Guanine-based spin valve with spin rectification effect for an artificial memory element.

Non-volatile electronic memory elements are very attractive for applications, not only for information storage but also in logic circuits, sensing devices and neuromorphic computing. Here, a ferroelectric film of guanine nucleobase is used in a resistive memory junction sandwiched between two different ferromagnetic films of Co and CoCr alloys. The magnetic films have an in-plane easy axis of magnetization and different coercive fields whereas the guanine film ensures a very long spin transport length, at 100 K.

Effects of Plant-Based Diet on Metabolic Parameters, Liver and Kidney Steatosis: A Prospective Interventional Open-label Study.

This interventional single-center prospective open-label study aims to evaluate the effects of a vegan diet, compared to a vegetarian and omnivorous diet, on metabolic parameters, insulin sensitivity, and liver and kidney steatosis in healthy adults. The study included 53 omnivorous participants aged 18-40 years, body-mass index 18-30 kg/m2, without any chronic disease, chronic medication use, active smoking, or significant alcohol consumption. All participants were omnivorous at baseline and selected to continue an omnivorous diet or transition to a vegetarian or vegan diet, with follow-up over six months.

Experimental analysis of genetic algorithm-enhanced PI controller for power optimization in multi-rotor variable-speed wind turbine systems.

The direct power control (DPC) algorithm is one of the most popular linear techniques used to implement notable controllers, known for their simplicity and fast dynamic response. However, this approach has drawbacks that cause a decrease in the current quality and disturbances in the network. Therefore, this experimental work presents a simple and efficient solution that uses a proportional-integral regulator based on a genetic algorithm to regulate the power quality.

Introduction of curvature index and improvement of calibration curves used in ion chromatography (IC), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), UV-vis spectrophotometry and catalytic combustion.

Background: The calibration curve represents the relationship between known CRM and the response of the instrument (e.g absorbance). Most of the time, in analytical chemistry standards, the linear function (of the 1st degree) is used to characterize the calibration curves.

Effects of Real-Life Motor Complexity on Walking and Mobility in Trained and Sedentary Adolescents With Intellectual Disabilities: A Motor Dual-Task Investigation.

Adolescents with intellectual disabilities (ID) often encounter challenges in walking and mobility due to cognitive and motor impairments. This study aimed to investigate the impact of real-life motor complexity on walking and mobility in this population, particularly focusing on dual-task scenarios. Twenty-four adolescents with ID, divided into trained and sedentary groups, participated in the study.

Well-being factors. An item-level analysis of the positive cognitive triad role, in the relationship between resilience and well-being.

This study examines the impact of resilience and the positive cognitive triad (consisting of three components: view of the self, view of the world, and view of the future) on well-being, a subject that is presently understudied. The present study investigated well-being models that take into consideration the role of the positive cognitive triad, in the relationship between resilience and several concepts of well-being: subjective (general) happiness, subjective (hedonic) well-being, and psychological (eudaimonic) well-being (N = 742). Eudaimonic and hedonic well-being contribute to overall happiness through different mechanisms, while subjective happiness is people's assessment of their happiness.

A gender breakdown of unexpected benefits generated by work from home in STEM fields - A qualitative analysis of the WiMPBME Task Group survey.

Background: Working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic was perceived differently by men and women working in STEM fields. The aim of this paper is to highlight the unexpected benefits generated by working from home during the pandemic.

Methods: Qualitative methodology was used to analyze data, collected via survey.

Prognostic Value of Myocardial CT-ECV in Severe Aortic Stenosis Requiring Aortic Valve Replacement: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Aim: Computed tomography (CT)-derived extracellular volume fraction (ECV) is a non-invasive method to quantify myocardial fibrosis. Evaluating CT-ECV during aortic valve replacement (AVR) planning CT in severe aortic stenosis (AS) may aid prognostic stratification. This meta-analysis evaluated the prognostic significance of CT-ECV in severe AS necessitating AVR.

Status of Sepsis Care in European Hospitals: Results from an International Cross-Sectional Survey.

Rationale: Early detection, standardized therapy, adequate infrastructure and strategies for quality improvement should constitute essential components of every hospital's sepsis plan.

Objectives: To investigate the extent to which recommendations from the sepsis guidelines are implemented and the availability of infrastructure for the care of patients with sepsis in acute hospitals.

Methods: A multidisciplinary cross-sectional questionnaire was used to investigate sepsis care in hospitals.

Short-term exposure to PM pollution in Iran and related burden diseases.

The objective of this study was to estimate the health effects attributed to PM exposure in southwest of Iran. In order to estimate HA-CVD, HA-RD, LC-M, I-As in children, RAD, and WDL, the exposure-response function method was used. The annual mean of PM regularly exceeded 5.

Public Health.

Background: According to the World Health Organization, dementia is one of the leading causes of death and at least 55 million people worldwide currently have dementia. Therefore, identifying the factors that increase the risk of developing dementia, but also those that protect against it, as well as the mechanisms underlying these effects, are essential for prevention and the development of interventions.

Method: Literature findings underline the detrimental effects of early adverse experiences on a variety of later-life biopsychosocial outcomes, including brain and cognition.

Public Health.

Background: Early adversity has been reported as a risk factor for dementia. Adverse maternal control (MC) during childhood is believed to impact neural developmental pathways. Here we studied the associations between adverse MC and the volume of the dorsal striatum in older adults given evidence from the childhood adversity literature of structural reductions and altered reward processing.

Biomarkers.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is the sleep disorder most frequently found in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The intermittent hypoxia (IH) caused by OSA may participate in AD pathogenesis through increase in oxidative damage and inflammation. We aimed to identify inflammatory and redox genes differentially expressed in the blood from AD patients with severe OSA compared with those with nonsevere OSA.

Developing Topics.

Background: Brain rhythms provide the timing for recruitment of brain activity required for linking together neuronal ensembles engaged in specific tasks. The γ-oscillations (30-120 Hz) orchestrate neuronal circuits underlying cognitive processes and working memory. High temporal resolution recording methods, such as magnetoencephalography, have made it clear that Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, starting as early as the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage, have diminished γ-oscillations even before the Aβ load takes full effect.

Drug Development.

Background: Clinical trial sponsors rely on research sites to identify and enroll appropriate study participants and to correctly and reliably assess symptom severity and function over the course of the trial. Low-recruiting sites represent a large financial and operational burden and may negatively impact trial success either by selecting inappropriate participants and/or high prevalence of data quality issues. We previously reported that >60% of sites in schizophrenia clinical trials recruited ≤5 participants.

Drug Development.

Background: The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a common screening tool in Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinical trials. MMSE score inflation at inclusionary visits poses challenges by potentially amplifying placebo responses and complicating the detection of treatment effects. Despite these concerns, prior research (e.

Implications of Biomaterials for Chronic Wounds.

The use of biomaterials in treating and managing chronic wounds represents a significant challenge in global healthcare due to the complex nature of these wounds, which are slow to heal and can lead to complications such as frequent infections and diminished quality of life for patients. Chronic wounds, which can arise from conditions like diabetes, poor circulation, and pressure sores, pose distinct challenges in wound care, necessitating the development of specialized dressings. The pathophysiology of chronic wounds is thoroughly examined in this article, with particular attention paid to the cellular and molecular defects at work and the therapeutic guidelines.

A missense mutation in the gene in a patient with autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy.

The gene (OMIM: 608271) encodes the Microtubule-Actin Cross-Linking Factor 1 protein. Existing medical research shows that genetic mutations in the gene have been associated with neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, with variants of unknown significance also linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the number of reported autism disorder or epilepsy cases associated with mutations remains limited.

Optical tweezers in biomedical research - progress and techniques.

Optical tweezers, which leverage the forces exerted by radiation pressure, have emerged as a pivotal technique for precisely manipulating and analyzing microscopic particles. Since Arthur Ashkin's ground-breaking work in the 1970s and the subsequent development of the single-beam optical trap in 1986, the capabilities of optical tweezers have expanded significantly, enabling the intricate manipulation of biological specimens at the micro- and nanoscale. This review elucidates the foundational principles of optical trapping and their extensive applications in the biomedical sciences.

Replicating the Expected and the Unexpected: Neuropsychological and Symptom Profiles in a Neurotypical Romanian-English Bilingual Sample.

Establishing the effect of limited English proficiency (LEP) on cognitive performance within linguistically diverse populations is central to cross-cultural neuropsychological assessments. The present study was designed to replicate previous research on cognitive profiles in Romanian-English bilinguals. Seventy-six participants (54 women, MAge = 23.

Health-related quality of life in chronic stroke: Translation and validation of the Romanian stroke and aphasia quality of life scale-39 g (RO-SAQOL-39 g) questionnaire.

In the clinical context of stroke, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a crucial patient-reported outcome measure that is frequently used to assess the effectiveness of neurorehabilitation programs. Despite its significance, the absence of a stroke-specific quality-of-life instrument translated into Romanian and validated for use in Romanian stroke patients, including those with aphasia, presents a notable gap in current research. This study briefly describes the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale-39 g (SAQOL-39 g) into Romanian (RO-SAQOL-39 g).

Copeptin as biomarker for acute ischemic stroke prognosis and revascularization treatment efficacy.

Introduction: Pro-arginine vasopressin consists of three peptides: . AVP is released by the neurohypophysis in response to increased plasma osmolality, decreased blood volume and stress. Copeptin has the advantage of being stable ex vivo and easy to measure.

Assessing local service providers' needs for scaling up MHPSS interventions for Ukrainian refugees: Insights from Poland, Slovakia, and Romania.

Providing Mental Health and Psychosocial Support interventions (MHPSS) for forcibly displaced Ukrainians in Central and Eastern Europe poses numerous challenges due to various socio-cultural and infrastructural factors. This qualitative study explored implementation barriers reported by service providers of in-person and digital MHPSS for Ukrainian refugees displaced to Poland, Romania and Slovakia due to the war. In addition, the study aimed to generate recommendations to overcome these barriers.