Clear Drop Research Articles

Morphological phenotyping of the aging cochlea in inbred C57BL/6N and outbred CD1 mouse strains.

Morphological mouse phenotyping plays a pivotal role in the translational setting and even more in the area of auditory research, where mouse is a central model organism due to the evolutionary genetic relationship and morpho-functional analogies with the human auditory system. However, some results obtained in murine models cannot be translated to humans due to the inadequate description of experimental conditions underlying poor reproducibility. We approach the characterization of the aging process of the mouse cochlea in animals up to 18 months of age belonging to two of the most used outbred (CD1) and inbred (C57BL/6N) strains. Striving to reduce any environmental variable we performed our study compliantly to the ARRIVE guidelines. We integrated instrumental data (auditory brainstem response test), with morphological analyses to correlate functional discrepancies to morphological changes and track the differences in the evolution of sensorineural hearing loss in the two strains. We featured the localization of Gipc3, Myosin VIIa, and TMC1 in hair cells of the Corti organ as well as NF 200 and the density of type I neuron in the spiral ganglion. We outlined age-related hearing loss (ARHL) in both strains, and a clear drop in the selected marker localization. However, in CD1 we detected a different trend allowing the identification of potential strain-specific mechanisms, namely an increase in myosin VIIa in 6 months aging mice in comparison to 2 months old animals. Our findings represent an asset to investigate the strain-dependent physiological trigger of ARHL providing new insights in the translational area.

Global Burden of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Among Children and Adolescents: A Comprehensive Analysis (1990-2019).

We summarize the global, regional, and national burden of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children and adolescents from 1990 to 2019. Based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, the data of IBD in children and adolescents were analyzed by sex, age, year, and location. Joinpoint analysis was applied to assess the temporal trend of the disease burden. From 1990 to 2019, the incidence of IBD in children and adolescents increased by 22.8%, from 20,897.42 to 25,658.55 cases, especially in high SDI region. During the same period, the DALY numbers decreased by 53.5%, from 243,081.06 to 113,119.86, with all SDI regions experiencing a clear drop in DALYs except high SDI regions. In 2019, early-onset IBD incidence and DALY numbers were reported at 2,053.52 (95% UI: 1,575.62 to 2,677.49) and 73,797.46 (95% UI: 43,655.86 to 105,998.63), respectively. Early-onset IBD in children and adolescents remains a significant global health concern. The disease burden has not improved in developed countries over the past 30 years, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

Spin order and dynamics in the topological rare-earth germanide semimetals

The REAl(Si,Ge) (RE = rare earth) family, known to break both the inversion- and time-reversal symmetries, represents one of the most suitable platforms for investigating the interplay between correlated-electron phenomena and topologically nontrivial bands. Here, we report on systematic magnetic, transport, and muon-spin rotation and relaxation (uSR) measurements on (Nd,Sm)AlGe single crystals, which exhibit antiferromagnetic (AFM) transitions at TN = 6.1 and 5.9 K, respectively. In addition, NdAlGe undergoes also an incommensurate-to-commensurate ferrimagnetic transition at 4.5 K. Weak transverse-field µSR measurements confirm the AFM transitions, featuring a ∼90% magnetic volume fraction. Zero-field (ZF) µSR measurements reveal a more disordered internal field distribution in NdAlGe than in SmAlGe, reflected in a larger transverse muon-spin relaxation rate λT at T ≪ TN. This may be due to the complex magnetic structure of NdAlGe, which undergoes a series of metamagnetic transitions in an external magnetic field, while SmAlGe shows only a robust AFM order. In NdAlGe, the topological Hall effect (THE) appears between the first and the second metamagnetic transitions for H ∥ c, while it is absent in SmAlGe. Such THE in NdAlGe is most likely attributed to the field-induced topological spin textures. The longitudinal muon-spin relaxation rate λL, diverges near the AFM order, followed by a clear drop at T < TN. In the magnetically ordered state, spin fluctuations are significantly stronger in NdAlGe than in SmAlGe. In general, our longitudinal-field μSR data indicate vigorous spin fluctuations in NdAlGe, thus providing valuable insights into the origin of THE and of the possible topological spin textures in REAl(Si,Ge) Weyl semimetals.

The IACOB project

Context. Blue supergiants (BSGs) are key objects for understanding the evolution of massive stars, which play a crucial role in the evolution of galaxies. However, discrepancies between theoretical predictions and empirical observations have opened up important questions yet to be answered. Studying statistically significant and unbiased samples of these objects can help to improve the situation. Aims. We perform a homogeneous and comprehensive quantitative spectroscopic analysis of a large sample of Galactic luminous blue stars (a majority of which are BSGs) from the IACOB spectroscopic database, providing crucial parameters to refine and improve theoretical evolutionary models. Methods. We derived the projected rotational velocity (υ sin i) and macroturbulent broadening (υmac) using IACOB-BROAD, which combines Fourier transform and line-profile fitting techniques. We compared high-quality optical spectra with state-of-the-art simulations of massive star atmospheres computed with the FASTWIND code. This comparison allowed us to derive effective temperatures (Teff), surface gravities (log 𝑔), microturbulences (ξ), surface abundances of silicon and helium, and to assess the relevance of stellar winds through a wind-strength parameter (log Q). Results. We provide estimates and associated uncertainties of the above-mentioned quantities for the largest sample of Galactic luminous O9 to B5 stars spectroscopically analyzed to date, comprising 527 targets. We find a clear drop in the relative number of stars at Teff ≈ 21 kK, coinciding with a scarcity of fast rotating stars below that temperature. We speculate that this feature (roughly corresponding to B2 spectral type) might be roughly delineating the location of the empirical terminal-age main sequence in the mass range between 15 and 85 M⊙. By investigating the main characteristics of the υ sin i distribution of O stars and BSGs as a function of Teff, we propose that an efficient mechanism transporting angular momentum from the stellar core to the surface might be operating along the main sequence in the high-mass domain. We find correlations between ξ,υmac and the spectroscopic luminosity 𝓛 (defined as Teff4 / g). We also find that no more than 20% of the stars in our sample have atmospheres clearly enriched in helium, and suggest that the origin of this specific subsample might be in binary evolution. We do not find clear empirical evidence of an increase in the wind strength over the wind bi-stability region toward lower Teff.

Evaluation of Bait Acceptance and Immune Response in Local Dogs during an Oral Rabies Vaccination Field Study in Morocco.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the bait preference of three selected bait types by local dogs and the induced immunogenicity of the oral rabies vaccine strain SPBN GASGAS in Morocco. The vaccine strain, combined with different bait types, has been tested in many different settings, but not yet in northern Africa. Overall, bait consumption and preference were similar in other studies using the same materials (bait type and sachet). The intestine bait had the highest acceptance rate (97.6%, 95%CI: 87.4-99.9), followed by the egg bait (83.0%, 95%CI: 69.2-92.4). Only 52% (95%CI: 37.4-66.3) of the dogs showed an interest in the fish meal bait. However, considering the successful release of the contents of the sachet (blue-dyed water) into the oral cavity, the egg bait (65.7%, 95%CI: 47.8-80.9) scored better than the intestine bait (51.7%, 95%CI: 32.5-70.6). The dogs selected for the immunogenicity study were offered the egg bait containing a sachet filled with SPBN GASGAS (3.0 mL, 107.5 FFU/mL) or were given the same dose by direct oral administration (d.o.a.). In addition, several dogs were vaccinated by the parenteral route (s.c.) using a commercially available inactivated rabies vaccine. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions, it was not possible to collect blood samples directly after vaccination. The blood samples were collected pre-vaccination and on five occasions between 450 and 1088 days post vaccination. The seroconversion rate, as determined for rabies-virus-neutralizing antibodies by the FAVN test, was significantly lower than that found for binding antibodies, as determined by ELISA, for all blood samples collected post vaccination. No treatment effect (bait, d.o.a., s.c.) could be seen in the seroconversion rate. At 15 months post vaccination, 84.2% of the dogs offered vaccine bait still tested sero-positive in ELISA. Only after 3 years was a clear drop in the seroconversion rate observed in all three treatment groups. This study confirms the long-term immunogenicity of the oral rabies vaccine SPBN GASGAS in dogs under field conditions.

Analyzing possible seismic velocity changes in Mexico City using seismic noise interferometry

The seismic response of the Mexico City basin has received plenty of attention as one of the most relevant cases of ground motion amplification. A recent study showed possible velocity variations of the deposits in both the lake bed and firm ground. A clear drop in seismic velocity was observed during the 2017.09.19 earthquake (Mw 7.1) in addition to more subtle seismic velocity changes related to seasonal temperature and precipitation. We use continuous seismic noise data recorded in a 29 broadband seismograph network in and around Mexico City to investigate Rayleigh wave group velocity structure and velocity changes. We estimate Green's functions (GF) between station pairs using seismic noise cross-correlation. An average estimate is computed for each of three five-day periods of recording. GFs are dominated by a Rayleigh pulse at low frequencies (between 0.1 and 0.2 Hz). Velocity changes are investigated through the comparison between GF's for different five-day periods. No velocity variations are observed. Station pairs separated at a distance smaller than 20 km also show some Rayleigh wave energy at higher frequencies, between 0.3 and 1.2 Hz. We repeated the analysis in a higher frequency band (up to 5 Hz) and show that again no velocity variation can be observed. In addition, we used horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios computed for both earthquake and seismic noise records to identify possible non-linear effects during the 2017 earthquake. The results showed that significant non-linear effects during that event are to be discarded. Finally, we present preliminary results of a tomography of Rayleigh wave group velocity at the center of the array. Lateral structure variations below the geotechnical zonation are significant. Our data will be useful to constrain the structure of the volcanic deposits of the Transmexican Volcanic Belt (TVB).

Updated picture of the active galactic nuclei with dusty/dust-free gas structures and effects of the radiation pressure

ABSTRACT This study investigates the properties of two gas structures of X-ray selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs), that is, dusty and dust-free gas components, by separating them with the line-of-sight dust extinction ($A_V$) and the neutral gas column density ($N_{\mathrm{H}}$). The typical column density of the dusty and dust-free gas differs depending on the Seyfert type, indicating that both structures have anisotropic column density distributions. The number of targets with the dusty gas column density ($N_{\mathrm{H,d}}$) of $\log N_{\mathrm{H,d}}\ [\mathrm{cm^{-2}}]\gt 23$ is much smaller than that with the same column density of the dust-free gas. This result indicates that the optically thick part of the dusty gas structure is very thin. There are very few targets with a larger Eddington ratio ($f_{\mathrm{Edd}}$) than the effective Eddington limit of the dusty gas and the covering factor of the dusty gas with $22\le \log N_{\mathrm{H,d}}\ [\mathrm{cm^{-2}}]\lt 24$ exhibits a clear drop at the effective Eddington limit. These results support the scenario wherein the covering factor of the dusty torus decreases in a high Eddington ratio owing to the radiation-driven dusty gas outflow. The covering factor of the dust-free gas with the column density ($N_{\mathrm{H,df}}$) of $22\le \log N_{\mathrm{H,df}}\ [\mathrm{cm^{-2}}]\lt 24$ similarly exhibits the decrease in high Eddington ratio, although it may be owing to the dust-free gas outflow driven by certain other mechanisms than the radiation pressure. Finally, we propose an updated picture of the AGN gas structure based on our results and the literature.

Experimental studies on noncentrosymmetric Nd3Se4: Strongly correlated noncollinear ferromagnet

We have synthesized polycrystalline Nd3Se4 by the solid state sealed tube reaction route followed by structural characterization and magnetic property measurements. The temperature-dependent magnetization studies reveal the existence of competing magnetic interactions below the ferromagnetic ordering (TC ≈ 48.4 K). The observation of hysteresis in the isothermal magnetization M(H) data with the coercive field of ≈ 0.25 T at 2 K indicates dominant ferromagnetic interactions in the applied field. The nonsaturating behavior of M(H) data at higher applied field and kinks in corresponding dM/dHvs. H plots suggest the coexistence of multiple magnetic interactions at low temperatures. Using the M(T,H=2 T) data, the Rhodes-Wohlfarth ratio (qc/qs) has been estimated to be ≈ 3.6, which supports the itinerant magnetism in Nd3Se4. These competing interactions have been further investigated by AC-susceptibility measurements at various excitation frequencies. The χ′ reduces drastically with an increase in the applied DC field, as observed from isothermal field-dependent AC-χ studies. Additionally, the strong correlation between delocalized charge and localized magnetic moments is evident from ρ(T) measurements at H = 0 and 5 T. The ρ(T,H=0 T) data shows a clear drop having quadratic temperature dependence, below TC. Furthermore, the inter-dependence between electrical transport and magnetism has been established firmly through negative magnetoresistance, in which the maxima correspond to the coercive field obtained from M(H) data.

Modeling and Simulating an Epidemic in Two Dimensions with an Application Regarding COVID-19

We derive a reaction–diffusion model with time-delayed nonlocal effects to study an epidemic’s spatial spread numerically. The model describes infected individuals in the latent period using a structured model with diffusion. The epidemic model assumes that infectious individuals are subject to containment measures. To simulate the model in two-dimensional space, we use the continuous Runge–Kutta method of the fourth order and the discrete Runge–Kutta method of the third order with six stages. The numerical results admit the existence of traveling wave solutions for the proposed model. We use the COVID-19 epidemic to conduct numerical experiments and investigate the minimal speed of spread of the traveling wave front. The minimal spreading speeds of COVID-19 are found and discussed. Also, we assess the power of containment measures to contain the epidemic. The results depict a clear drop in the spreading speed of the traveling wave front after applying containment measures to at-risk populations.

Eugenol-based dual-cured materials with multiple dynamic exchangeable bonds

In the present work, the preparation of sustainable thermosets has been approached simultaneously from three different points of view: a) the use of bio-based monomers chemically modified through green methodologies, b) the adoption of dual curing through click-type reactions to implement more efficient manufacturing processes, and c) inclusion of interchangeable groups in the network, to enable the reuse and recycling of the material at the end of its useful life and avoid waste generation.The first goal has been approached by synthesizing in a greener way an acrylate-epoxy derivative of eugenol (AEEU) and a glycerol triacrylate (GTA), both biobased resources. Then, the second approach was addressed by using biobased cystamine as a crosslinker to obtain materials through a dual-curing procedure based on a first “click” aza-Michael reaction and a second “click” epoxy-amine reaction. Intermediate and final materials could be prepared with different tailorable properties by controlling the molar ratio of the AEEU and GTA. By using DSC and rheology, we could evaluate the sequentiality and the gelation of the curing process. Finally, the covalent adaptable networks (CANs) prepared contained three different types of dynamic bonds (disulfide, esters, and β-aminoesters) and their thermomechanical properties were tested by DMA revealing Tgs above room temperature from 47 to 70 °C. Bending tests at break were performed to evaluate the mechanical properties reaching values up to 90 MPa of stress at break and 7 % of deformation. Stress relaxation tests showed that all materials could relax the stress at relatively low temperatures (120 °C) in less than 21 min. The associative and dissociative behavior of these materials was investigated through rheology revealing a clear drop of the modulus at high temperatures and frequencies when cystamine was used as a crosslinker. Moreover, their reprocessability was tested obtaining homogeneous samples with no significant changes in their chemical and thermal properties highlighting the great potential and wide range of possibilities in many different fields of these CANs.

Change in Electric Power Consumption in Mongolia in 2020 and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

This paper deals with the change in electric power (EP) consumption in Mongolia in 2020 based on data on the maximum and minimum EP consumption a day, provided by NPTG. The changes in EP consumption in Mongolia in detail as weekly or seasonal changes as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have not been clear, even though annual EP consumption was provided from the reports of the World Bank, IEA, and other international institutes as statistical data. Differences in the maximum average hourly and the minimum EP consumption in a day was 277 MWh (30.2%) and in the maximum and minimum daily EP consumption in 2020, which appeared in winter and summer, respectively, was 933 MWh (71.3%). Also, a 104-MWh (14.8%) drop was confirmed on special days like Naadam. To discuss the impact of COVID-19, the values of 2017 were used as a criterion for a year absent of a pandemic, and the stringency index, an indicator used to quantify the severity and stringency of government policies and measures, was introduced, and compared with the monthly EP consumption in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic decreased the EP consumption of 40 MWh (2 to 6%) except in December due to the free-electricity policy. The EP consumption showed the dependency of the stringency index, particularly a clear drop over 50 of the index values. These new findings of EP consumption properties are expected to apply EP demand forecasting and make design plans for future EP systems in Mongolia.

Investigating the Stability of Electrodeposited NiMo Alloy for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in Alkaline Media

A lot of efforts have been devoted to develop highly active noble-metal-free catalysts for hydrogen production by water electrolysis.1,2 Nevertheless, the stability of such catalysts, yet equally important, is rarely touched. NiMo alloy is an emerging catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline media.3 In the present work, we studied the stability of NiMo alloy for HER under alkaline (1M KOH, Fe-free) conditions as a model catalyst. Using electrodeposition at room temperature, we deposited NiMo alloy onto nickel foam substrates. A long-term (20h) stability test at a fixed current density of -100 mA cm-2 was carried out using chronopotentiometry. Electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) and HER polarization curves were determined prior and after this stability test. Here, obvious activity loss is observed. The ECSA of NiMo catalyst after chronopotentiometry test increases by 10%. Thus, an obvious increase in the overpotential is observed upon normalizing the catalytic current with ECSA (Figure 1a). As further stability test 100 CV cycles at a scan rate of 100 mV s-1 from 0 to –350 mV vs. RHE were carried out, the catalysts then hold for 30 min at open circuit potential and again 100 CV cycles carried out. A clear drop in activity during the second 100 cycles is also observed here and especially at the higher current density of 60 mA cm-2 (Figure 1b). In summary, we found that NiMo, though active initially, loses its activity with time under HER conditions in alkaline media.References Vesborg, P. C. K.; Seger, B.; Chorkendorff, I. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2015, 6, 951– 957.Zou, X. X.; Zhang, Y. Soc. Rev. 2015, 44, 5148– 5180.Kuznetsov, V. V.; Gamburg, Y. D.; Zhulikov, V. V.; Krutskikh, V. M.; Filatova, E. A.; Trigub, A. L.; Belyakova, O. A. Electrochim. Acta 2020, 354, 136610. Figure 1

Signature of Superconductivity in Pressurized La4Ni3O10

The discovery of high-temperature superconductivity near 80 K in bilayer nickelate La3Ni2O7 under high pressures has renewed the exploration of superconducting nickelate in bulk materials. The extension of superconductivity in other nickelates in a broader family is also essential. Here, we report the experimental observation of superconducting signature in trilayer nickelate La4Ni3O10 under high pressures. By using a modified sol-gel method and post-annealing treatment under high oxygen pressure, we successfully obtained polycrystalline La4Ni3O10 samples with different transport behaviors at ambient pressure. Then we performed high-pressure electrical resistance measurements on these samples in a diamond-anvil-cell apparatus. Surprisingly, the signature of possible superconducting transition with a maximum transition temperature (T c) of about 20 K under high pressures is observed, as evidenced by a clear drop of resistance and the suppression of resistance drops under magnetic fields. Although the resistance drop is sample-dependent and relatively small, it appears in all of our measured samples. We argue that the observed superconducting signal is most likely to originate from the main phase of La4Ni3O10. Our findings will motivate the exploration of superconductivity in a broader family of nickelates and shed light on the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of high-T c superconductivity in nickelates.

ALGORITHM FOR APPLICATION OF METHODS FOR DETECTING CENTRAL SIGNS OF AN EMERGENCY SITUATION DUE TO FIRE AT CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES

The work is devoted to the solution of an actual scientific task in the field of civil protection, namely, the development of an algorithm for the application of the technique of detecting focal signs of an emergency situation due to a fire at critical infrastructure facilities. Recommendations for the practical application of the methodology as the basis of the method of non-destructive control of the processes of preventing emergency situations due to a fire of a terrorist nature at the objects of critical infrastructure of Ukraine are given. the algorithm for the application of the method of detecting focal signs of an emergency situation due to a fire at critical infrastructure facilities consists of three procedures, namely: procedures for conducting measurements at a critical infrastructure facility, procedures for statistical processing of measurement results, fire reconstruction procedures. The received general recommendations of the fire reconstruction procedure can be reduced to the following. In particular, we note that the value of the electrical resistance of soot is related to the mode of combustion in one or another zone. If this value, which was measured directly above the investigated area, exceeds 10101011 Ohm, then this indicates that there was no intense flame burning in this area, but the burning took place in the form of smoldering. Long-term smoldering of a fire load in conditions of insufficient air exchange can lead to the formation of a thick layer of greasy soot on the ceiling and in the upper part of the walls, sometimes with clear drops of the liquid phase or drop-like spots. This can be observed in small rooms and other volumes that are not ventilated. If the combustion moves from such premises to a larger space with better air exchange, and a flaming combustion occurs, then the formed electrical resistance pattern will mainly reflect the development of flaming combustion. The source of the fire may appear in the form of soot burning or extremely low values of its electrical resistance, or vice versa, in a rather thick layer of soot with a high content of extractive substances. Thus, the interpretation of the results of the measurement of electrical resistance must be accompanied by an analysis of the specifics of the volume-planning decisions of the building (room), the conditions of air exchange, and the distribution of the fire load. The obtained results of the soot research can be used within the framework of fire engineering expertise to reconstruct the process of the occurrence and development of combustion, including to establish the center of the fire. Keywords: emergency situation, critical infrastructure object, technique, focal signs, thermal damage.

Incidence of gynaecological cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: A population-based study in the Netherlands

ObjectiveTo study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent lockdown on the number of diagnoses of gynaecological malignancies in the Netherlands. MethodsWe performed a retrospective cohort study using data from the Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR) on women of 18 years and older diagnosed with invasive endometrial, ovarian, cervical or vulvar cancer in the period 2017–2021. Analyses were stratified for age, socioeconomical status (SES) and region. ResultsThe incidence rate of gynaecological cancer was 67/100.000 (n = 4832) before (2017–2019) and 68/100.000 (n = 4833) during (2020) the COVID-19 pandemic. Comparing the number of diagnoses of the two periods for the four types of cancer separately showed no significant difference. During the first wave of COVID-19 (March-June 2020), a clear decrease in number of gynaecological cancer diagnoses was visible (20–34 %). Subsequently, large increases in number of diagnoses were visible (11–29 %). No significant differences in incidence were found between different age groups, SES and regions. In 2021 an increase of 5.9 % in number of diagnoses was seen. ConclusionIn the Netherlands, a clear drop in number of diagnoses was visible for all four types of gynaecological cancers during the first wave, with a subsequent increase in number of diagnoses in the second part of 2020 and in 2021. No differences between SES groups were found. This illustrates good organisation of and access to health care in the Netherlands.

Probing environmental and tectonic changes underneath Mexico City with the urban seismic field

Abstract. The sediments underneath Mexico City have unique mechanical properties that give rise to strong site effects. We investigated temporal changes in the seismic velocity at strong-motion and broadband seismic stations throughout Mexico City, including sites with different geologic characteristics ranging from city center locations situated on lacustrine clay to hillside locations on volcanic bedrock. We used autocorrelations of urban seismic noise, enhanced by waveform clustering, to extract subtle seismic velocity changes by coda wave interferometry. We observed and modeled seasonal, co- and post-seismic changes, as well as a long-term linear trend in seismic velocity. Seasonal variations can be explained by self-consistent models of thermoelastic and poroelastic changes in the subsurface shear wave velocity. Overall, sites on lacustrine clay-rich sediments appear to be more sensitive to seasonal surface temperature changes, whereas sites on alluvial and volcaniclastic sediments and on bedrock are sensitive to precipitation. The 2017 Mw 7.1 Puebla and 2020 Mw 7.4 Oaxaca earthquakes both caused a clear drop in seismic velocity, followed by a time-logarithmic recovery that may still be ongoing for the 2017 event at several sites or that may remain incomplete. The slope of the linear trend in seismic velocity is correlated with the downward vertical displacement of the ground measured by interferometric synthetic aperture radar, suggesting a causative relationship and supporting earlier studies on changes in the resonance frequency of sites in the Mexico City basin due to groundwater extraction. Our findings show how sensitively shallow seismic velocity and, in consequence, site effects react to environmental, tectonic and anthropogenic processes. They also demonstrate that urban strong-motion stations provide useful data for coda wave monitoring given sufficiently high-amplitude urban seismic noise.

Low temperature nucleation of thermochromic VO2 crystal domains in nanocolumnar porous thin films

The low temperature formation of monoclinic VO2 crystal domains in nanocolumnar vanadium/oxygen thin films prepared by magnetron sputtering at oblique angles is analyzed. The synthesis procedure involved the deposition of amorphous nanocolumnar VO1.9 thin films at room temperature and its subsequent annealing at temperatures between 250 °C and 330 °C in an oxygen atmosphere. The thermochromic transition of these films was found at a temperature of 47 °C when the annealing temperature was 270 °C and 58 °C when the annealing temperature was 280 °C and 290 °C, presenting a clear drop of the optical transmittance in the infrared region of the spectrum. The significant downshift in the temperature window to obtain VO2 in comparison with compact films and other strategies in literature is explained by the particular morphology of the nanocolumnar structures, which contains numerous defects along with open and embedded porosity.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergent stroke care in Beijing, China

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption to health care systems around the globe. Stroke is still an ongoing issue during the pandemic. We investigated the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on emergent stroke care in Beijing, China. This is a retrospective analysis of two groups of patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) registered in the Beijing Emergency Care Database between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020. Based on a database including 77 stroke centres, the quantity and quality of emergency care for stroke were compared. Subgroup analyses based on hospitals in different areas (high-risk and low/medium-risk areas) were carried out. A total of 6440 and 8699 admissions with suspected stroke were recorded in 2020 and 2019, respectively. There were no significant differences in the mean age and sex distribution for the patients between the two observational periods. The number of AIS admissions decreased by approximately 23.9% during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to that during the prepandemic period. The proportions of intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular treatment were 76.4% and 13.1%, respectively, in 2020, which were higher than those in 2019 (71.7% and 9.3%, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in the time from stroke onset to arrival at the hospital (97.97 ± 23.09 min vs. 99.40 ± 20.76 min, p = 0.832) between the two periods. The door-to-needle time for thrombolysis (44.92 ± 9.20 min vs. 42.37 ± 9.06 min, p < 0.001) and door-to-thrombectomy time (138.56 ± 32.45 min vs. 120.55 ± 32.68 min, p < 0.001) were increased significantly in the pandemic period compared to those in the prepandemic period, especially in hospitals in high-risk areas. The decline in the number of patients with AIS and delay in treatment started after the launch of the level-1 public health emergency response and returned to stability after the release of professional protocols and consensus statements. Disruptions to medical services during the COVID-19 pandemic have substantially impacted AIS patients, with a clear drop in admission and a decline in the quality of emergent AIS care, especially in hospitals in high-risk areas and at the time of the initial outbreak of COVID-19. Health care systems need to maintain rapid adaptation to possible outbreaks of COVID-19 or similar crises in the future.

Three years of minimum unit pricing in the Northern Territory, what does the evidence say?

Three years of minimum unit pricing in the Northern Territory, what does the evidence say?

Blending or Bonding? Mechanochromism of an Aggregachromic Mechanophore in a Thermoplastic Elastomer

A straightforward way for the preparation of mechanochromic polymers consists of incorporating a suitable content of a mechanophore in the polymeric matrix either by physical dispersion or via covalent functionalization. Although covalent incorporation may require demanding chemical efforts, this approach can offer significant advantages over physical dispersion. In this work, a common thermoplastic elastomer, styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene triblock copolymer grafted with maleic anhydride (SEBS-MAH), was covalently functionalized with 1-aminomethylpyrene (AMP). MAH functional groups are covalently linked to the ethylene-co-butylene blocks, thus allowing a precise and selective confinement of the chromogenic AMP units in the soft block. Flat, fully conjugated pyrene units undergo the reversible formation of π–π aggregates, readily distinguishable by their red-shifted emission. These aggregates were heavily affected by the application of mechanical stimuli. Despite the low degree of mechanophore functionalization (about 1 wt %), uniaxial deformation of the polymer was reliably monitored via fluorescence and a clear drop in the excimer to monomer emission ratio (IE/IM) was observed starting from 50% of strain. The marked mechanochromism was confirmed by emission lifetime measurements and also by near-field investigations. In addition, the mechanoresponse showed good reversibility after repeated stress–relaxation cycles. Control experiments performed on formulations comprising a physical dispersion of pyrene in unfunctionalized SEBS showed faint excimer emission and a negligible mechanochromic response up to 5 wt % of doping, in substantial agreement with the scanning near-field optical microscopy analysis. An evident drop of the IE/IM ratio occurred for 10 wt % of pyrene, albeit the excimer emission remained predominant even at the highest deformation, being a smaller fraction of pyrene moieties involved. Overall, the covalent approach appeared as an elegant procedure to confine the chromogenic unit in the soft phase of block copolymers and thus to provide an elastomeric film showing a detectable and reversible mechanochromic response with a modest (i.e., ∼1 wt %) amount of pyrene molecules, i.e., 10 times smaller compared to the dispersed system.