage 18.14%, and sepsis or chorioaminitis 11.9%. Similarly the incidence of stillbirth 34(4.71%), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) 72(10%), small for gestational age (SGA) 70(9.7%), low birth weight (<2500g) and preterm birth 91(12.62%) and 118 (16.36%), low first minute Apgar score (<7) 230(32.0%) and low fifth minute Apgar score was and 130 (18.0%), birth asphyxia 136 (18.86%), neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) 108 (15.0%), neonatal death of 26.3/1000 live birth. The risk of hypertensive disorder during pregnancy (HDDP) was (aRR)=4.07, 95%CI: 2.53-6.55), antepartum haemorrhage (APH) (aRR=5.0, 95%CI:2.08-12.72), preterm labor (aRR=1.8, 95%CI: 1.23-2.62), operative delivery (aRR=1.24,95%CI;0.87-1.78), postpartum haemorrhage (aRR=3.02, 95%CI: 1.91-4.79), and sepsis/chrioaminitis (aRR=3.55, 95%CI: 1.83- 6.89) times higher compared to women without undernourishment. The risk of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) aRR=4.05 times (95%CI; 2.87-8.47), small for gestational age (SGA) aRR=2.49 times (95%CI; 1.55-4.0), birth asphyxia aRR=2.72 times (95%CI; 2.0-3.0), and admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) aRR=4.29times (95%CI; 2.94-6.24) higher for undernourished women than normally nourished women. Conclusion: According to this study, the overall incidence of adverse birth outcomes was high. The fetus born from an undernourished woman has a higher risk for stillbirth 1.92 times, intrauterine growth restriction 4.05 times, small for gestational age 2.49 times, birth asphyxia 2.72 times, admission to NICU 4.29 times, and early neonatal death 3.79 times.

Objective: Use Mendelian randomization (MR) method to evaluate the causal relationship between immune cells and asthma. Methods: Based on the summary statistical data obtained from immune cell GWAS (gene wide association studies) research, genetic variation points were screened as instrumental variables (IVS). Inverse variance weighted (IVW), Weighted median, MR-Egger regression, Simple mode and Weighted mode were used for two sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Sensitivity analysis was used to test the heterogeneity, horizontal pleiotropy and stability of the results. Results: IVW results showed that B cell AC, CD8dim NKT %lymphocyte, CD20 on sw mem, CD28- CD8br AC, CD28 on CD39+ CD4+, CD34 on HSC, CD38 on naive-mature B cell, HLA DR+ T cell AC, IgD- CD24- %lymphocyte, IgD+ CD38dim %B cell may be the risk factors of CHD, BAFF-R on CD20- , CD28- CD25++ CD8br %CD8br, CD28- DN (CD4-CD8-) AC, CM DN (CD4-CD8-) %DN may be a protective factor for CHD. Conclusion: This study explored the causal relationship between immune cells and CHD, and screened out immune cells related to CHD. These immune cells may become new biomarkers or therapeutic targets, provide new treatment ideas for the prevention and treatment of CHD, and promote the understanding of CHD.

The intestinal mucosal immune system is a specialized immune system that interacts closely with commensal microorganisms. The intestinal mucosal tissues are characterized by the way they generate immune responses to pathogens. The symbiotic flora in turn regulates the host's mucosal immunity, maintaining a dynamic balance. The disruption of the equilibrium between the two can result in intestinal disorders. This paper summarises in depth the relationships between the two and serves as a resource for future research.

A document by Harshal Rajekar. Click on the document to view its contents.

Apoptosis is a highly regulated form of cell death. Currently, the established methods for apoptosis detection include observation of cell morphology and probing of DNA fragmentation. These methods focus on the detection of changes that occur later in the apoptotic process. Nevertheless, detection of apoptosis at the early stages, prior to gross morphological changes, is critical for understanding the entire apoptotic pathway and for providing the possibility to intervene and enhance longevity and productivity of cell cultures used to produce biologicals. A group of proteases known as caspases act together in a cascade to cleave proteins at aspartic acid residues. This proteolytic cascade amplifies the apoptotic signalling pathway and thus leads to rapid cell death. In this paper, an impedance spectroscopy technique using non-Faradaic measurement of caspase-9 was combined with fluorescence-based light microscopy including an associated macro-based image analysis suite for ImageJ in a multimodal approach. Whereas the biosensor measurements provide a cell population overview, the microscopic analysis provides individual cell analysis. Combined, these approaches allowed us to detect cells in the early stages of apoptosis in the cell population. We believe these complementary methods will allow us to follow the progression of apoptosis in cells more accurately and give us a handle to intervene at early stages of apoptosis.

Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are the major cells that are damaged in glaucoma leading to vision loss and blindness. The damage to RGCs in glaucoma is caused by various mechanisms such as elevated intraocular pressure, oxidative stress, inflammation, and other neurodegenerative processes. As the disease progresses, more and more RGCs are lost, leading to a gradual loss of vision. Therefore, protecting RGCs from damage and promoting their survival is an important goal in the treatment of glaucoma. Resveratrol (RES) exerts anti-oxidant effects and slows down the evolution and progression of glaucoma. This review was prepared using databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. Based on the findings of this review, RES has a protective role on RGCs in cases of ischemic injury and hypoxia as well as ErbB2 protein expression in the retina. Additionally, RES has protective effects on RGCs by promoting cell growth, reducing apoptosis, and decreasing oxidative stress in H2O2-exposed RGCs. RES was also found to inhibit oxidative stress damage in RGCs and suppress the activation of MAPK signaling pathways. Moreover, RES could alleviate retinal function impairment by suppressing the HIF-1a/VEGF and p38/p53 axis while stimulating the PI3K/Akt pathway. Hence, RES might exert potential therapeutic effects in the treatment of glaucoma by protecting RGCs from damage and promoting their survival.

Glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, is linked to a plethora of deleterious effects in both clinical and preclinical studies. Nevertheless, the effects of its main metabolite, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), whose half-life in soil is even longer than that of glyphosate, have been little explored. On this basis, as a first approach, in this work we report that intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of AMPA or glyphosate (at 10, 56, and 100 mg/kg) decreased, to a similar extent, plasma cholinesterase (ChE) activity in acutely exposed rats. Moreover, we designed an experimental protocol to analyze and compare the effects of AMPA and glyphosate on human plasma ChE activity; this protocol consisted of adding these compounds to human plasma to subsequently test the effects of this plasma on the contraction to acetylcholine (ACh) in the frog rectus abdominis muscle (an indirect estimate of ChE activity). Accordingly, this muscular contraction to ACh was evaluated before and after pre‑incubation of ACh with: (i) plasma alone; (ii) plasma with AMPA; and (iii) plasma with glyphosate. Our results indicate that AMPA, like glyphosate, decreased ChE activity in the plasma of rats (when given i.p.) and humans (when added in vitro), suggesting that both xenobiotics may exert similar toxicological effects.

This paper proposes a fully integrated low dropout (LDO) regulator with gate-couple flipped voltage follower(GC-FVF). The proposed GC-FVF addresses the limited output swing issue of conventional PMOS FVF in LDOs while maintaining a low output impedance. Besides, this LDO introduces a cascode compensation loop, which, along with the low output impedance of GC-FVF, pushes the output pole far away from the unity-gain bandwidth under both light and heavy load conditions. Consequently, the LDO becomes a stable two-pole system, supporting a high loop gain of up to 100dB and significantly enhancing the load and line regulation. Key specifications include a preset output voltage of 1.8V, a minimum unregulated input voltage of 2V, a maximum output current of 100mA, a ground current of 32μA, and an active chip area of 260μm×180μm. Notably, this LDO achieves high load regulation of 4.8μV/mA and high line regulation of 13.8μV/V without the need for off-chip capacitors.