Selective modal excitation in a multimode nanoslit by interference of surface plasmon waves.

Interference of surface plasmons has been widely utilized in optical metrology for applications such as high-precision sensing. In this paper, we introduce a surface plasmon interferometer with the potential to be arranged in arrays for parallel multiplexing applications. The interferometer features two grating couplers that excite surface plasmon polariton (SPP) waves traveling along a gold-air interface before converging at a gold nanoslit where they interfere.

Correction: Moving towards a core measures set for patient safety in perioperative care: An e-Delphi consensus study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Perioperative patient safety recommendations: systematic review of clinical practice guidelines.

Background: Surgical-related incidents are a common cause of in-hospital adverse events. Surgical patient safety would benefit from evidence-based practices, but a comprehensive collection of patient safety recommendations is still lacking. This study aimed to compile and assess the perioperative patient safety recommendations for adults.

Advancements in MELD Score and Its Impact on Hepatology.

There continues to be an ongoing need for fair and equitable organ allocation. The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score has evolved as a calculated framework to evaluate and allocate patients for liver transplantation objectively. The original MELD score has undergone multiple modifications as it is continuously scrutinized for its accuracy in objectively representing the clinical context of patients with liver disease.

Moving towards a core measures set for patient safety in perioperative care: An e-Delphi consensus study.

A Core Measures Set (CMS) is an agreed standardized group of measures that should be assessed and reported in research for a specific condition or clinical area. This study undertook the development of a CMS for Patient Safety through a two-round, web-based Delphi consensus approach, in the context of the "Improving quality and patient SAFEty in surgical care through STandardisation and harmonization of perioperative care in Europe" (SAFEST) project-a collaborative, patient-centered and evidence-based European Union-funded project that aims to generate action-oriented evidence in perioperative care. We developed an Initial List of Measures via an umbrella review following the deployment of an e-Delphi method with an inclusive panel of experts to prioritize measures towards a consensualized Final List of Measures.

Revealing the Structure of Sheer N-Acetylglucosamine, an Essential Chemical Scaffold in Glycobiology.

We explored the conformational landscape of N-acetyl-α-d-glucosamine (α-GlcNAc), a fundamental chemical scaffold in glycobiology. Solid samples were vaporized by laser ablation, expanded in a supersonic jet, and characterized by broadband chirped pulse Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. In the isolation conditions of the jet, three different structures of GlcNAc have been discovered.

Assessment of the Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score and the Age-Related Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score as health indicators in a population-based cohort.

Background: People with multiple sclerosis (MS) present varying degrees of disability throughout their disease course. The Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score (MSSS) and the Age-Related Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score (ARMSSS) adjust the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) according to disease duration and age, respectively. These measures could be useful for quantifying MS severity and as health outcome indicators for benchmarking in population-based settings.

Deciphering the Effect of a Cu(II)-hydrazone Complex on Intracellular Cell Signalling Pathways in a Human Osteosarcoma 2D and 3D Models.

New therapeutic strategies for osteosarcoma (OS) have demonstrated the potential efficacy of copper compounds as anticancer drugs and as a substitute for the often used platinum compounds. OS is a type of bone cancer, primarily affecting young adults and children.The main objective of this work is to discover the molecular targets and cellular pathways related to the antitumor properties of a Cu(II)-hydrazone toward human OS 2D and 3D systems.

Rotational Spectroscopy as a Tool to Characterize Sweet Taste: The Study of Dulcin.

According to old theories of sweetness, the perception of sweet substances is closely linked to the arrangement of atoms within them. To assess the validity of these theories, we conducted an analysis of the structure of the artificial sweetener dulcin for the first time, utilizing microwave spectroscopy and a laser ablation source. These techniques have enabled the identification of two conformers, which are stabilized by an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the amino group and the phenyl ring.

Metallocompounds as anticancer agents against osteosarcoma.

Metallocompounds are a class of anticancer compounds largely used in the treatment of several types of solid tumors, including bone cancer. Osteosarcoma (OS) is a primary malignant bone tumor that frequently affects children, adolescents and young adults. It is a very invasive type of tumor, so ∼40% of patients develop distant metastases, showing elevated mortality rates.

Impact of the Acetyl Group on Cysteine: A Study of N-Acetyl-Cysteine through Rotational Spectroscopy.

Herein, we report a spectroscopic study of N-acetyl-L-cysteine, an important antioxidant drug, using Fourier-transform microwave techniques and in isolated conditions. Two conformers are observed, where most stable structure adopts a cis disposition, and the second conformer has a lower abundance and adopts a trans disposition. The rotational constants and the barriers to methyl internal rotation are determined for each conformer, allowing a precise conformation identification.

Mother adversity and co-residence time impact mother-child similarity in genome-wide and gene-specific methylation profiles.

Background: The effects of adverse life events on physical and psychological health, with DNA methylation (DNAm) as a critical underlying mechanism, have been extensively studied. However, the epigenetic resemblance between mother and child in the context of neglectful caregiving, and whether it may be shaped by the emotional impact of maternal stressful events and the duration of co-residence (indexed by child age), remains unknown. The present study examined mother-child similarity in methylation profiles, considering the potential effect of mother adversity, mother empathy, neglect-control group, child age (an index of years of mother-child co-residence), and mother age.

Promising Dual Anticancer and Antimetastatic Action by a Cu(II) Complex Derived from Acylhydrazone on Human Osteosarcoma Models.

Osteosarcoma cancers are becoming more common in children and young adults, and existing treatments have low efficacy and a very high mortality rate, making it pressing to search for new chemotherapies with high efficacy and high selectivity index. Copper complexes have shown promise in the treatment of osteosarcoma. Here, we report the synthesis, characterization, and anticancer activity of [Cu(N-N-Fur)(NO)(HO)] complex where N-N-Fur is (E)-'-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)furan-2-carbohydrazide.

Revealing the Structure of 6-Aminopenillanic Acid: The Active Nucleus of Penicillins.

6-Aminopenicillanic acid is a penicillanic acid compound and is the active nucleus common to all penicillins. Using laser ablation techniques, we transformed the solid into the gas phase and characterized its conformational panorama by combining supersonic expansions and Fourier transform microwave techniques. Five conformers were determined, adopting different spatial configurations.

Higher-order interactions induce anomalous transitions to synchrony.

We analyze the simplest model of identical coupled phase oscillators subject to two-body and three-body interactions with permutation symmetry and phase lags. This model is derived from an ensemble of weakly coupled nonlinear oscillators by phase reduction, where the first and second harmonic interactions with phase lags naturally appear. Our study indicates that the higher-order interactions induce anomalous transitions to synchrony.

New copper(II) and oxidovanadium(IV) complexes with a vitamin B Schiff base: mechanism of action and synergy studies on 2D and 3D human osteosarcoma cell models.

We report the synthesis, characterization and anticancer activity of a new Schiff base (HL) derived from the condensation of pyridoxamine with pyridoxal and its novel copper(II) and oxidovanadium(IV) complexes: [Cu(HL)Cl] (1), [Cu(LH)(phen)]Cl (2), [Cu(LH)(amphen)]Cl (3), [VO(HL)Cl] (4), and [VO(LH)(phen)]Cl (5), where phen is 1,10-phenanthroline and amphen is its 5-amino derivative. All compounds were characterized by analytical and spectroscopic techniques, namely FTIR, UV-vis and EPR spectroscopy. Their stability in aqueous media was evaluated, revealing that the presence of the phen co-ligand significantly increases the stability.

Heparin Dosing During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Obesity.

Unfractionated heparin is the most common anticoagulant used during percutaneous coronary intervention. Practice guidelines recommend an initial weight-based heparin bolus dose between 70 and 100 U/kg to achieve target activated clotting time (ACT) of 250-300 seconds. The impact of severe obesity on weight-based heparin dosing is not well studied.

Recommendations for Working with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families: A Report from the Field.

Given the persistent shift in racial and ethnic demographics in the United States, board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) will increasingly serve culturally and linguistically diverse families. There has been a recent increase in published resources to help behavior analysis practitioners navigate working with diverse populations. The purpose of this article is to add to these resources and demonstrate how these recommendations can be put into action.

A One Health approach based on genomics for enhancing the surveillance in Colombia.

Objectives: This study aimed to provide evidence of the domestic benefits of introducing an integrative genomic analysis from the One Health approach in the national surveillance of between 1997-2017 in Colombia.

Methods: Data on from clinical laboratory-based surveillance between 1997-2017 and from a national cross-sectional study at chicken retail stores in Colombia were compared using a phenotypic, molecular, and genomic approaches. Additional analysis by serovar using single nucleotide polymorphism was developed to increase the resolution of the relatedness between the interfaces.

Kappa free light chains index in multiple sclerosis very long-term prognosis.

Introduction: The role of the kappa-free light chain (kFLC) in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and, to a lesser extent, its role as a medium-term prognostic marker have been extensively studied. This study aimed to explore its potential as a long-term prognostic marker for MS.

Methods: We performed an exploratory retrospective observational study by selecting patients systemically followed up in our MS unit with available cerebrospinal fluid and serum samples at the time of initial evaluation.

5-Nitrofuryl-Containing Thiosemicarbazone Gold(I) Compounds: Synthesis, Stability Studies, and Anticancer Activity.

Invited for this month's cover are the collaborating groups of Esteban Rodríguez-Arce from the University of Chile and María Contel from The City University of New York Brooklyn College. The cover picture shows "Supergold" a very powerful gender neutral warrior with superpowers who fights against cancer! The warrior's golden armor and sword represent the pharmacological power of the gold atom. Engraved on the shield, the gold-thiosemicarbazone molecules are the warrior's coat of arms.

Latitude and longitude as drivers of COVID-19 waves' behavior in Europe: A time-space perspective of the pandemic.

Background: Social restrictions and vaccination seem to have shaped the pandemic development in Europe, but the influence of geographical position is still debated. This study aims to verify whether the pandemic spread through Europe following a particular direction, during the period between the start of the pandemic and November 2021. The existence of a spatial gradient for epidemic intensity is also hypothesized.