Enhancing the immunomodulatory osteogenic properties of Ti-Mg alloy by Mg-containing nanostructures.

Facilitating an appropriate immune response is crucial for promoting bone tissue regeneration upon biomaterial implantation. In this study, the Mg-containing nanostructures on the surface of Ti-1.25Mg alloy were prepared by a one-step hydrothermal reaction method via regulating pH value to enhance the immunomodulatory osteogenic properties of Ti-Mg alloys.

Alternating magnetic field guiding system for MNP hyperthermia treatment of deep-seated cancers.

Objectives: Demonstrate the potential application of a novel, endoscope-like device to guide and focus an alternating magnetic field (AMF) for treating deep-seated cancers via magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia (MNPH).

Methods: AMF delivery, MNP activation, and eddy current distribution characteristics are investigated through experimental studies in phantoms and computational simulations using a full 3-dimensional human model. The 3D simulations compare the novel device to traditional AMF designs, including a MagForce-like, two-coil system (used clinically) and a single surface-coil system.

Quantitative three-dimensional imaging of chemical short-range order via machine learning enhanced atom probe tomography.

Chemical short-range order (CSRO) refers to atoms of specific elements self-organising within a disordered crystalline matrix to form particular atomic neighbourhoods. CSRO is typically characterized indirectly, using volume-averaged or through projection microscopy techniques that fail to capture the three-dimensional atomistic architectures. Here, we present a machine-learning enhanced approach to break the inherent resolution limits of atom probe tomography enabling three-dimensional imaging of multiple CSROs.

Microstructural Evolution, Mechanical Properties and Tribological Behavior of BC-Reinforced Ti In Situ Composites Produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion.

Based on the advantage of rapid net-shape fabrication, laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is utilized to process BC-reinforced Ti composites. The effect of volumetric energy density () on the relative density, microstructural evolution, tensile properties and wear behaviors of BC-reinforced Ti composites were systematically investigated. The LPBF-ed samples with high relative density (>99%) can be achieved, while the pores and un-melted powders can be observed in the sample owing to the low energy input (33 J/mm).

Role-play Games (RPGs) for Mental Health (Why Not?): Roll for Initiative.

COVID-19 has impacted the mental health of the general public negatively, associated with preventative measures, restricting life activities. These restrictions, such as the stay-at-home strategy, resulted in heightened stress, depression, loneliness, substance abuse, and domestic violence, violating people's occupational and personal lives. During the pandemic, the demands for role-play games (RPGs) have increased: for example, the sales of "Dungeons & Dragons" tripled, underscoring the potential mental health benefits of such games.

Infrared antenna-like structures in mammalian fur.

Many small animals, including shrews, most rodents and some marsupials, have fur composed of at least four types of hair, all with distinctive and complex anatomy. A ubiquitous and unexplained feature is periodic, internal banding with spacing in the 6-12 µm range that hints at an underlying infrared function. One bristle-like form, called guard hair, has the correct shape and internal periodic patterns to function as an infrared antenna.

The Dark Side of Humanity Scale: A reconstruction of the Dark Tetrad constructs.

There has been an absence of consideration regarding measurement invariance across males and females in the widely available Dark Tetrad (DT) scales which measure psychopathy, Machiavellianism, narcissism and everyday sadism. This has resulted in criticisms of the measures, suggesting that the assessed constructs are not wholly relatable between the groups. This article documents the construction and validation of the Dark Side of Humanity Scale (DSHS), which measures dark personalities from an alternative viewpoint, determined by the constructs as they emerged from the male and female data, whilst aligning with theory and attaining invariance between sex.

Early brain injury and cognitive impairment after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage.

The first 72 h following aneurysm rupture play a key role in determining clinical and cognitive outcomes after subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). Yet, very little is known about the impact of so called "early brain injury" on patents with clinically good grade SAH (as defined as World Federation of Neurosurgeons Grade 1 and 2). 27 patients with good grade SAH underwent MRI scanning were prospectively recruited at three time-points after SAH: within the first 72 h (acute phase), at 5-10 days and at 3 months.

Accurate Simulation of Both Sensitivity and Variability for Amazonian Photosynthesis: Is It Too Much to Ask?

Estimates of Amazon rainforest gross primary productivity (GPP) differ by a factor of 2 across a suite of three statistical and 18 process models. This wide spread contributes uncertainty to predictions of future climate. We compare the mean and variance of GPP from these models to that of GPP at six eddy covariance (EC) towers.

COS-derived GPP relationships with temperature and light help explain high-latitude atmospheric CO seasonal cycle amplification.

In the Arctic and Boreal region (ABR) where warming is especially pronounced, the increase of gross primary production (GPP) has been suggested as an important driver for the increase of the atmospheric CO seasonal cycle amplitude (SCA). However, the role of GPP relative to changes in ecosystem respiration (ER) remains unclear, largely due to our inability to quantify these gross fluxes on regional scales. Here, we use atmospheric carbonyl sulfide (COS) measurements to provide observation-based estimates of GPP over the North American ABR.

Reduced decision bias and more rational decision making following ventromedial prefrontal cortex damage.

Human decisions are susceptible to biases, but establishing causal roles of brain areas has proved to be difficult. Here we studied decision biases in 17 people with unilateral medial prefrontal cortex damage and a rare patient with bilateral ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) lesions. Participants learned to choose which of two options was most likely to win, and then bet money on the outcome.

Understanding water and energy fluxes in the Amazonia: Lessons from an observation-model intercomparison.

Tropical forests are an important part of global water and energy cycles, but the mechanisms that drive seasonality of their land-atmosphere exchanges have proven challenging to capture in models. Here, we (1) report the seasonality of fluxes of latent heat (LE), sensible heat (H), and outgoing short and longwave radiation at four diverse tropical forest sites across Amazonia-along the equator from the Caxiuanã and Tapajós National Forests in the eastern Amazon to a forest near Manaus, and from the equatorial zone to the southern forest in Reserva Jaru; (2) investigate how vegetation and climate influence these fluxes; and (3) evaluate land surface model performance by comparing simulations to observations. We found that previously identified failure of models to capture observed dry-season increases in evapotranspiration (ET) was associated with model overestimations of (1) magnitude and seasonality of Bowen ratios (relative to aseasonal observations in which sensible was only 20%-30% of the latent heat flux) indicating model exaggerated water limitation, (2) canopy emissivity and reflectance (albedo was only 10%-15% of incoming solar radiation, compared to 0.

Young-onset frontotemporal dementia with FUS pathology.

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is an uncommon cause of behavioural change in adults under the age of 50. A 44-year-old man presented with progressive neuropsychiatric disturbance characterised by social withdrawal, apathy, loss of empathy, motor stereotypies and hyperorality. Cognitive testing identified severe impairment, including executive dysfunction.

Spring enhancement and summer reduction in carbon uptake during the 2018 drought in northwestern Europe.

We analysed gross primary productivity (GPP), total ecosystem respiration (TER) and the resulting net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon dioxide (CO) by the terrestrial biosphere during the summer of 2018 through observed changes across the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) network, through biosphere and inverse modelling, and through remote sensing. Highly correlated yet independently-derived reductions in productivity from sun-induced fluorescence, vegetative near-infrared reflectance, and GPP simulated by the Simple Biosphere model version 4 (SiB4) suggest a 130-340 TgC GPP reduction in July-August-September (JAS) of 2018. This occurs over an area of 1.

Identification of a calcium phosphoserine coordination network in an adhesive organo-apatitic bone cement system.

Calcium phosphate-based bone cements have been widely adopted in both orthopedic and dental applications. Phosphoserine (pSer), which has a natural role in biomineralization, has been identified to possess the functionality to react with calcium phosphate phases, such as tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP) and α-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP), and form a uniquely adhesive cement. This study investigated the chemical composition and phase evolution of a heterogeneous calcium phosphate (56% TTCP and 15% α-TCP) and pSer cement system with respect to pH.

Surface-Atmosphere Coupling Scale, the Fate of Water, and Ecophysiological Function in a Brazilian Forest.

Tropical South America plays a central role in global climate. Bowen ratio teleconnects to circulation and precipitation processes far afield, and the global CO growth rate is strongly influenced by carbon cycle processes in South America. However, quantification of basin-wide seasonality of flux partitioning between latent and sensible heat, the response to anomalies around climatic norms, and understanding of the processes and mechanisms that control the carbon cycle remains elusive.

Microstructural characterization of snow, firn and ice.

This paper provides an overview of techniques used to characterize the microstructure of snow, firn and ice. These range from traditional optical microscopy techniques such as examining thin sections between crossed polarizers to various electron-optical and X-ray techniques. Techniques that could have an impact on microstructural characterization of snow, firn and ice in the future are briefly outlined.

Exploring the relationship between gamma-band activity and maths anxiety.

Previous research has outlined high anxiety in connection with gamma modulation, identifying that gamma-band activity (40-100 Hz) correlates with processing of threat perception, attention and anxiety. Maths anxiety research has also noted the involvement of these aspects, yet this has not been investigated from a neurophysiological standpoint. Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to research gamma-band activity in relation to maths anxiety over two studies.

Lateral parietal contributions to memory impairment in posterior cortical atrophy.

Objective: Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is a neurodegenerative syndrome characterised by progressive impairment in visuospatial and perceptual function. Recent findings show that memory functioning can also be compromised early in the course of disease. In this study, we investigated the neural basis of memory impairment in PCA, and hypothesised that correlations would be observed with parietal cortex rather than classic medial temporal memory structures.

Association between precuneus volume and autobiographical memory impairment in posterior cortical atrophy: Beyond the visual syndrome.

Posterior cortical atrophy is a neurodegenerative syndrome characterised by progressive disruption of visual and perceptual processing, associated with atrophy in the parieto-occipital cortex. Current diagnostic criteria describe relative sparing of episodic memory function, but recent findings suggest that anterograde memory is often impaired. Whether these deficits extend to remote memory has not been addressed.

Single-crystal ice surfaces unveil connection between macroscopic and molecular structure.

Physics and chemistry of ice surfaces are not only of fundamental interest but also have important impacts on biological and environmental processes. As ice surfaces-particularly the two prism faces-come under greater scrutiny, it is increasingly important to connect the macroscopic faces with the molecular-level structure. The microscopic structure of the ubiquitous ice crystal is well-known.

Symptoms of anxiety and depression are related to cardiovascular responses to active, but not passive, coping tasks.

Objective:: Anxiety and depression have been linked to blunted blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) reactions to mental stress tests; however, most studies have not included indices of underlying hemodynamics nor multiple stress tasks. This study sought to examine the relationships of anxiety and depression with hemodynamic responses to acute active and passive coping tasks.

Methods:: A total of 104 participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales and mental arithmetic, speech, and cold pressor tasks while BP, HR, total peripheral resistance, and cardiac output (CO) were assessed.