and XPEEM: a Surface-Sensitive Tool for Studying Single Particles in Li-Ion Battery Composite Electrodes.

X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (XPEEM), with its excellent spatial resolution, is a well-suited technique for elucidating the complex electrode-electrolyte interface reactions in Li-ion batteries. It provides element-specific contrast images that allows the study of the surface morphology and the identification of the various components of the composite electrode. It also enables the acquisition of local X-ray absorption spectra (XAS) on single particles of the electrode, such as the C and O K-edges to track the stability of carbonate-based electrolytes, F K-edge to study the electrolyte salt and binder stability, and the transition metal L-edges to gain insights into the oxidation/reduction processes of positive and negative active materials.

Diverse dechlorinators and dechlorination genes enriched through amendment of chlorinated natural organic matter fractions.

In uncontaminated environments, chlorinated natural organic matter (Cl-NOM) can act as an electron acceptor for organohalide-respiring bacteria. It is unknown, however, whether different types of Cl-NOM are preferentially dechlorinated or whether enrichment with Cl-NOM affects the ability of bacteria to dechlorinate contaminants. In this research NOM was extracted from sediment, fractionated based on hydrophobicity, and either amended to polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated soil directly or chlorinated and then amended to soil.

Memory advancement by intranasal insulin in type 2 diabetes (MemAID) randomized controlled clinical trial: Design, methods and rationale.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) accelerates brain aging and increases the risk for dementia. Insulin is a key neurotrophic factor in the brain, where it modulates energy metabolism, neurovascular coupling, and regeneration. Impaired insulin-mediated brain signaling and central insulin resistance may contribute to cognitive and functional decline in T2DM.

Rapidly Solidified Aluminium Alloy Composite with Nickel Prepared by Powder Metallurgy: Microstructure and Self-Healing Behaviour.

Composite material prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) from a powder mixture of AlCrFeSi rapidly solidified alloy and 5 wt. % of Ni particles was studied in this work. It was proven that during SPS compaction at 500 °C, no intermetallic phases formed on the surface of Ni particles.

Bacteriocin ASM1 is an O/S-diglycosylated, plasmid-encoded homologue of glycocin F.

Here, we report on the biochemical characterization of a new glycosylated bacteriocin (glycocin), ASM1, produced by Lactobacillus plantarum A-1 and analysis of the A-1 bacteriocinogenic genes. ASM1 is 43 amino acids in length with Ser18-O- and Cys43-S-linked N-acetylglucosamine moieties that are essential for its inhibitory activity. Its only close homologue, glycocin F (GccF), has five amino acid substitutions all residing in the flexible C-terminal 'tail' and a lower IC (0.

Influence of Heat Treatment on Microstructure and Properties of NiTi46 Alloy Consolidated by Spark Plasma Sintering.

Ni-Ti alloys are considered to be very important shape memory alloys with a wide application area including, e.g., biomaterials, actuators, couplings, and components in automotive, aerospace, and robotics industries.

Critical Assessment of Techniques for the Description of the Phase Composition of Advanced High-Strength Steels.

The phase composition and portion of individual phases in advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) CP1000 and DP1000 was studied by complementary microscopic and diffraction techniques. CP1000 and DP1000 steel grades have a high strength-to-density ratio and they are used in many applications in the automotive industry. The microstructure of the CP1000 "complex phase" steel consists of ferrite, bainite, martensite and a small amount of retained austenite.

High-resolution label-free 3D mapping of extracellular pH of single living cells.

Dynamic mapping of extracellular pH (pHe) at the single-cell level is critical for understanding the role of H in cellular and subcellular processes, with particular importance in cancer. While several pHe sensing techniques have been developed, accessing this information at the single-cell level requires improvement in sensitivity, spatial and temporal resolution. We report on a zwitterionic label-free pH nanoprobe that addresses these long-standing challenges.

Effect of evaporative cooling and altitude on dairy cows milk efficiency in lowlands.

The objective of this current work was to determinate the effect of high temperatures on milk production of dairy cows in southern Slovakia in the year 2015. The hypotheses that milk production is influenced by the altitude and cooling were tested. Production data included 227,500 test-day records belonging to 34 Holstein breed herds situated in lowlands, 115 to 150 m above sea level (ASL) and kept in free-stall housing.

Cryoballoon or Radiofrequency Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation Assessed by Continuous Monitoring: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Advanced generation ablation technologies have been developed to achieve more effective pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and minimize arrhythmia recurrence after atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation.

Methods: We randomly assigned 346 patients with drug-refractory paroxysmal AF to contact force-guided radiofrequency ablation (CF-RF; n=115), 4-minute cryoballoon ablation (Cryo-4; n=115), or 2-minute cryoballoon ablation (Cryo-2; n=116). Follow-up was 12 months.

Sustained quality-of-life improvement post-cryoballoon ablation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: Results from the STOP-AF Post-Approval Study.

Background: Pulmonary vein isolation by catheter ablation is a class IA indication for the treatment of symptomatic, drug-refractory, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). Quality of life (QoL) has been identified as a clinically meaningful endpoint but has not been comprehensively evaluated to date.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of cryoballoon ablation on long-term QoL.

MS-Based Approaches Enable the Structural Characterization of Transcription Factor/DNA Response Element Complex.

The limited information available on the structure of complexes involving transcription factors and cognate DNA response elements represents a major obstacle in the quest to understand their mechanism of action at the molecular level. We implemented a concerted structural proteomics approach, which combined hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX), quantitative protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid cross-linking (XL), and homology analysis, to model the structure of the complex between the full-length DNA binding domain (DBD) of Forkhead box protein O4 (FOXO4) and its DNA binding element (DBE). The results confirmed that FOXO4-DBD assumes the characteristic forkhead topology shared by these types of transcription factors, but its binding mode differs significantly from those of other members of the family.

Characterization of repeat arrays in ultra-long nanopore reads reveals frequent origin of satellite DNA from retrotransposon-derived tandem repeats.

Amplification of monomer sequences into long contiguous arrays is the main feature distinguishing satellite DNA from other tandem repeats, yet it is also the main obstacle in its investigation because these arrays are in principle difficult to assemble. Here we explore an alternative, assembly-free approach that utilizes ultra-long Oxford Nanopore reads to infer the length distribution of satellite repeat arrays, their association with other repeats and the prevailing sequence periodicities. Using the satellite DNA-rich legume plant Lathyrus sativus as a model, we demonstrated this approach by analyzing 11 major satellite repeats using a set of nanopore reads ranging from 30 to over 200 kb in length and representing 0.

Properties Comparison of Ti-Al-Si Alloys Produced by Various Metallurgy Methods.

Melting metallurgy is still the most frequently used and simplest method for the processing of metallic materials. Some of the materials (especially intermetallics) are very difficult to prepare by this method due to the high melting points, poor fluidity, or formation of cracks and pores after casting. This article describes the processing of Ti-Al-Si alloys by arc melting, and shows the microstructure, phase composition, hardness, fracture toughness, and compression tests of these alloys.

Reductant-Induced Free Radical Fluoroalkylation of Nitrogen Heterocycles and Innate Aromatic Amino Acid Residues in Peptides and Proteins.

A series of fluoroalkylated cyclic λ -iodanes and their hydrochloride salts was prepared and used in a combination with sodium ascorbate in buffer or aqueous methanol mixtures for radical fluoroalkylation of a range of substituted indoles, pyrroles, tryptophan or its derivatives, and Trp residues in peptides. As demonstrated on several peptides, the aromatic amino acid residues of Trp, Tyr, Phe, and His are targeted with high selectivity to Trp. The functionalization method is biocompatible, mild, rapid, and transition-metal-free.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Serious Psychological Distress Among Those With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias.

Background: Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) is a growing public health challenge. Prior research suggests that non-Hispanic whites (whites), non-Hispanic African Americans (African Americans), and Hispanics have differing risks for ADRD.

Objective: To examine the existence of serious psychological distress (SPD) among whites, African Americans, and Hispanics; to calculate the predicted probability of ADRD in whites, African Americans, and Hispanics, and to decompose the differences among ADRD populations, quantifying the burden of higher SPD among African Americans and Hispanics, compared to whites.

Effect of Initial Powders on Properties of FeAlSi Intermetallics.

FeAlSi intermetallics are materials with promising high-temperature mechanical properties and oxidation resistance. Nevertheless, their production by standard metallurgical processes is complicated. In this study, preparation of powders by mechanical alloying and properties of the samples compacted by spark plasma sintering was studied.

A reference genome for pea provides insight into legume genome evolution.

We report the first annotated chromosome-level reference genome assembly for pea, Gregor Mendel's original genetic model. Phylogenetics and paleogenomics show genomic rearrangements across legumes and suggest a major role for repetitive elements in pea genome evolution. Compared to other sequenced Leguminosae genomes, the pea genome shows intense gene dynamics, most likely associated with genome size expansion when the Fabeae diverged from its sister tribes.

Feasibility of de Morton Mobility Index for adult patients of all ages at low and basic functioning level: a study using the Slovenian translation.

We investigated metric properties of the Slovenian translation of de Morton Mobility Index in patients with musculoskeletal impairments during rehabilitation. The study included 30 inpatients, aged 22-84 years, with musculoskeletal impairments with or without impairment of peripheral nerves. They were assessed repeatedly with de Morton Mobility Index, Functional Ambulation Classification, Ten-metre Walk Test, Six-minute Walk Test, Berg Balance Scale and the motor subscale of the Functional Independence Measure.

Aqueous film forming foam and associated perfluoroalkyl substances inhibit methane production and Co-contaminant degradation in an anaerobic microbial community.

Aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) can contain gram per liter concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and are often released in large quantities directly to the environment as they are used to fight fires. AFFF composition is complex and contains many unknown PFAS in addition to ingredients such as hydrocarbons, solvents, and corrosion inhibitors. While biological effects of single PFAS have been studied, the effects of PFAS-containing mixtures, such as AFFF, are unknown.

Modeling alginate encapsulation system for biological hydrogen production.

Wastewater treatment using encapsulated biomass is a promising approach for high-rate resource recovery. Encapsulation matrices can be customized to achieve desired biomass retention and mass transport performance. This, in turn, facilitates treatment of different waste streams.

Stable and Unstable Diglyme-Based Electrolytes for Batteries with Sodium or Graphite as Electrode.

We study the stability of several diglyme-based electrolytes in sodium|sodium and sodium|graphite cells. The electrolyte behavior for different conductive salts [sodium trifluoromethanesulfonate (NaOTf), NaPF, NaClO, bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (NaFSI), and sodium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (NaTFSI)] is compared and, in some cases, considerable differences are identified. Side reactions are studied with a variety of methods, including X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, online electrochemical mass spectrometry, and in situ electrochemical dilatometry.

Structure and Properties of Fe-Al-Si Alloy Prepared by Mechanical Alloying.

Fe-Al-Si alloys have been previously reported as an interesting alternative to common high-temperature materials. This work aimed to improve the properties of FeAl20Si20 alloy (in wt.%) by the application of powder metallurgy process consisting of ultrahigh-energy mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering.