Rich Segments Research Articles

POSS based poly (zwitterionic liquids) electrolytes with 3D crosslinked networks for lithium metal batteries

Polymer electrolyte is a potential candidate for the next-generation lithium metal batteries. However, its low room temperature ionic conductivity limited its practical application. Here, a novel POSS-based poly (zwitterionic liquids) organic–inorganic hybrid electrolyte with 3D crosslinked networks was proposed for enabling lithium-ion fast transport by photoinitiated radical polymerization of vinyl zwitterionic monomers and acrylate monomers containing rich EO units and POSS. The synergistic effect of unique structures of 3D organic–inorganic hybrids gel electrolytes such as zwitterionic, rich EO segments and POSS cages facilitate Li+ conduction, resulting in high room temperature ionic conductivity (1.03 × 10-3 S cm-1) and a satisfactory Li+ transference number (0.45). The lithium-symmetric batteries assembled with the novel POSS-based poly (zwitterionic liquids) gel hybrid electrolytes can operate continuously at 0.1 mA cm-2 for 2300 h without any obvious short circuit, indicating good interfacial compatibility between the electrolytes and lithium electrodes. The Li/LiFePO4 batteries assembled with the novel POSS-based poly (zwitterionic liquids) gel hybrid electrolytes exhibit long-term stability.

Prognostic value of angiographic based quantitative flow ratio and anatomic features in intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis

BackgroundPatients with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) are prone to stroke recurrence despite aggressive medical treatment. Further assessment of the anatomy and physiology of ICAS is urgently needed to facilitate individualized...

Large dynamics of a phase separating arginine-glycine-rich domain revealed via nuclear and electron spins

Liquid-liquid phase separation is the key process underlying formation of membrane-less compartments in cells. A highly dynamic cellular body with rapid component exchange is Cajal body (CB), which supports the extensive compositional dynamics of the RNA splicing machinery, spliceosome. Here, we select an arginine-glycine (RG)-rich segment of coilin, the major component of CB, establish its RNA-induced phase separation, and through combined use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) probes, interrogate its dynamics within the crowded interior of formed droplets. Taking advantage of glycine-based singlet-states, we show that glycines retain a large level of sub-nanoseconds dynamics inside the coilin droplets. Furthermore, the continuous-wave (CW) and electron-electron dipolar (PELDOR) and electron-nucleus hyperfine coupling EPR data (HYSCORE) support the RNA-induced formation of dynamic coilin droplets with high coilin peptide concentrations. The combined NMR and EPR data reveal the high dynamics of the RG-rich coilin within droplets and suggest its potential role in the large dynamics of CBs.

Interconnected Three-Dimensional Porous Alginate-Based Gel Electrolytes for Lithium Metal Batteries.

Lithium batteries have been widely used in our daily lives for their high energy density and long-term stability. However, their safety problems are of paramount concern for consumers, which restricts their scale applications. Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) compensate for the defects of liquid leakage and lower ionic conductivity of solid electrolytes, which have attracted a lot of attention. Herein, a 3D interconnected highly porous structural gel electrolyte was prepared with alginate dressing as a host material, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), and a commercial liquid electrolyte. With rich polar functional groups and (CH2-CH2-O) segments on the polymer matrix, the transportation of Li+ is faster and uniform; thus, the formations of lithium dendrite were significantly inhibited. The cycle stability of symmetrical Li||Li batteries with modified composite electrolytes (SAA) is greatly improved, and the overpotential remains stable after more than 1000 h. Meanwhile, under the same conditions, the cycle performance of batteries with unmodified electrolytes is inferior and overpotentials are nearly 1 V after 100 h. Additionally, the capacity retention of Li||LiFePO4 with SAA is more than 95% after 200 cycles, while those of the others declined sharply. The alginate dressing-based GPEs can greatly enhance the mechanical and thermal stability of PEO-based GPEs, which provides an environmentally friendly avenue for gel electrolytes' applications in lithium batteries.

Inequality and growth impacts of climate change—insights from South Africa * *This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 821124 (NAVIGATE), the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 101081369 (SPARCCLE), the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No.

The impact of climate change on economic growth has been the subject of numerous studies in recent years, with macro-econometric analyses estimating the effect of rising temperatures on gross domestic product (GDP) growth rates at the country-level. However, the distributional impact of warming on inequality and poverty at the micro-level remains relatively unexplored. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between temperature and inequality in South Africa at the national and sub-national level. Our analysis reveals a significant -shaped relationship between temperature and inequality indices, with inequality lowest at moderate temperatures (11 ∘C–18 ∘C) and increasing sharply as temperatures increase. We find that the optimal temperatures are lower for inequality measures than for income levels. This indicates that substantial increases in inequality are expected at higher temperatures compared to growth impacts. This effect is particularly noticeable for the poorer segments of the population, whose productivity and wages decline as temperatures increase, while the impact on the richer segments is less significant due to their greater adaptive capacity. In terms of mechanisms, we find that agricultural households are more likely to experience an increase in inequality due to warming. Our findings suggest that global warming has two adverse effects on hot countries: reducing average growth and increasing inequality. We compare the outcomes of the moderate RCP6.0 scenario to a reference scenario without warming and find that by the end of the century, the Gini coefficient in South Africa is expected to increase by 3–6 points, resulting in a potential welfare loss of approximately 50% when combined with the impact of warming on GDP (which alone can reach up to 43% by 2100 in South Africa). Our findings highlight the importance of investigating the distributional effects of climate change at the micro-level, particularly in low- or middle-income countries where vulnerable populations are more susceptible to its impacts.

An intrinsic polymer electrolyte via in situ cross-linked for solid lithium-based batteries with high performance.

Since the introduction of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based polymer electrolytes more than 50 years, few other real polymer electrolytes with commercial application have emerged. Due to the low ion conductivity at room temperature, the PEO-based electrolytes cannot meet the application requirements. Most of the polymer electrolytes reported in recent years are in fact colloidal/composite electrolytes with plasticizers and fillers, not genuine electrolytes. Herein, we designed and synthesized a cross-linked polymer with a three-dimensional (3D) mesh structure which can dissolve the Li bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) salt better than PEO due to its unique 3D structure and rich oxygen-containing chain segments, thus forming an intrinsic polymer electrolyte (IPE) with ionic conductivity of 0.49 mS cm-1 at room temperature. And it can hinder the migration of large anions (e.g. TFSI-) in the electrolyte and increase the energy barrier to their migration, achieving Li+ migration numbers (tLi+) of up to 0.85. At the same time, IPE has good compatibility with lithium metal cathode and LiFePO4 (LFP) cathode, with stable cycles of more than 2,000 and 700 h in Li//Li symmetric batteries at 0.2 and 0.5 mAh cm-2 current densities, respectively. In addition, the Li/IPE/LFP batteries show the capacity retention >90% after 300 cycles at 0.5 C current density. This polymer electrolyte will be a pragmatic way to achieve commercializing all-solid-state, lithium-based batteries.

A biallelic frameshift indel in PPP1R35 as a cause of primary microcephaly.

Protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 35 (PPP1R35) encodes a centrosomal protein required for recruiting microtubule-binding elongation machinery. Several proteins in this centriole biogenesis pathway correspond to established primary microcephaly (MCPH) genes, and multiple model organism studies hypothesize PPP1R35 as a candidate MCPH gene. Here, using exome sequencing (ES) and family-based rare variant analyses, we report a homozygous, frameshifting indel deleting the canonical stop codon in the last exon of PPP1R35 [Chr7: c.753_*3delGGAAGCGTAGACCinsCG (p.Trp251Cysfs*22)]; the variant allele maps in a 3.7Mb block of absence of heterozygosity (AOH) in a proband with severe MCPH (-4.3 SD at birth, -6.1 SD by 42 months), pachygyria, and global developmental delay from a consanguineous Turkish kindred. Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) confirmed mutant mRNA expression in fibroblasts. In silico prediction of the translation of mutant PPP1R35 is expected to be elongated by 18 amino acids before encountering a downstream stop codon. This complex indel allele is absent in public databases (ClinVar, gnomAD, ARIC, 1000 genomes) and our in-house database of 14,000+ exomes including 1800+ Turkish exomes supporting predicted pathogenicity. Comprehensive literature searches for PPP1R35 variants yielded two probands affected with severe microcephaly (-15 SD and -12 SD) with the same homozygous indel from a single, consanguineous, Iranian family from a cohort of 404 predominantly Iranian families. The lack of heterozygous cases in two large cohorts representative of the genetic background of these two families decreased our suspicion of a founder allele and supports the contention of a recurrent mutation. We propose two potential secondary structure mutagenesis models for the origin of this variant allele mediated by hairpin formation between complementary GC rich segments flanking the stop codon via secondary structure mutagenesis.

СОЦИАЛЬНО-ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКИЕ УСЛОВИЯ ФОРМИРОВАНИЯ СОЦИАЛЬНЫХ РЕСУРСОВ РОСТОВСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

Objective of the study. The premise of the study is a complex socio-economic situation in the Rostov region, which leads to the destabilization of the process of development of social resources. It is assumed that the dynamics of the demographic situation determines the vector of changes in the state of the social resources of the territory, which is formed against the background of certain economic conditions. The object of the study is the population of the Rostov region. The subject is the socio-economic characteristics of a territorial community that determine the conditions for the development of social resources. The study aims to assess quantitative indicators of the socio-economic environment of the Rostov region, determining the process of formation and development of social resources of the territory.   The methodological basis of the research is an integrated approach combining theoretical developments of domestic and foreign scientists and methods of statistical analysis (Pearson correlation coefficient).   Research results. The analysis data show that the ratio of urban and rural population in the Rostov region for the period from 2017 to 2022 in absolute terms has a general tendency to decrease, but there is a slow increase in the share of the rural population. Monthly per capita incomes of the population are growing faster than the subsistence minimum. This leads to an increase in the gap between the rich and poor segments of the population of the Rostov region. The processes of natural decline and growth play a more significant impact on the population than migration processes. At the same time, the increase in income and the growth of the subsistence minimum stops immigration from the Rostov region, but does not stimulate emigration to the Rostov region. The assumption that an increase in monetary income per capita in the Rostov region should stimulate an increase in life expectancy, fertility and the number of arrivals in the Rostov region turned out to be not sound. Prospects of the study are connected with the need for further and more thorough study of the identified trends in the development of social resources of the territory.

Importance of the Q/N-rich segment for protein stability of endogenous mouse TDP-43

TAR DNA-binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43), a nuclear protein, plays an important role in the molecular pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The long-disordered C-terminal region (CTR) of TDP-43 is known to be aggregation-prone and a hotspot for ALS mutations, so elucidation of the physiological function of CTR will provide insights into the pathogenesis of ALS. The CTR has two Gly, aromatic, and Ser-rich (GaroS) segments and an amyloidogenic core divided into a hydrophobic patch (HP) and a Gln/Asn (Q/N)-rich segment. Although TDP-43 lacking the CTR is known to be unstable, as observed in knock-in mice, it is unclear which of these segments contributes to the stability of TDP-43. Here, we generated 12 mouse lines lacking the various sub-regions of CTR by genome editing and compared the embryonic lethality of homozygotes, and protein and mRNA expression levels of TDP-43. We demonstrated the functional diversity of the four segments of CTR, finding that the presence of the Q/N-rich segment greatly restored the protein stability of TDP-43. In addition, we found that the second GaroS deletion did not affect protein stability and mouse development.

Hepcidin deficiency increases susceptibility to disseminating candidiasis and renal failure

Abstract Background Candida albicans is the single most common human fungal pathogen, and invasive candida infections carry a mortality rate of about 25%. C. albicans possesses a range of iron acquisition mechanisms that contribute to its persistence, and virulence. Patients with fungal infection have substantially increased transferrin saturation and serum iron concentrations independent of underlying hematological disorder, suggesting that host iron handling is critical to the outcome of the infection. Using a murine model of systemic iron overload, we investigated whether C.albicans-induced pathology is influenced by iron availability. Experiment Iron overloaded hepcidin knockout (Hamp−/−) and wild type (WT) litter mates were infected with C. albicans SC5314 and outcomes of infection were evaluated after 3 days. Results Compared to WT mice, Hamp−/− mice displayed increased renal fungal burden, had more renal injury, inflammation and mortality. C. albicans was in yeast form in the kidneys of WT mice but had transformed into hyphae in the iron rich renal tubular segments of Hamp−/− mice. Despite the greater pathogen burden, kidneys of Hamp−/− mice had reduced numbers of neutrophils with increased expression of p21. Conclusion Our data identify systemic iron overload as a susceptibility factor to C. albicans induced renal failure. Hepcidin deficiency was associated with increased renal iron burden and transformation of yeast into hyphae, suggesting increased virulence. Increased p21 expression in neutrophils suggests impaired NETosis and may possibly explain increased fungal burden. Our data highlight importance of dysregulated iron metabolism in disseminating candidiasis.

A flexible and highly conductive quasi-solid single-ion polymer electrolyte for high performance Li-metal batteries

A series of flexible and highly conductive quasi-solid single-ion polymer electrolytes (abbreviated as PU-TFMSI) based on lithium sulfonimide are presented. Owing to the crosslinked structure with three types of segments (hard segment, soft segment and Li rich segment), PU-TFMSI displays a stretchability of 1350% and toughness of 13.6 MJ m−3. These PU-TFMSI single-ion electrolytes deliver high ionic conductivity over 1.3 × 10−4 S cm−1 at ambient temperature, a wide electrochemical stability window (up to 5.0 V vs Li+/Li), a high lithium transfer number (LTN ∼ 0.9), and good compatibility with electrodes. The LiFePO4/PU-TFMSI-2/Li coin cell exhibits stable cycling with an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.58% and superior rate performance. Furthermore, the LiFePO4//Li soft pouch cell with PU-TFMSI-2 single-ion electrolyte maintains functionality under bending. The flexible single-ion polymer electrolytes designed in this study have the potential to be applied in flexible devices and stretchable batteries.

Synthesis and characterization of Poly(ethylene glycol)-based segmented ionenes block copolymer with aliphatic or DABCO hard segments

A series of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based segmented block copolymers were synthesized with two structurally different hard segments, linear and heterocyclic aliphatic amines. Ionenes were synthesized via a modified Menshutkin reaction with three different weight fractions of hard domains (amine rich segment) and soft domains (PEG oligomers). TGA results show that both aliphatic and DABCO-based ionenes were thermally stable up to 250 °C. DSC and XRD data indicate that increasing the weight fraction of the soft segment from 25 wt% to 50 wt% triggered better chain packing of the PEG soft segment for both hard segments. Also, the DABCO-based ionenes displayed the highest PEG crystallite purity at 50 wt% of soft segment. The segmented ionenes exhibited high strain elongation percentages at elevated temperatures (i.e., above the PEG melting temperature). The mechanical properties of ionenes changed by varying the nature and the weight fractions of soft and hard domains. DMA analysis concluded that DABCO-based ionenes possess superior elastomeric behavior by having a wider rubbery plateau and higher rubbery plateau storage modulus compared to aliphatic analogs at all weight fractions potentially due to better microphase separation and ionic aggregation. DMA and AFM confirmed that the 25 wt% soft segment ionenes had a relatively higher degree of microphase separation among the other weight fractions.

Two-year plaque level outcomes involving the left anterior descending artery: insights from the Lipid-Rich Plaque study

Abstract Background Coronary artery disease (CAD) is more frequently seen in the left anterior descending artery (LAD). LAD disease resulting in an acute anterior wall myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with a low left ventricular ejection fraction and invariably a worsened prognosis. The Lipid Rich Plaque (LRP) Study reported the strong association between NIRS-IVUS derived max4mmLCBI and future plaque events in non-culprit vessels. Objective To report the events involving the LAD versus the other major coronary vessels in the Lipid-Rich Plaque study. Methods The LRP Study was an international, multicenter, prospective cohort study conducted in patients with suspected CAD who underwent cardiac catheterization with possible ad hoc percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for an index event. Plaque level events within the subsequent 2 years were adjudicated. Plaque level events were defined as the composite of cardiac death, cardiac arrest, non-fatal MI, acute coronary syndrome (ACS), revascularization by coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or PCI, and rehospitalization for angina with >20% stenosis progression related and unrelated to the treatment at index procedure. All together these events were reported as Non-Culprit Lesion-related Major Adverse Cardiac Events (NC-MACE). Prespecified subgroups of segments were defined according to LAD (vs. non-LAD) with maxLCBI4mm ≤400 or >400. Results A total of 57 plaque events occurred through 2 years of follow-up. More than half occurred in the LAD, followed by the LCX and the RCA. There were more, albeit non-statistically significant, lipid-rich plaques in the LAD, compared to the LCX and RCA: 12.5% vs 10.4% and 11.3%, respectively, p=0.097. A minimum lumen area (MLA) ≤4mm2 within the maxLCBI4mm was observed more in the LAD and the LCX, compared to the RCA: 34.1% vs 25.9% vs 13.7%, respectively, p<0.001. Lipid rich plaque (maxLCBI4mm>400) was present in 20/57 (35.1%) of the plaque level events, a large PB (≥70%) was present in 6/57 (10.5%), and a small MLA (≤4mm2) was present in 26/57 (45.6%). Out of the 57 plaque level events, 4 (7%) had all three high risk plaque characteristics. Presence of an elevated maxLCBI4mm (>400) was predictive of NC-MACE in all subgroups (for LAD >400 HR 4.32; 95% CI (1.93, 9.69; p 0.0004) and for the non-LAD >400 HR 2.56; 95% CI (1.06, 6.17; p 0.0354). Conclusion Non-culprit segments in the LAD with maxLCBI4mm values >400 were more frequently associated with plaque level events than in the lipid -rich segments in the other epicardial vessels. This sub-study results point to the unequivocal value of maxLCBI4mm>400 in predicting future plaque level events especially in the LAD. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): Infraredx Plaque Events-Ware Segment Locations

Influence of Rigid Segment Type on Copoly(ether-ester) Properties.

The growing ecological awareness of society created the tendency to replace petrochemically based materials with alternative energy carriers and renewable raw materials. One of the most requested groups of polymer materials with significant technological importance is thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). They combine the properties of elastomers such as flexibility with the typical properties of thermoplastics, like easy processing. Herein, one compares the influence of rigid segments on the properties of copoly(ester-ether). Thermoplastic polyesters based on bio-1,6-hexanediol and terephthalic (T), furanic (F), and napthalate (N) diesters, i.e., PHT, PHF, and PHN, were obtained employing melt polycondensation. Additionally, to grant elastic properties of polyesters, systems containing 50 wt.% of bio-based polyTHF®1000 (pTHF) with a molecular mass of 1000 g/mol, have been prepared. The composition and chemical structure have been determined by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. The temperatures corresponding to phase transition changes were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) analyses. The crystalline structure was examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Additionally, the influence of pTHF–rich segment on the tensile properties, water absorption, as well as thermal and thermo-oxidative stability, has been analyzed. It was found that incorporation of soft phase allows creation of thermoplastic elastomers with tensile characteristics comparable to the commercially available ones, by means of elongation at break higher than 500%, low values of tensile modulus, without exhibiting yield point.

Analysis of CMA-DAPI bands and preparation of fluorescent karyotypes in thirty Indian cultivars of Lens culinaris

India holds a significant rank in production and consumption of the age old protein rich crop Lentil with only one cultivated species and a large number of phenotypically similar cultivars. The need for a reliable and cost effective method of genetic characterization to unravel differences within the Lentil cultivars was felt. The present paper adopted EMA based chromosome preparation followed by staining with two contrasting fluorochromes dyes CMA and DAPI that bind directly to GC and AT rich heterochromatic segments on chromosomes. Analysis of fluorochrome banding pattern furnished a comparative account of genetic diversity within the cultivars that could not be achieved by traditional karyotyping. The marker pair of nucleolar chromosomes (4th and 3rd, majorly) occupied a pivotal position to intensify differences between cultivars in terms of banding patterns around secondary constrictions, suggestive of yet unknown variation in heterochromatin composition. Our study has strengthened genetic background and relationships of Lentil cultivars. We observed certain types of unusual fluorochrome bands that put forward the exclusivity of Indian germplasm and have questioned the mainstream heterochromatin elements of plant chromosomes captured by CMA-DAPI stains. The comprehensive fluorescent karyotypes of 30 L. culinaris cultivars prepared for the first time, serve as an archetype for the benefit of future breeding programmes in any Indian crop.

Glycine rich segments adopt polyproline II helices: Implications for biomolecular condensate formation

Many intrinsically disordered proteins contain Gly-rich regions which are generally assumed to be disordered. Such regions often form biomolecular condensates which play essential roles in organizing cellular processes. However, the bases of their formation and stability are still not completely understood. Based on NMR studies of the Gly-rich H. harveyi “snow flea” antifreeze protein, we recently proposed that Gly-rich sequences, such as the third “RGG” region of Fused in Sarcoma (FUS) protein, may adopt polyproline II helices whose association might stabilize condensates. Here, this hypothesis is tested with a polypeptide corresponding to the third RGG region of FUS. NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations suggest that significant populations of polyproline II helix are present. These findings are corroborated in a model peptide Ac-RGGYGGRGGWGGRGGY-NH2, where a peak characteristic of polyproline II helix is observed using CD spectroscopy. Its intensity suggests a polyproline II population of 40%. This result is supported by data from FTIR and NMR spectroscopies. In the latter, NOE correlations are observed between the Tyr and Arg, and Arg and Trp side chain hydrogens, confirming that side chains spaced three residues apart are close in space. Taken together, the data are consistent with a polyproline II helix, which is bent to optimize interactions between guanidinium and aromatic moieties, in equilibrium with a statistical coil ensemble. These results lend credence to the hypothesis that Gly-rich segments of disordered proteins may form polyproline II helices which help stabilize biomolecular condensates.

A Multi-Feature Fusion Slam System Attaching Semantic In-Variant to Points and Lines.

The traditional simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system uses static points of the environment as features for real-time localization and mapping. When there are few available point features, the system is difficult to implement. A feasible solution is to introduce line features. In complex scenarios containing rich line segments, the description of line segments is not strongly differentiated, which can lead to incorrect association of line segment data, thus introducing errors into the system and aggravating the cumulative error of the system. To address this problem, a point-line stereo visual SLAM system incorporating semantic invariants is proposed in this paper. This system improves the accuracy of line feature matching by fusing line features with image semantic invariant information. When defining the error function, the semantic invariant is fused with the reprojection error function, and the semantic constraint is applied to reduce the cumulative error of the poses in the long-term tracking process. Experiments on the Office sequence of the TartanAir dataset and the KITTI dataset show that this system improves the matching accuracy of line features and suppresses the cumulative error of the SLAM system to some extent, and the mean relative pose error (RPE) is 1.38 and 0.0593 m, respectively.

Does free-market capitalism drive unequal access to health? An empirical analysis, 1970–2015

ABSTRACT Many scholars, particularly in public health, argue that neoliberal capitalist economic forces adversely affect communities by increasing inequalities, ultimately affecting health. Apparently, corporate capitalism affects health and communitarian concerns because governments place corporate profits over the publićs interests. Using unique data collected by the Varieties of Democracy (VDEM) project that capture the degree of access of the poorest segments of society to health services comparable with those available to the richest segments, this study finds that an index of economic freedom robustly reduces inequality of access to health. We argue that these results obtain because greater exposure to global markets increases the premium on the productivity of labour, increasing incentives for political elites to invest in productivity-enhancing public goods. Our results are robust to a number of alternative models and data, and robust to instrumental variables analyses addressing potential endogeneity. Rather than free-market capitalism increasing health-related neglect of society, our data suggest that free-market capitalist conditions promote equitable access to health. This is good news for governments wishing to grow their economies, reform broken health systems for gaining advantages in a competitive global economy, and serve communitarian interests, such as shared good health.

Solitaire AB stent-angioplasty for stenoses in perforator rich segments: A single-center experience.

Vascular angioplasty and stenting of middle cerebral artery (MCA) and basilar artery (BA) stenoses are associated with poor clinical outcomes and high mortality rates thought to be related to the abundance of perforating arteries in those segments. This study explores the use of Solitaire AB as an off-label vascular stent to treat stenoses in the MCA and BA. Solitaire AB stents were placed during angioplasty and stenting of MCA and BA stenoses in patients at our department between January 2015 and May 2017 with 6-36 months follow-up. Operative results were assessed by follow-up angiography and transcranial doppler after the procedure. Neurologic status was evaluated before and after treatment according to the modified Ranking Scale (mRS). A total of 32 patients were included in the study. Seventeen (53.12%) patients presented with MCA stenosis and 15 (46.87%) with BA stenosis. The 30-day rate of procedure-related complications was 3.1% (1/32). Post-stenting residual stenosis degrees ranged from 0% to 40% (mean 13.44% ± 10.66%). Mean degree of residual stenosis in 26 patients followed up by DSA was 8.64% ± 9.67%. The mRS 0-2 was achieved in all (100%) patients at 6-12 months post-procedure. Our study indicates the off-label use of Solitaire AB for stenting is effective and safe for MCA and BA stenoses with high technical success and low complications. We recommend that lesion-specific therapy with an anatomically fitted stent design enables optimal treatment for intracranial stenosis.

Effects of H2 Addition on Flammability Dynamics and Extinction Physics of Dimethyl Ether in Laminar Spherical Diffusion Flame.

Flame extinction is one of the most essential critical flame features in combustion because of its relevance to combustion safety, efficiency, and pollutant emissions. In this paper, detailed simulations were conducted to investigate the effect of H2 addition on dimethyl ether spherical diffusion flame in microgravitational condition, in terms of flame structure, flammability, and extinction mechanism. The mole fraction of H2 in the fuel mixture was varied from 0 to 15% by 5% in increment. The chemical explosive mode analysis (CEMA) method was employed to reveal the controlling physicochemical processes in extinction. The results show that the cool flame in microgravitational diffusive geometry had the “double-reaction-zone” structure which consisted of rich and lean reaction segments, while the hot flame featured the “single-reaction-zone” structure. We found that the existence of “double-reaction-zone” was responsible for the stable self-sustained cool flame because the lean zone merged with the rich zone when the cool flame was close to extinction. Additionally, the effect of H2 addition on the cool flame was distinctively different from that of the hot flame. Both hot- and cool-flame flammability limits were significantly extended because of H2 addition but for different reasons. Besides, for each H2 addition case, the chemical explosive mode eigenvalues with the complex number appeared in the near-extinction zone, which implies the oscillation nature of flame in this zone which may induce extinction before the steady-state extinction turning point on the S-curve. Furthermore, as revealed by CEMA analysis, contributions of the most dominated species for extinction changed significantly with varying H2 additions, while contributions of the key reactions for extinction at varying H2 additions were basically identical.