Field-Free Spin-Orbit Torque Switching in Janus Chromium Dichalcogenides.

We predict a very large spin-orbit torque (SOT) capability of magnetic chromium-based transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers in their Janus forms CrXTe, with X = S, Se. The structural inversion symmetry breaking, inherent to Janus structures is responsible for a large SOT response generated by giant Rashba splitting, equivalent to that obtained by applying a transverse electric field of ∼100 V nm in non-Janus CrTe, completely out of experimental reach. By performing transport simulations on carefully derived Wannier tight-binding models, Janus systems are found to exhibit an SOT performance comparable to the most efficient two-dimensional materials, while additionally allowing for field-free perpendicular magnetization switching, due to their reduced in-plane symmetry.

Real-time PCR for malaria diagnosis and identification of Plasmodium species in febrile patients in Cubal, Angola.

Background: Malaria is the parasitic disease with the highest morbimortality worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there were approximately 249 million cases in 2022, of which 3.4% were in Angola.

Women working as cleaners in Spain: working conditions and use of psychotropic drugs.

Goals: To describe the exposure to psychosocial risks at work and the consumption of psychotropic drugs and opioids among women working as cleaners; and to analyse the association between their exposure to psychosocial risks and drug use.

Methods: Observational cross-sectional study based on an online survey (collected during April and May 2021) from the wage-earning population in Spain. In this study, only women working in manual occupations were included (n=3430).

Lack of detection of Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV-3) in formalin-fixed, paraffin- embedded tissues from porcine abortions in Switzerland.

The novel Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV-3) has been associated in the past years to different porcine diseases, including reproductive failure. The potential occurrence of PCV-3 in abortions from Swiss pig herds has not been investigated so far. Thus, we conducted a retrospective study on pig aborted cases submitted to our laboratory in the University of Bern during the last 10 years with the main aim of investigating the possible presence of PCV-3 in foetal and/or placental tissue.

How does mindfulness skills training work to improve emotion dysregulation in borderline personality disorder?

Background: Mindfulness skills training is a core component of Dialectical Behavior Therapy and aims to improve emotion dysregulation (ED) in people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). However, the underlying mechanisms of change are not fully understood.

Methods: A total of 75 BPD outpatients participated in a 10-week mindfulness skills training.

Pain related syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion in a kitten.

A 2-month-old domestic shorthair kitten was presented for evaluation of weakness, gait abnormalities, and signs of pain after trauma. On admission, the patient was found laterally recumbent with obvious gait abnormalities: difficulty rising from sitting and marked unilateral left hind limb lameness. On orthopedic examination, severe pain, crepitations, and swelling of the left hind limb were detected.

Elective splenectomy for hematological diseases: a vanishing indication.

Introduction: Splenectomy has been used as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool in the management of hematological diseases for many years. However, the emergence of new medical therapies has modified guidelines for many hematological diseases for which splenectomy was previously considered. We aimed to evaluate the evidence of a decrease in the hematological indications for splenectomy and the reasons and justifications for this change.

COVID-19 IgG seropositivity and its determinants in occupational groups of varying infection risks in two Andean cities of Ecuador before mass vaccination.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused over 68.7 million infections and 1.35 million deaths in South America.

Heterogeneous IL-9 Production by Circulating Skin-Tropic and Extracutaneous Memory T Cells in Atopic Dermatitis Patients.

Interleukin (IL)-9 is present in atopic dermatitis (AD) lesions and is considered to be mainly produced by skin-homing T cells expressing the cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen (CLA). However, its induction by AD-associated triggers remains unexplored. Circulating skin-tropic CLA and extracutaneous/systemic CLA memory T cells cocultured with autologous lesional epidermal cells from AD patients were activated with house dust mite (HDM) and staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB).

Gamification for Mental Health and Health Psychology: Insights at the First Quarter Mark of the 21st Century.

The concept of gamification, originally rooted in digital media and game design, has increasingly emerged as a pivotal element in psychology and engagement strategies. Its application spans diverse domains within healthcare, offering innovative solutions to transform patient care through behavior modification and heightened engagement. This contemporary perspective explores theoretical frameworks and provides a critical interdisciplinary examination of current advancements in gamification for mental health and health psychology, identifying existing knowledge gaps and projecting future trends and research directions within these contexts.

Global Variation in Genes and Plasmids from Animal and Human Genomes Following Colistin Usage Restrictions in Livestock.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a significant global health threat, with multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial clones becoming a major concern. Polymyxins, especially colistin, have reemerged as last-resort treatments for MDR Gram-negative infections. However, colistin use in livestock has spread mobile colistin resistance () genes, notably , impacting human health.

Divergent dual C-H isotopic fractionation pattern during anaerobic biodegradation of toluene within Aromatoleum species under nitrate-reducing conditions.

Toluene is a pollutant frequently detected in contaminated groundwater, mostly due to leakage from underground gasoline storage tanks and pipeline ruptures. Multi-element compound-specific isotope analysis provides a framework to understand transformation processes and design efficient remediation strategies. In this study, we enriched an anaerobic bacterial culture derived from a BTEX-contaminated aquifer that couples toluene and phenol oxidation with nitrate reduction and the concomitant production of carbon dioxide and biomass.

Effects of social and environmental restrictions, and changes in alcohol availability in adolescents' binge drinking during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aims: The aim of the present study was to estimate the evolution of binge drinking since the pre-pandemic period, and throughout the pandemic period with the application and lifting of the restrictions in adolescents aged 12 to 19 years old in school in Central Catalonia.

Methodology: Quasi-experimental time series study with two samples of adolescents. The first sample (1st wave of survey, pre-pandemic period) was obtained between the months of September 2019 to March 2020 (n = 6621) and the second sample (2nd wave of survey, pandemic period) between the months of October 2021 and March 2022 (n = 7576).

Early coronary revascularization among 'stable' patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes: the role of diabetes and age.

Aims: To investigate the impact of an early coronary revascularization (<24 h) compared with initial conservative strategy on clinical outcomes in diabetic patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) who are in stable condition at hospital admission.

Methods And Results: The International Survey of Acute Coronary Syndromes database was queried for a sample of diabetic and nondiabetic patients with diagnosis of NSTE-ACS. Patients with cardiac arrest, haemodynamic instability, and serious ventricular arrhythmias were excluded.

The novel MFS efflux pump SxtP, regulated by the LysR-type transcriptional activator SxtR, is involved in the susceptibility to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SXT) and the pathogenesis of .

is a notorious opportunistic pathogen responsible for healthcare-associated infections worldwide. Efflux pumps play crucial roles in mediating antimicrobial resistance, motility, and virulence. In this study, we present the identification and characterization of the new efflux pump SxtP belonging to the MFS superfamily (ajor acilitator uperfamily), along with its associated activator ysRtype ranscriptional egulator (LTTR) SxtR, demonstrating their roles in sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (also known as co-trimoxazole or SXT) resistance, surface-associated motility and virulence.

Skin Tau Quantification as a Novel Biomarker in Huntington's Disease.

Background: Emerging research implicates tau protein dysregulation in the pathophysiology of Huntington's disease.

Objective: This study investigated skin tau quantification as a potential biomarker for Huntington's disease and its correlation with disease burden outcomes.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we measured skin tau levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 23 Huntington's disease mutations carriers and eight control subjects, examining group discrimination, correlations with genetic markers, clinical assessments, and neuroimaging data.

The food-water-climate nexus of green infrastructure: Examining ecosystem services trade-offs of peri-urban agriculture.

Emission reduction, heat mitigation, and improved access to water and food provision are increasingly critical challenges for urban areas in the context of global climate change adaptation and mitigation. The revival of local agricultural production is often lauded as a potential nature-based solution. However, an expansion of peri-urban agriculture (peri-UA) may entail significant ecosystem trade-offs.

Can immunocrit be used as a monitoring tool for swine vaccination and infection studies?

Background: The immunocrit is a cost-effective and straightforward technique traditionally used to assess passive immunity transfer to newborn piglets. However, it has not been previously used for monitoring the effect of vaccination and/or infections. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of the immunocrit technique as an immunological monitoring tool in a vaccination and challenge scenario, using porcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2) as pathogen model.

The eyes as the exclamation mark of the face: exploring the relationship between eye size, intensity of female facial expressions and attractiveness in a range of emotions.

Background-objective: The eyes play an important role in communicating emotions and shape the determination of other facial attributes. Here, we explored the relationship between eye size, perceived intensity and attractiveness of facial expressions.

Methods: A sample of  = 63 participants (men and women, aged 18-35) rated attractiveness and emotional intensity for images displaying emotionally expressive women's faces with digitally manipulated eye size (15% smaller, unchanged, or 15% larger).