Window Of Protection Research Articles

Plant versus pollinator protection: balancing pest management against floral contamination for insecticide use in Midwestern US cucurbits.

Controlling crop pests while conserving pollinators is challenging, particularly when prophylactically applying broad-spectrum, systemic insecticides such as neonicotinoids. Systemic insecticides are often used in conventional agriculture in commercial settings, but the conditions that optimally balance pest management and pollination are poorly understood. We investigated how insecticide application strategies control pests and expose pollinators to insecticides with an observational study of cucurbit crops in the Midwestern United States. To define the window of protection and potential pollinator exposure resulting from alternative insecticide application strategies, we surveyed 62 farms cultivating cucumber, watermelon, or pumpkin across 2 yr. We evaluated insecticide regimes, abundance of striped and spotted cucumber beetles (Acalymma vittatum [Fabricius] and Diabrotica undecimpunctata Mannerheim), and insecticide residues in leaves, pollen, and nectar. We found that growers used neonicotinoids (thiamethoxam and imidacloprid) at planting in all cucumber and pumpkin and approximately half of watermelon farms. In cucumber, foliar thiamethoxam levels were orders of magnitude higher than the other crops, excluding nearly all beetles from fields. In watermelon and pumpkin, neonicotinoids applied at planting resulted in 4-8wk of protection before beetle populations increased. Floral insecticide concentrations correlated strongly with foliar concentrations across all crops, resulting in high potential exposure to pollinators in cucumber and low-moderate exposure in pumpkin and watermelon. Thus, the highest-input insecticide regimes maintained cucumber beetles far below economic thresholds while also exposing pollinators to the highest pollen and nectar insecticide concentrations. In cucurbits, reducing pesticide inputs will likely better balance crop protection and pollination, reduce costs, and improve yields.

Photoluminescence of polysiloxane-immobilized lignin-modified wood toward color-tunable and ultraviolet protective smart window

Smart windows can benefit from the use of photochromic wooden materials. In the current study, we report the preparation of fluorescent wood that can switch color under visible and ultraviolet lighting conditions. In order to develop a transparent wood that is both fluorescent and photochromic, a mixture of europium and dysprosium activated strontium aluminum oxide (EDSA) nanoparticles (NPs; 8–13 nm) and room-temperature vulcanizing (RTV) silicone rubber (Polysiloxane) was integrated into a delignified wood. EDSA is known for its excellent photostability and thermal stability. The EDSA phosphor has to be efficiently dispersed in RTV to avoid the formation of aggregates, allowing for a better fabrication of colorless wood. The coloration findings from the CIE Lab parameters displayed that when illuminated with ultraviolet rays, this colorless wooden substrate turned green. Using a transmission electron microscope (TEM), the morphological properties of the synthesized EDSA NPs were examined. Various analysis techniques, including elemental mapping, energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopic analyzer (WDXRF), scanning electron microscope (SEM), hardness testing, and photoluminescence spectra, were employed to study the photochromic woods. An absorption band (365 nm) and two emission bands (436 nm and 518 nm) were determined for the prepared photoluminescent woods. When increasing the EDSA content, the results showed that the produced EDSA-infiltrated wood was more water-resistant and highly protective against UV radiation. Reversible photochromic responsiveness to UV light was observed for the prepared transparent luminous wood without fatigue.

Improving the Transparency of a MgAl2O4 Spinel Damaged by Sandblasting through a SiO2-ZrO2 Coating

Transparent materials in contact with harmful environments such as sandstorms are exposed to surface damage. Transparent MgAl2O4 spinel used as protective window, lens or laser exit port, among others, is one of the materials affected by natural aggressions. The impact of sand particles can cause significant defects on the exposed surface, thus affecting its optical and mechanical behavior. The aim of this work is to improve the surface state of a spinel damaged surface by the deposition of a thin layer of SiO2-ZrO2. For this purpose, spinel samples obtained from different commercial powders sintered by Spark Plasma Sintering were sandblasted and further coated with a SiO2-ZrO2 thin layer. The coating was successfully synthesized by the sol/gel method, deposited on the sandblasted samples and then treated at 900 °C, reaching a final thickness of 250 nm. The results indicated that sandblasting significantly affects the surface of the spinel samples as well as the optical transmission, confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy and profilometry tests. However, the deposition of a SiO2-ZrO2 coating modifies the UV-visible response. Thus, the optical transmission of the S25CRX12 sample presents the best transmission values of 81%, followed by the S25CRX14 sample then the S30CR sample at 550 nm wavelength. An important difference was observed between sandblasted samples and coated samples at low and high wavelengths. At low wavelengths (around 200 nm), sandblasting tends to improve significantly the transmission of spinel samples, which exhibit a low transmission in the pristine state. This phenomenon can be attributed to the healing of small superficial defects responsible for the degradation of transmission such as pores or flaws. When the initial transmission at 200 nm is high, the sandblasting worsens the transmission. Sandblasting reduces slightly the transmission values for long wavelengths due to the formation of large superficial defects like chipping by creation and propagation of lateral cracks. The coating of the sandblasted samples exhibits some healing of defects induced by sandblasting. The deposition of the SiO2-ZrO2 layer induces a clear increase in the optical transmission values, sometimes exceeding the initial values of the transmission in the pristine state.

Is There an Optimal Time Window of Placement of Intracranial Pressure (ICP) Monitor for Elderly Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury? An 11-Year Institutional Cohort Study With Restricted Cubic Spline Analysis.

Severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) is a prominent contributor to both morbidity and mortality in the elderly population. The monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) is crucial in the management of sTBI patients. Nevertheless, the appropriate timing for the placement of ICP monitor in elderly sTBI patients remains uncertain. To determine the optimal timing for the placement of ICP monitor in elderly sTBI patients, in this retrospective cohort study, we collected data from elderly patients (> 65 years) who suffered sTBI and received ICP monitors at Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, between January 2011 and December 2021. To examine the relationship between the time of ICP monitor placement and in-hospital mortality, we conducted a multi-variate-adjusted restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis. Additionally, logistic regression analysis was applied to further analyze the influencing factors contributing to early or late ICP monitor placements. A total of 283 eligible elderly TBI patients were included in the current analysis. The in-hospital mortality rate was 73 out of 283 (26%). The RCS analysis demonstrated an inverted U-shaped curve in the relationship between the timing of ICP monitor placement and in-hospital mortality. For the elderly sTBI patient cohort, 6 h was identified as the crucial moment for the treatment strategy. In addition, the protective time window for ICP placement was less than 4.92 h for the GCS 3-5 group, and less than 8.26 h for the GCS 6-8 group. However, the clinical benefit of ICP placement decreased gradually over time. The relationship between ICP placement and in-hospital mortality was non-linear, exhibiting an inverted U-shaped curve in elderly patients with sTBI. For elderly patients with sTBI, early (≤ 6 h) ICP placement was associated with reduced in-hospital mortality. The clinical benefit of ICP placement decreased beyond the optimal time window.

A general-purpose spectroscopic camera for single-board computers

A low-cost consumer-grade spectroscopic system offers potential applications in many fields. Linear variable optical filters (LVOFs) placed in front of imaging sensors are one of the most promising avenues to realize this goal. In this work, we built a spectroscopic system by depositing an LVOF directly onto the protective window of OV5647 color and OV9281 monochrome imaging sensors for the Raspberry Pi. The ¼” sensors cost $15-$80 CAD at the time of writing and have linear dimensions of only 2.7 – 3.6 mm. To achieve a suitable gradient over such small sensors, an ultra-slow shutting system was built for the physical vapor deposition of an SiO2 gradient layer between two partially transparent silver mirrors to form a miniature LVOF. The resulting devices operated as effective low-cost spectrometers that were single-moded in the visible spectrum. These simple systems were finally used to measure spectra from sample light sources, clearly illustrating the advantages and limitations of this simple and economical approach towards everyday consumer spectroscopy.

Exploring protective window through the lens of image restoration techniques

Exploring protective window through the lens of image restoration techniques

A Novel DTSCR Structure with High Holding Voltage and Enhanced Current Discharge Capability for 28 nm CMOS Technology ESD Protection.

To cope with the much narrower ESD design window in 28 nm CMOS technology, a novel diode-triggered silicon-controlled rectifier with an extra discharge path (EDP-DTSCR) for ESD protection is proposed in this paper. Compared with the traditional DTSCR, the proposed DTSCR has an enhanced current discharge capability that is achieved by creating a slave SCR path in parallel with the master SCR path. Moreover, the improved triggering and holding characteristic can be obtained by the proposed EDP-DTSCR. By sharing the anode emitter junction, a slave SCR path is constructed that is symmetrical to the position of the master SCR path to add an additional ESD discharge path to the EDP-DTSCR. In this way, the current discharge capability of the entire device is obviously improved. The TCAD simulation result shows that the proposed device has a remarkably lower on-resistance compared with the traditional DTSCR and the DTSCR with p-type guard ring (PGR-DTSCR). In addition, it is structurally optimized to further increase the holding voltage and reduce the trigger voltage to improve the anti-latching capability of the device, which is more conducive to the ESD protection window application of 28 nm CMOS technology.

Extended Postexposure Protection Against Vaginal Simian/Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection With Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate/Elvitegravir Inserts in Macaques.

Vaginal inserts that can be used on demand before or after sex may be a desirable human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention option for women. We recently showed that inserts containing tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF, 20 mg) and elvitegravir (EVG, 16 mg) were highly protective against repeated simian/human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) vaginal exposures when administered to macaques 4 hours before or after virus exposure (93% and 100%, respectively). Here, we show in the same macaque model that insert application 8 hours or 24 hours after exposure maintains high efficacy (94.4% and 77.2%, respectively). These data extend the protective window by TAF/EVG inserts and inform their clinical development for on-demand prophylaxis in women.

Co-Formulation of Recombinant Porcine IL-18 Enhances the Onset of Immune Response in a New Lawsonia intracellularis Vaccine.

Pig is one of the most consumed meats worldwide. One of the main conditions for pig production is Porcine Enteropathy caused by Lawsonia intracellularis. Among the effects of this disease is chronic mild diarrhea, which affects the weight gain of pigs, generating economic losses. Vaccines available to prevent this condition do not have the desired effect, but this limitation can be overcome using adjuvants. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin 18 (IL-18), can improve an immune response, reducing the immune window of protection. In this study, recombinant porcine IL-18 was produced and expressed in Escherichia coli and Pichia pastoris. The protein's biological activity was assessed in vitro and in vivo, and we determined that the P. pastoris protein had better immunostimulatory activity. A vaccine candidate against L. intracellularis, formulated with and without IL-18, was used to determine the pigs' cellular and humoral immune responses. Animals injected with the candidate vaccine co-formulated with IL-18 showed a significant increase of Th1 immune response markers and an earlier increase of antibodies than those vaccinated without the cytokine. This suggests that IL-18 acts as an immunostimulant and vaccine adjuvant to boost the immune response against the antigens, reducing the therapeutic window of recombinant protein-based vaccines.

Association of Cumulative Lifetime Exposure to Female Hormones With Cerebral Small Vessel Disease in Postmenopausal Women in the UK Biobank.

Rates of cerebrovascular disease increase after menopause, which is often attributed to the absence of hormones. It remains unknown whether the cumulative exposure to hormones across a female person's premenopausal life extends the window of cerebrovascular protection to the postmenopausal period. To investigate this, we examined the relationship between lifetime hormone exposure (LHE) and cerebral small vessel disease in more than 9,000 postmenopausal women in the UK-Biobank. The cohort consisted of women (aged 40-69 years) who attended one of 22 research centers across the United Kingdom between 2006 and 2010. Women were excluded if they were premenopausal when scanned, had missing reproductive history data, self-reported neurologic disorders, brain cancer, cerebral vascular incidents, head or neurologic injury, and nervous system infection. Endogenous LHE (LHEEndo) was estimated by summing the number of years pregnant (LHEParity) with the duration of the reproductive period (LHECycle = age menopause - age menarche). Exogenous LHE (LHEExo) was estimated by summing the number of years on oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy. Cerebral small vessel disease was determined by estimating white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV) from T2-fluid-attenuated inversion recovery brain MRI (acquired between 2014 and 2021), normalized to intracranial volume and log-transformed. Multiple linear regressions were used to assess the relationship between LHEEndo on WMHV adjusted for age, cardiovascular risk factors, sociodemographics, and LHEExo. A total of 9,163 postmenopausal women (age 64.21 ± 6.81 years) were retained for analysis. Average LHEEndo was 39.77 ± 3.59 years. Women with higher LHEEndo showed smaller WMHV (adj-R 2 = 0.307, LHEEndo β = -0.007 [-0.012 to -0.002], p < 0.01). LHEParity and LHECycle were independent contributors to WMHV (adj-R 2 = 0.308, p << 0.001; LHEParity β = -0.022 [-0.042 to -0.002], p < 0.05; LHECycle β = -0.006 [-0.011 to -0.001], p < 0.05). LHEExo was not significantly related to WMHV (LHEExo β = 0.001 [-0.001 to 0.002], p > 0.05). Women with more prolonged exposure to endogenous hormones show relatively smaller burden of cerebral small vessel disease independent of the history of oral contraceptive use or hormone replacement therapy. Our results highlight the critical role endogenous hormones play in female brain health and provide real-world evidence of the protective effects premenopausal endogenous hormone exposure plays on postmenopausal cerebrovascular health.

Indoor Climate Monitoring in Office Buildings—Comparative Analysis of Two Office Buildings without Air Conditioning

Against the background of climate protection and the rising costs of a fossil-fuel-based energy supply, the interest in the energy performance and indoor climate of buildings in real operation is rising. This paper, therefore, deals with the indoor climate investigation of two medium-sized office buildings in Germany by taking measurements over a whole year. These relate to one new building and one refurbished building. Sensors of various types were installed and operated in a large number of office rooms, so that in total results are available for over 100 rooms, typically occupied by one or two persons. The analysis focuses on the indoor temperature in summer and the air quality in winter based on the CO2 concentration. The comfort classes according to DIN EN 16798 including the adaptive comfort approach are used as a basis to cluster the results. Both buildings have movable sun protection and openable windows but no facilities for active cooling. They, thus, represent a large number of existing ‘low tech’ office buildings in Germany and central Europe. The results reflect the respective building concepts but also show a wide range between the rooms due to the user preferences and behaviour. The refurbished building shows better results, especially in terms of air quality but also in terms of summer room temperatures. This underlines the benefit of the targeted measures as a result of an analysis of the deficits in the existing building before the refurbishment. The additional measures for decentralised mechanical ventilation and passive cooling are having positive effects. As part of the projects, further measures to improve the indoor climate were investigated in both buildings. In one case, this involved CO2 traffic lights to stimulate personal window ventilation in winter, and in the other, the use of newly developed individual ceiling fans supports convective heat dissipation on the human body during hot spells in summer. The positive effect could be demonstrated for both measures.

High-efficiency green management of potato late blight by a self-assembled multicomponent nano-bioprotectant

Potato late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans is a devastating disease worldwide. Unlike other plant pathogens, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) is poorly taken up by P. infestans, which is a key obstacle in using dsRNA for disease control. Here, a self-assembled multicomponent nano-bioprotectant for potato late blight management is designed based on dsRNA and a plant elicitor. Nanotechnology overcomes the dsRNA delivery bottleneck for P. infestans and extends the RNAi protective window. The protective effect of nano-enabled dsRNA against infection arises from a synergistic mechanism that bolsters the stability of dsRNA and optimizes its effective intracellular delivery. Additionally, the nano-enabled elicitor enhances endocytosis and amplifies the systemic defense response of the plants. Co-delivery of dsRNA and an elicitor provides a protective effect via the two aspects of pathogen inhibition and elevated plant defense mechanisms. The multicomponent nano-bioprotectant exhibits superior control efficacy compared to a commercial synthetic pesticide in field conditions. This work proposes an eco-friendly strategy to manage devastating plant diseases and pests.

Protection Window Based Security-Aware Scheduling against Schedule-Based Attacks

With widespread use of common-off-the-shelf components and the drive towards connection with external environments, the real-time systems are facing more and more security problems. In particular, the real-time systems are vulnerable to the schedule-based attacks because of their predictable and deterministic nature in operation. In this paper, we present a security-aware real-time scheduling scheme to counteract the schedule-based attacks by preventing the untrusted tasks from executing during the attack effective window (AEW). In order to minimize the AEW untrusted coverage ratio for the system with uncertain AEW size, we introduce the protection window to characterize the system protection capability limit due to the system schedulability constraint. To increase the opportunity of the priority inversion for the security-aware scheduling, we design an online feasibility test method based on the busy interval analysis. In addition, to reduce the run-time overhead of the online feasibility test, we also propose an efficient online feasibility test method based on the priority inversion budget analysis to avoid online iterative calculation through the offline maximum slack analysis. Owing to the protection window and the online feasibility test, our proposed approach can efficiently provide best-effort protection to mitigate the schedule-based attack vulnerability while ensuring system schedulability. Experiments show the significant security capability improvement of our proposed approach over the state-of-the-art coverage oriented scheduling algorithm.

Pengelolaan Persediaan Kaca Film Menggunakan Metode Economic Order Quantity (EOQ)

CV Jaya Mandiri Motor is a company engaged in the sales and installation services of automotive and building window films, with branches in various cities. CV Jaya Mandiri Motor is an official dealer for various types of window films. Due to the increasing demand for window film installations, it is not uncommon for the CV Jaya Mandiri Motor branch in Kota Metro to experience shortages of window film stock, mainly due to the two-week lead time for ordering window films from the central distributor. Therefore, an optimization of the window film inventory system at the CV Jaya Mandiri Motor branch in Kota Metro is necessary to address the issue of stockouts and maximize the company's profits. In conducting research at the CV Jaya Mandiri Motor branch in Kota Metro, the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) method is used to determine the most optimal and economical order quantities for each purchasing instance. The research results in the following EOQ values: Heat Protection window film, 98 meters in quantity with a frequency of 3 orders; 3M Black Beauty window film, 171 meters with a frequency of 2 orders; 3M Crystal Line window film, 83 meters with a frequency of 3 orders; Elite/5M window film, 633 meters with a frequency of 1 order; 3D Auto Film window film, 264 meters with a frequency of 2 orders; Black Sun Control window film, 264 meters with a frequency of 1 order; Black Platinum window film, 231 meters with a frequency of 1 order; and Crystal Ice window film, 456 meters with a frequency of 1 order

Imaging model and vision measurement method considering refraction effect of flat glass windows in tunnel construction

Vision measurement has become an indispensable technology in tunnel construction. However, the harsh construction environment necessitates the provision of a certain thickness of flat glass windows to protect the vision system. This, in turn, leads to an obvious refraction effect, rendering the pinhole model and traditional vision measurement methods inadequate. As such, this paper offers a comprehensive solution to this problem. Firstly, the imaging model under the refraction of flat glass is shown based on the virtual camera and virtual space point, respectively. Secondly, a three-parameter calibration method for flat glass was proposed, which could determine the refractive index, unit normal vector, and light path normal distance. A practical dynamic interval constraint was introduced to address the failure of the epipolar constraint in refraction image pairs. Lastly, a new binocular disparity method is presented to avoid the impact of refraction distortion on the solution accuracy of three-dimensional coordinates. Effectiveness experiments are conducted, showing a refractive index relative error within ±1%, a miniaturized and efficient dynamic interval constraint, a maximum reconstruction error of 0.120 mm, and a maximum measurement error of only 0.093 mm. A series of stability experiments are also performed under different target attitudes, glass attitudes, working distances, and pollution conditions. The results demonstrate the robustness of the proposed solution. Although the scheme is developed for the vision system in harsh tunnel construction environments, it can serve as a reference for any vision measurement applications under glass protection windows.

The age profile of respiratory syncytial virus burden in preschool children of low- and middle-income countries: A semi-parametric, meta-regression approach.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections are among the primary causes of death for children under 5 years of age worldwide. A notable challenge with many of the upcoming prophylactic interventions against RSV is their short duration of protection, making the age profile of key interest to the design of prevention strategies. We leverage the RSV data collected on cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in a systematic review in combination with flexible generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) to characterize the age burden of RSV incidence, hospitalization, and hospital-based case fatality rate (hCFR). Due to the flexible nature of GAMMs, we estimate the peak, median, and mean incidence of infection to inform discussions on the ideal "window of protection" of prophylactic interventions. In a secondary analysis, we reestimate the burden of RSV in all low- and middle-income countries. The peak age of community-based incidence is 4.8 months, and the mean and median age of infection is 18.9 and 14.7 months, respectively. Estimating the age profile using the incidence coming from hospital-based studies yields a slightly younger age profile, in which the peak age of infection is 2.6 months and the mean and median age of infection are 15.8 and 11.6 months, respectively. More severe outcomes, such as hospitalization and in-hospital death have a younger age profile. Children under 6 months of age constitute 10% of the population under 5 years of age but bear 20% to 29% of cases, 28% to 39% of hospitalizations, and 38% to 50% of deaths. On an average year, we estimate 28.23 to 31.34 million cases of RSV, between 2.95 to 3.35 million hospitalizations, and 16,835 to 19,909 in-hospital deaths in low, lower- and upper middle-income countries. In addition, we estimate 17,254 to 23,875 deaths in the community, for a total of 34,114 to 46,485 deaths. Globally, evidence shows that community-based incidence may differ by World Bank Income Group, but not hospital-based incidence, probability of hospitalization, or the probability of in-hospital death (p ≤ 0.01, p = 1, p = 0.86, 0.63, respectively). Our study is limited mainly due to the sparsity of the data, especially for low-income countries (LICs). The lack of information for some populations makes detecting heterogeneity between income groups difficult, and differences in access to care may impact the reported burden. We have demonstrated an approach to synthesize information on RSV outcomes in a statistically principled manner, and we estimate that the age profile of RSV burden depends on whether information on incidence is collected in hospitals or in the community. Our results suggest that the ideal prophylactic strategy may require multiple products to avert the risk among preschool children.

#6635 ARNT AND ALK3 MEDIATE RENO PROTECTION AFTER ISCHEMIC PRECONDITIONING

Abstract Background and Aims Ischemia and following hypoxia are a common cause of acute kidney injury (AKI). Strategies for prevention and treatment of AKI are limited. In several animal models, ischemic preconditioning (IPC) has been established as an effective intervention to prevent ischemic organ injury. An IPC protocol of ischemia and reperfusion mediates organ protection for a few hours. This first phase of organ protection is followed by a second, protective phase occurring after 24–48 h. The second phase, named second window of protection (SWOP), persists for 3–4 d. Mechanisms and transcriptional mediators during SWOP are mostly unknown. The aim of the underlying study was to investigate effectors and target genes during SWOP and to identify a potential pharmacological therapeutic target. Method 6–8-week-old C57BL/6 mice were undergoing an IPC intervention; five minutes of renal sinistra artery ischemia was followed by five minutes of reperfusion. This cycle was performed five times. Mice were sacrificed 2, 4, 8, 12, 25, 48, 72 h after IPC. Two additional groups of mice were pharmacologically preconditioned for 48 h with low dose FK506 and small molecule GPI1046. Analysis of murine kidneys were performed by SDS-Page and Western blot. Results The first phase after IPC (2–4 h) was characterized by an increasing expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF1α); 48 h after intervention a significant increase of expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT) and consecutive activin receptor-like kinase 3 (ALK3) was observed. Comparable induction of ARNT and ALK3 expression was obtained by pharmacological preconditioning with FK506 or GPI1046. Conclusion Affected by hypoxia, HIF1α activates transcriptional upregulation of ARNT 48 h after IPC. The increasing expression of ARNT, follows an increased ARNT homodimerization. ARNT homodimer binds to the palindromic E-box 5′-CACGTG-3′ of the proximal ALK3 promoter. By this it induces the expression of the renoprotective ALK3 during SWOP. The organ-protective effects of constitutively expressed ARNT during SWOP can be mimicked pharmacologically by administration of FK506 or GPI1046 and may be used as a future therapeutic target.

Inhibition of Salvianolic Acid B and Ginsenoside Rg1 on Hemorrhagic Transformation after Stroke

Abstract Objective Application of recanalization on stroke patients is not only limited with time window, but also accompanied with the risk of hemorrhagic transformation. In present study, the effects of salvianolic acid B and ginsenoside Rg1 combination (SalB/Rg1) on time window and hemorrhagic transformation against ischemic stroke was evaluated on middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mice. Methods The protection and time window of SalB/Rg1 were estimated through infarct volume, neurobehavioral deficits, and histomorphological examination. The prohibition of SalB/Rg1 against hemorrhagic transformation was detected on MCAO mice stimulated with dextrose and reperfusion. Hemorrhagic transformation was assessed by the Heidelberg Bleeding Classification. The mechanism of SalB/Rg1 against hemorrhagic transformation was identified by immunofluorescence staining and in situ gelatin zymography. Results First, SalB/Rg1 significantly reduced infarct volume and improved neurobehavior in a dose-dependent manner. Then, the protective time window up to 9 hours was detected for SalB/Rg1 against stroke. Both the dose-dependent efficiency and longtime protection of SalB/Rg1 were further identified based on cytoarchitecture through histopathological stain. Second, SalB/Rg1 downregulated hemorrhagic score, infarct volume, and abnormal neurobehavior. Finally, the inhibition of SalB/Rg1 against hemorrhagic transformation was found to accompany with its protection on the integrity of neurovascular unit. Around the edge area of infarction, SalB/Rg1 attenuated the astrocyte activation, maintained the abundance of junction protein (claudin-5) between endothelial cells, considerably decreased matrix metallopeptidase 9 activity through in situ gelatin zymography. Conclusion SalB/Rg1 is a promising strategy for further development against stroke, especially against hemorrhagic transformation.

Boron nitride nanolayers in optical spectroscopic materials

Subject of study. This paper discusses nanostructures such as protective windows, plane-parallel sheets, and model plane-parallel sheets used in the development of modern fixed and mobile optical emission spectrometers and composition analyzers for rapid elemental analysis and determination of metal grades. These instruments are capable of determining the elemental compositions of pure metals and multi-component alloys within a few seconds. This paper also discusses a model depositional nanostructure: boron nitride nanotubes deposited in a single layer on an MgF2 optical-crystal substrate being used as a prototype spark-protective window in an optical emission spectrometer. Aim of study. We aim to determine whether a boron nitride nanotube nanostructure deposited on the high-wear parts of protective windows in an optical emission spectrometer can be used to stabilize instrument operations in the ultraviolet spectral region. Methods. This paper uses a density functional theory with atomic basis sets (Hartree-Fock HF/STO-3G SP). Main results. In this paper, we discuss the use of boron nitride nanotubes deposited in a single layer as a special protective coating for spectrometers. Note that deposition of boron nitride nanolayers on spectrometer components such as protective windows has practical benefits in spectroscopy because the boron nitride material used in the fabrication of washers to hold wires and rods in analyzer instruments is resistant to high temperatures. Practical significance. The solutions proposed herein are specifically relevant to optical emission spectrometers used in metal analysis and can be used to generate requirements for upgrades to improve the service life and measurement stability and provide wear-resistant protective windows for such instruments.

Blunted humoral immune response to the fourth dose of BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

We aimed to investigate the impact of a fourth dose of BNT162b2 vaccine (Comirnaty®, Pfizer-BioNTech) on anti-SARS-CoV-2 (anti-S IgG) antibody titers in patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) and healthcare workers (HCWs). A multi-institutional retrospective study at five dialysis clinics in Japan was conducted using 238 HD patients and 58 HCW controls who received four doses of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. Anti-S IgG titers were measured at 1, 3, and 6months after the second dose, at 1 and 5/6months after the third dose, and at 1month after the fourth dose of vaccine. The log anti-S IgG titers of the HD patients after the second vaccination were significantly lower than those of the control group, but equalized 1month after the third vaccination: 9.94 (95% CI 9.82-10.10) vs. 9.81 (95% CI 9.66-9.96), (P = 0.32). In both groups, the fold-increase in anti-S IgG titers was significantly lower after the fourth dose than after the third dose of vaccine. In addition, there was a strong negative correlation between antibody titers 1month after the fourth vaccination and antibody titers immediately before the vaccination. In both groups, the waning rate of anti-S IgG titers from the post-vaccination peak level after the third vaccine dose was significantly slower than that after the second dose. These findings suggest that the humoral immune response was blunted after the fourth dose of the conventional BNT162b2 vaccine. However, multiple vaccinations could extend the window of humoral immune protection.