Design and performance of a magnetic bottle electron spectrometer for high-energy photoelectron spectroscopy.

We describe the design and performance of a magnetic bottle electron spectrometer (MBES) for high-energy electron spectroscopy. Our design features a 2 m long electron drift tube and electrostatic retardation lens, achieving sub-electronvolt (eV) electron kinetic energy resolution for high energy (several hundred eV) electrons with a close to 4π collection solid angle. A segmented anode electron detector enables the simultaneous collection of photoelectron spectra in high resolution and high collection efficiency modes.

What are the attitudes and perceptions of general practitioners about the role of nurse practitioners in the community care setting: A scoping review.

Background: The Nurse Practitioner role in Australia is slowly expanding, with a well-established body of evidence supporting their introduction. Yet, there is a lack of consistent support from the medical profession for this role. Nurse Practitioners wishing to work in the community setting may, therefore, experience resistance from General Practitioners.

Suppression of Huntington's Disease Somatic Instability by Transcriptional Repression and Direct CAG Repeat Binding.

Huntington's disease (HD) arises from a CAG expansion in the () gene beyond a critical threshold. A major thrust of current HD therapeutic development is lowering levels of mutant mRNA (m) and protein (mHTT) with the aim of reducing the toxicity of these product(s). Human genetic data also support a key role for somatic instability (SI) in 's CAG repeat - whereby it lengthens with age in specific somatic cell types - as a key driver of age of motor dysfunction onset.

Putting the squeeze on valence tautomerism in cobalt-dioxolene complexes.

Molecules that can reversibly switch between electronic states under an external stimulus are of interest to numerous applications. Complexes of open shell metal ions with redox active ligands undergo valence tautomerism, resulting in magnetic, colour and structural switching, relevant to data storage and actuators. However, the precise structural changes occurring during valence tautomerism in the solid state are unclear due to the lack of atomic-resolution characterization.

Delayed endometrial preparation for the induction of luteolysis as a potential factor for improved reproductive performance in Angus beef heifers with high antral follicle counts.

Antral Follicle Count (AFC) and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentrations are reflective for ovarian reserve and have been associated with improved reproductive performance in cattle. Key events for regulation of uterine receptivity are orchestrated by progesterone. As progesterone concentrations are greater in animals with high than low AFC, we tested the hypothesis, if the resulting improved uterine environment will lead to improved conceptus elongation and endometrial response to interferon tau.

Catalysis in Extreme Field Environments: A Case Study of Strongly Ionized SiO Nanoparticle Surfaces.

High electric fields can significantly alter catalytic environments and the resultant chemical processes. Such fields arise naturally in biological systems but can also be artificially induced through localized nanoscale excitations. Recently, strong field excitation of dielectric nanoparticles has emerged as an avenue for studying catalysis in highly ionized environments, producing extreme electric fields.

Freshwater Habitats Promote Rapid Rates of Phenotypic Evolution in Sculpin Fishes (Perciformes: Cottoidea).

AbstractInvasions of freshwater habitats by marine fishes provide exceptional cases of habitat-driven biological diversification. Freshwater habitats make up less than 1% of aquatic habitats but contain ∼50% of fish species. However, while the dominant group of freshwater fishes (Otophysi) is older than that of most marine fishes (Percomorphaceae), it is less morphologically diverse.

Perceived Stress and Health Outcomes Among Latinx and Non-Latinx White Adult People With HIV in East Harlem, New York: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Stress and HIV disproportionately affect Latinx adults in the United States, contributing to numerous health inequities. Among people living with HIV (PLWH), increased stress is associated with decreased medication adherence, effectiveness, and higher rates of immunosuppression and comorbidities. Our study ( N = 126) examined the relationship between perceived stress and HIV-related health among Latinx ( n = 83) and non-Latinx White ( n = 43) PLWH.

Digital Health and Caregiving Resources Used by Family Caregivers of Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Caregiving is often associated with negative physical and mental health outcomes, and as the COVID-19 pandemic escalated, caregivers experienced more burden and provided more care with substantially less support. Digital resources may have been one way caregivers managed demands for care and needs for information. This mixed-methods study included surveys and semi-structured interviews with caregivers ( = 11) to describe experiences and use of digital health resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Enhancing siRNA efficacy in vivo with extended nucleic acid backbones.

Therapeutic small interfering RNA (siRNA) requires sugar and backbone modifications to inhibit nuclease degradation. However, metabolic stabilization by phosphorothioate (PS), the only backbone chemistry used clinically, may be insufficient for targeting extrahepatic tissues. To improve oligonucleotide stabilization, we report the discovery, synthesis and characterization of extended nucleic acid (exNA) consisting of a methylene insertion between the 5'-C and 5'-OH of a nucleoside.

mRNA Nuclear Clustering Leads to a Difference in Mutant Huntingtin mRNA and Protein Silencing by siRNAs .

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by CAG repeat expansion in the first exon of the huntingtin gene (). Oligonucleotide therapeutics, such as short interfering RNA (siRNA), reduce levels of huntingtin mRNA and protein and are considered a viable therapeutic strategy. However, the extent to which they silence huntingtin mRNA in the nucleus is not established.

Navigating challenges and opportunities: Nursing student's views on generative AI in higher education.

Aim: This qualitative study aims to explore the perspectives of nursing students regarding the application and integration of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in their studies.

Background: With the increasing prevalence of generative AI tools in academic settings, there is a growing interest in their use among students for learning and assessments.

Design: Employing a qualitative descriptive design, this study used semi-structured interviews with nursing students to capture the nuanced insights of the participants.

Molecular and physiological changes in the SpaceX Inspiration4 civilian crew.

Human spaceflight has historically been managed by government agencies, such as in the NASA Twins Study, but new commercial spaceflight opportunities have opened spaceflight to a broader population. In 2021, the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission launched the first all-civilian crew to low Earth orbit, which included the youngest American astronaut (aged 29), new in-flight experimental technologies (handheld ultrasound imaging, smartwatch wearables and immune profiling), ocular alignment measurements and new protocols for in-depth, multi-omic molecular and cellular profiling. Here we report the primary findings from the 3-day spaceflight mission, which induced a broad range of physiological and stress responses, neurovestibular changes indexed by ocular misalignment, and altered neurocognitive functioning, some of which match those of long-term spaceflight, but almost all of which did not differ from baseline (pre-flight) after return to Earth.

mRNA nuclear clustering leads to a difference in mutant huntingtin mRNA and protein silencing by siRNAs .

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by CAG repeat expansion in the first exon of the huntingtin gene (). Oligonucleotide therapeutics, such as short interfering RNA (siRNA), reduce levels of huntingtin mRNA and protein and are considered a viable therapeutic strategy. However, the extent to which they silence HTT mRNA in the nucleus is not established.

A programmable dual-targeting siRNA scaffold supports potent two-gene modulation in the central nervous system.

Divalent short-interfering RNA (siRNA) holds promise as a therapeutic approach allowing for the sequence-specific modulation of a target gene within the central nervous system (CNS). However, an siRNA modality capable of simultaneously modulating gene pairs would be invaluable for treating complex neurodegenerative disorders, where more than one pathway contributes to pathogenesis. Currently, the parameters and scaffold considerations for multi-targeting nucleic acid modalities in the CNS are undefined.

Costs and health care resource utilization among Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Background: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common type of leukemia. However, published studies of CLL have either only focused on costs among individuals diagnosed with CLL without a non-CLL comparator group or focused on costs associated with specific CLL treatments. An examination of utilization and costs across different care settings provides a holistic view of utilization associated with CLL.

Developing Social Enhancements for a Web-Based, Positive Emotion Intervention for Alzheimer Disease Caregivers: Qualitative Focus Group and Interview Study.

Background: Alzheimer disease is a degenerative neurological condition that requires long-term care. The cost of these responsibilities is often borne by informal caregivers, who experience an elevated risk of negative physical and psychological outcomes. Previously, we designed a positive emotion regulation intervention that was shown to improve well-being among dementia caregivers when delivered through one-on-one videoconferencing lessons with a trained facilitator.