Electrochemical Synthesis of Metal Complexes Using Dissolving Anodes.

The use of dissolving metal electrodes for the direct electrochemical synthesis of metal complexes has been used widely in the last decade. A major benefit of the electrochemical approach is the minimal by-products resulting from the synthesis. As such, metal complexes can be produced on-demand and used directly in catalysis without the need for purification. Furthermore, the electrochemical method enables the production of metal complexes that cannot be synthesized using other methods, including those with base-sensitive ligands. General principles of the electrochemical method and recent advances in the field are discussed.

High lipoprotein(a) is a risk factor for peripheral artery disease, abdominal aortic aneurysms, and major adverse limb events.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize evidence from recent studies of high lipoprotein(a) as a risk factor for peripheral artery disease (PAD), abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), and major adverse limb events (MALE). Additionally, provide clinicians with 10-year absolute risk charts enabling risk prediction of PAD and AAA by lipoprotein(a) levels and conventional risk factors. RECENT FINDINGS: Numerous studies support high lipoprotein(a) as an independent risk factor for PAD, AAA, and MALE. The strongest evidence is from the Copenhagen General Population Study (CGPS) and the UK Biobank, two large general population-based cohorts. In the CGPS, a 50 mg/dl higher genetically determined lipoprotein(a) associated with hazard ratios of 1.39 (1.24-1.56) for PAD and 1.21 (1.01-1.44) for AAA. Corresponding hazard ratio in the UK Biobank were 1.38 (1.30-1.46) and 1.42 (1.28-1.59). In CGPS participants with levels at least 99th (≥143 mg/dl) vs, less than 50th percentile (≤9 mg/dl), hazard ratios were 2.99 (2.09-4.30) for PAD and 2.22 (1.21-4.07) for AAA, with a corresponding incidence rate ratio for MALE of 3.04 (1.55-5.98) in participants with PAD. SUMMARY: Evidence from both observational and genetic studies support high lipoprotein(a) as a causal risk factor for PAD, AAA, and MALE, and highlight the potential of future lipoprotein(a)-lowering therapy to reduce the substantial morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases.

Assessment of aortic dissection remodeling with patient-specific fluid-structure interaction models.

Aortic dissection leads to late complications due to chronic degeneration and dilatation of the false lumen. However, the interaction between hemodynamics and microstructural remodeling driving long-term changes is not fully understood. This study examines the progression of a patient's aortic dissection, tracked from pre-dissection to the chronic phase using computed tomography angiography. Fluid-structure interaction models that account for tissue prestress, external support, and anisotropic properties were used to analyze hemodynamic markers. Each aortic wall layer had distinct thicknesses and material properties. The boundary conditions were guided by in vitro 4D-flow MRI and the patient's blood pressure. Quantitative measurements during routine clinical care showed that aortic dilatation was most significant distal to the left subclavian artery, reaching 6cm in the chronic phase. Simulations resulted in a flow jet velocity through the entry tear that peaked at 185cm/s in the subacute phase and decreased to 123 to 133 cm/s in the chronic phase, corresponding to an increased entry tear size. Flow jet impingement on the false lumen resulted in a localized pressure increase of 11 and 2mmHg in the subacute and chronic phases, with the wall shear stress reaching 4,Pa. These hemodynamic changes appear to be the main drivers of aortic growth and morphological changes. Despite moderate overall flap movement, in-plane displacement increased from 0.6 to 1.8mm as disease progressed, which was associated with an overall increase in aortic diameter. Additional simulations with a significant reduction in flap stiffness during the subacute phase resulted in increased flap motion up to 9.5mm. Although these results are based on a single patient, they suggest a strong relationship between hemodynamics and aortic growth.

Pulp Vitality Diagnosis by Means of an Optical Pulp Scanning Device.

This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of an Optical Pulp Scanning (OPS) device. A total of 421 teeth from 107 emergency patients were investigated. Pulp vitality was assessed using conventional diagnostic methods (ConvDia), cold pulp testing (CPT), and a final diagnosis (FinDia) based on the pulp chamber contents (PCCs) of teeth requiring endodontic treatment (EmeTe). Following ConvDia, OPS screening was performed, endodontic access was prepared, and the FinDia was established. The specificity, sensitivity, as well as positive and negative predictive values of ConvDia, CPT, and FinDia were calculated against the OPS results. The null hypothesis stated that specificity and sensitivity would be equal to or lower than 90% and 80%, respectively. OPS sensitivity was 66.2% and 72.2% (EmeTe) for ConvDia, 66.2% and 69.8% (EmeTe) for CPT, and 76.9% for FinDia. Specificity was 26.4% and 25.5% (EmeTe) for ConvDia, 26.9% and 21.7% (EmeTe) for CPT, and 31.5% for FinDia. These results suggest that, at its current stage of development, the OPS device does not provide an acceptable level of diagnostic accuracy, particularly in vital teeth.

Assessing the economic and nutritional value of pollination services in Nepal.

Pollination is a key ecosystem service crucial for supporting agricultural production, economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection. Understanding the economic value of pollination and its impact on human health and nutrition is essential for effective pollinator conservation and management. This study evaluates the economic and nutritional value of pollination services in Nepal and quantifies historic changes in pollinator reliance. Using public data on agricultural production and commodity prices, in combination with published nutritional composition values, we employ the dependency-ratio method to quantify economic and nutritional value across different regions of the country and through time. We conservatively estimate the annual economic value of pollination services in Nepal at US $477 million, representing 9% of total agricultural revenue. Pollinator-dependent crops, particularly fruits and vegetables are the source of essential nutrients; 40% of plant-based vitamin A and 14% of vitamin C are directly attributable to insect pollination. The cultivated area of these pollinator-dependent crops has increased by 91% in Nepal over 20 years - 3.7 times faster than equivalent increases in non-pollinator-dependent crops. The decline in wild pollinators during the same time period poses a threat, leading to potential pollination deficits and crop losses. Our study underscores the importance of conserving and managing pollinators to ensure sustainable agriculture, food security, and nutrition. Targeted efforts, including policy interventions and conservation strategies, are needed to safeguard pollinator populations and enhance pollination services.

Transparent, Antibiofouling Window Obtained with Surface Nanostructuring.

Biofouling is one of the key factors which limits the long-term performance of seawater sensors. Common measures to hinder biofouling include toxic paints, mechanical cleaning and UV radiation. All of these measures have various limitations. A very attractive solution would be to prevent biofilm formation by changing the surface structure of the sensor. This idea has been implemented successfully in various settings, but little work has been done on structuring optically transparent materials, which are often needed in sensor applications. In order to achieve good antibiofouling properties and efficient optical transparency, the structuring must be on the nanoscale. Here, we investigate a transparent, antibiofouling surface obtained by patterning a semihexagonal nanohole structure on borosilicate glass. The nanoholes are approximately 50 nm in diameter and 200 nm deep, and the interparticle distance is 135 nm, allowing the structure to be optically transparent. The antibiofouling properties of the surface were tested by exposing the substrates to the microalgae Phaeodactylum tricornutum for four different time intervals. This species was chosen because it is common in the Norwegian coastal waters. The tests were compared with unstructured borosilicate glass substrates. The experiments show that the nanostructured surface exhibits excellent antibiofouling properties. We attribute this effect to the relative size between the structure and the biofouling microorganism. Specifically, the small dimensions of the nanoholes, compared to the biofouling microorganism, make it more difficult for the microalgae to attach. However, lubrication of the substrates with FC-70 perfluorocarbon resulted in contamination at a rate comparable to the reference substrate, possibly due to the chemical attractiveness of the alkane chains in FC-70 for the microalgae.

Variational analysis of sensory feedback mechanisms in powerstroke-recovery systems.

Although the raison d'etre of the brain is the survival of the body, there are relatively few theoretical studies of closed-loop rhythmic motor control systems. In this paper we provide a unified framework, based on variational analysis, for investigating the dual goals of performance and robustness in powerstroke-recovery systems. To demonstrate our variational method, we augment two previously published closed-loop motor control models by equipping each model with a performance measure based on the rate of progress of the system relative to a spatially extended external substrate-such as a long strip of seaweed for a feeding task, or progress relative to the ground for a locomotor task. The sensitivity measure quantifies the ability of the system to maintain performance in response to external perturbations, such as an applied load. Motivated by a search for optimal design principles for feedback control achieving the complementary requirements of efficiency and robustness, we discuss the performance-sensitivity patterns of the systems featuring different sensory feedback architectures. In a paradigmatic half-center oscillator-motor system, we observe that the excitation-inhibition property of feedback mechanisms determines the sensitivity pattern while the activation-inactivation property determines the performance pattern. Moreover, we show that the nonlinearity of the sigmoid activation of feedback signals allows the existence of optimal combinations of performance and sensitivity. In a detailed hindlimb locomotor system, we find that a force-dependent feedback can simultaneously optimize both performance and robustness, while length-dependent feedback variations result in significant performance-versus-sensitivity tradeoffs. Thus, this work provides an analytical framework for studying feedback control of oscillations in nonlinear dynamical systems, leading to several insights that have the potential to inform the design of control or rehabilitation systems.

Ratiometric Fluorescent pH Sensing with Carbon Dots: Fluorescence Mapping across pH Levels for Potential Underwater Applications.

Ocean acidification has become a major climate change concern requiring continuous observation. Additionally, in the industry, pH surveillance is of great importance. Consequently, there is a pressing demand to develop robust and inexpensive pH sensors. Ratiometric fluorescence pH sensing stands out as a promising concept. The application of carbon dots in fluorescent sensing presents a compelling avenue for the advancement of pH-sensing solutions. This potential is underpinned by the affordability of carbon dots, their straightforward manufacturing process, low toxicity, and minimal susceptibility to photobleaching. Thus, investigating novel carbon dots is essential to identify optimal pH-sensitive candidates. In this study, five carbon dots were synthesized through a simple solvothermal treatment, and their fluorescence was examined as a function of pH within the range of 5-9, across an excitation range of 200-550 nm and an emission range of 250-750 nm. The resulting optical features showed that all five carbon dots exhibited pH sensitivity in both the UV and visible regions. One type of carbon dot, synthesized from m-phenylenediamine, displayed ratiometric properties at four excitation wavelengths, with the best results observed when excited in the visible spectrum at 475 nm. Indeed, these carbon dots exhibited good linearity over pH values of 6-9 in aqueous Carmody buffer solution by calculating the ratio of the green emission band at 525 nm to the orange one at 630 nm (I525nm/I630nm), demonstrating highly suitable properties for ratiometric sensing.

Defining minimum workforce standards for intensive care physiotherapy in Australia and New Zealand: A Dephi study.

BACKGROUND: Intensive care staffing guidelines provide recommendations for the safe and effective delivery of health care while recognising professional requirements of the workforce. To guide recommendations for physiotherapy staffing guidelines, profession-specific consultation is needed. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to develop consensus-based recommendations for minimum workforce standards for physiotherapy in intensive care. METHODS: A Delphi survey process was conducted involving physiotherapists from Australia and New Zealand. RESULTS: The panel consisted of 65 physiotherapists in the first round and 60 in the second round (92% retention). Respondents were from both Australia (49, 76%) and New Zealand (16, 24%) who had been physiotherapists for an average of 18.8 ± 9.0 years and were primarily senior intensive care physiotherapists (44, 68%). Respondents had experience across level 3 (50, 77%), level 2 (18, 28%), and level 1 (5, 8%) adult intensive care units (ICUs), adult high-dependency units (27, 42%), and paediatric intensive care (6, 9%). A total of 42 statements were presented, with 37 reaching consensus after two rounds. After two rounds, consensus was achieved for a minimum staffing ratio in paediatric ICUs of one physiotherapist per six (1:6) beds. For adult ICUs, use of the median value of the participant's responses was supported to establish minimum staffing ratios of 1:8, 1:7, 1:6, and 1:8 for levels 1, 2, and 3 ICUs and high-dependency units, respectively. The requirement for an additional allocation for senior physiotherapist staffing for each ICU level was also established. Statements that also gained consensus included recommendations for access to on-call and weekend services for all ICU settings and the consideration of evening shifts specifically for level 3 and paediatric ICUs. CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations for minimum staffing for physiotherapy in intensive care settings were achieved and supported requirements for clinical service delivery, supervision, and training.

Molecular geometry specific Monte Carlo simulation of the efficacy of diamond crystal formation from diamondoids.

Diamondoids are a class of organic molecules with the carbon skeletons isostructural to nano-diamond, and have been shown to be promising precursors for diamond formation. In this work, the formation of diamond crystals from various diamondoid molecule building blocks was studied using our developed molecular geometry specific Monte Carlo method. We maintained the internal carbon skeletons of the diamondoid molecules, and investigated how the carbon-carbon bonds form between diamondoid molecules and how efficient the process is to form diamond crystals. The simulations show that higher diamondoid molecules can produce structures closer to a diamond crystal compared with lower diamondoid molecules. Specifically, using higher diamondoid molecules, larger bulk diamond crystals are formed with fewer vacancies. The higher propensity of certain diamondoids to form diamond crystals reveals insights into the microscopic processes of diamond formation under high-pressure high-temperature conditions.

A semi-automatic method for block-structured hexahedral meshing of aortic dissections.

The article presents a semi-automatic approach to generating structured hexahedral meshes of patient-specific aortas ailed by aortic dissection. The condition manifests itself as a formation of two blood flow channels in the aorta, as a result of a tear in the inner layers of the aortic wall. Subsequently, the morphology of the aorta is greatly impacted, making the task of domain discretization highly challenging. The meshing algorithm presented herein is automatic for the individual lumina, whereas the tears require user interaction. Starting from an input (triangle) surface mesh, we construct an implicit surface representation as well as a topological skeleton, which provides a basis for the generation of a block-structure. Thereafter, the mesh generation is performed via transfinite maps. The meshes are structured and fully hexahedral, exhibit good quality and reliably match the original surface. As they are generated with computational fluid dynamics in mind, a fluid flow simulation is performed to verify their usefulness. Moreover, since the approach is based on valid block-structures, the meshes can be made very coarse (around 1000 elements for an entire aortic dissection domain), and thus promote using solvers based on the geometric multigrid method, which is typically reliant on the presence of a hierarchy of coarser meshes.

Premature mortality trends in 183 countries by cancer type, sex, WHO region, and World Bank income level in 2000-19: a retrospective, cross-sectional, population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. By 2040, over 30 million new cancers are predicted, with the greatest cancer burden in low-income countries. In 2015, the UN passed the Sustainable Development Goal 3.4 (SDG 3.4) to tackle the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, which calls for a reduction by a third in premature mortality from non-communicable diseases, including cancer, by 2030. However, there is a paucity of data on premature mortality rates by cancer type. In this study, we examine annual rates of change for cancer-specific premature mortality and classify whether countries are on track to reach SDG 3.4 targets. METHODS: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional, population-based study investigating premature mortality trends from 2000-19 using the WHO Global Health Estimates data. All cancers combined and thirteen individual cancers in 183 countries were examined by WHO region, World Bank income level, and sex. The risk of premature mortality was calculated for ages 30-69 years, independent of other competing causes of death, using standard life table methods. The primary objective was to compute average annual rate of change in premature mortality from 2000 to 2019. Secondary objectives assessed whether this annual rate of change would be sufficient to reach SDG 3.4. targets for premature mortality by 2030. FINDINGS: This study was conducted using data retrieved for the years 2000-19. Premature mortality rates decreased in 138 (75%) of 183 countries across all World Bank income levels and WHO regions, however only eight (4%) countries are likely to meet the SDG 3.4 targets for all cancers combined. Cancers where early detection strategies exist, such as breast and colorectal cancer, have higher declining premature mortality rates in high-income countries (breast cancer 48 [89%] of 54 and colorectal cancer 45 [83%]) than in low-income countries (seven [24%] of 29 and four [14%]). Cancers with primary prevention programmes, such as cervical cancer, have more countries with declining premature mortality rates (high-income countries 50 [93%] of 54 and low-income countries 26 [90%] of 29). Sex-related disparities in premature mortality rates vary across WHO regions, World Bank income groups, and by cancer type. INTERPRETATION: There is a greater reduction in premature mortality for all cancers combined and for individual cancer types in high-income countries compared with lower-middle-income and low-income countries. However, most countries will not reach the SDG 3.4 target. Cancers with early detection strategies in place, such as breast and colorectal cancers, are performing poorly in premature mortality compared with cancers with primary prevention measures, such as cervical cancer. Investments toward prevention, early detection, and treatment can potentially accelerate declines in premature mortality. FUNDING: WHO.

Automating population dose survey processing-An Australian feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: A comprehensive collection of data on doses in adult computed tomography procedures in Australia has not been undertaken for some time. This is largely due to the effort involved in collecting the data required for calculating the population dose. This data collection effort can be greatly reduced, and the coverage increased, if the process can be automated without major changes to the workflow of the imaging facilities providing the data. Success would provide a tool to determine a truly national assessment of the dose incurred through diagnostic imaging in Australia. PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to develop an automated tool to categorize electronic records of imaging procedures into a standardized set of broad procedure types, to validate the tool by applying it to data collected from nine facilities, and to assess the feasibility of applying the automated tool to compute population dose and determine the data manipulations required. METHODS: A rule-based classifier was implemented capitalizing on semantic and clinical rules. The keyword list was initially built from 609 unique study descriptions. It was then refined using an additional 414 unique study descriptions. The classifier was then tested on an additional 1198 unique study descriptions. Input from a radiologist provided the ground truth for the refinement of the classifier. RESULTS: From a sample of 238 139 studies containing 2794 unique study descriptions, the classifier correctly classified 2789 study types with only five misclassifications, demonstrating the feasibility of automating the process and the need for data pre-processing. Dose statistics for 21 categories were compiled using the 238 139 studies. CONCLUSION: The classifier achieved excellent classification results using the testing data supplied by the facilities. However, since all data supplied were from public facilities, the performance of the classifier may be biased. The performance of the classifier is yet to be tested on a more representative mix of private and public facilities.

Comparative Prevalence of Cerebrovascular Disease in Vietnamese Communities in South-Western Sydney.

Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities are growing globally. Understanding patterns of cerebrovascular disease in these communities may improve health outcomes. We aimed to compare the rates of transient ischaemic attack (TIA), ischaemic stroke (IS), intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH), intracranial atherosclerosis (ICAD), and stroke risk factors in Vietnamese-born residents of South-Western Sydney (SWS) with those of an Australian-born cohort. A 10-year retrospective analysis (2011-2020) was performed using data extracted from the Health Information Exchange database characterising stroke presentations and risk factor profiles. The rates of hypertension (83.7% vs. 70.3%, p < 0.001) and dyslipidaemia (81.0% vs. 68.2%, p < 0.001) were significantly higher in Vietnamese patients, while the rates of ischaemic heart disease (10.4% vs. 20.3%, p < 0.001), smoking (24.4% vs. 40.8%, p < 0.001), and alcohol abuse (>1 drink/day) (9.6% vs. 15.9%, p < 0.001) were lower. The rates of ICAD and ICH were higher in Vietnamese patients (30.9% vs. 6.9%, p < 0.001 and 24.7% vs. 14.4%, p = 0.002). Regression analysis revealed that diabetes (OR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.14-3.04, p = 0.014) and glycosylated haemoglobin (OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.15-1.98, p = 0.003) were predictors of ICAD in Vietnamese patients. Vietnamese patients had higher rates of symptomatic ICAD and ICH, with unique risk factor profiles. Culturally specific interventions arising from these findings may more effectively reduce the community burden of disease.

Recent advances in emerging integrated anticorrosion and antifouling nanomaterial-based coating solutions.

The rapid progress in the marine industry has resulted in notable challenges related to biofouling and surface corrosion on underwater infrastructure. Conventional coating techniques prioritise individual protective properties, such as offering either antifouling or anticorrosion protection. Current progress and innovations in nanomaterials and technologies have presented novel prospects and possibilities in the domain of integrated multifunctional coatings. These coatings can provide simultaneous protection against fouling and corrosion. This review study focuses on the potential applications of various nanomaterials, such as carbon-based nanostructures, nano-metal oxides, polymers, metal-organic frameworks, and nanoclays, in developing integrated multifunctional nano-based coatings. These emerging integrated multifunctional coating technologies recently developed and are currently in the first phases of development. The potential opportunities and challenges of incorporating nanomaterial-based composites into multifunctional coatings and their future prospects are discussed. This review aims to improve the reader's understanding of the integrated multifunctional nano-material composite coating design and encourage valuable contributions to its development.

COVID-19 and silent hypoxemia in a minimal closed-loop model of the respiratory rhythm generator.

Silent hypoxemia, or "happy hypoxia," is a puzzling phenomenon in which patients who have contracted COVID-19 exhibit very low oxygen saturation ( SaO 2 < 80%) but do not experience discomfort in breathing. The mechanism by which this blunted response to hypoxia occurs is unknown. We have previously shown that a computational model of the respiratory neural network (Diekman et al. in J Neurophysiol 118(4):2194-2215, 2017) can be used to test hypotheses focused on changes in chemosensory inputs to the central pattern generator (CPG). We hypothesize that altered chemosensory function at the level of the carotid bodies and/or the nucleus tractus solitarii are responsible for the blunted response to hypoxia. Here, we use our model to explore this hypothesis by altering the properties of the gain function representing oxygen sensing inputs to the CPG. We then vary other parameters in the model and show that oxygen carrying capacity is the most salient factor for producing silent hypoxemia. We call for clinicians to measure hematocrit as a clinical index of altered physiology in response to COVID-19 infection.

FAST and Furious About Quality: Impact of Continuous Review and Feedback on Point-of-Care Ultrasound Examinations.

Background: Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST) examination is a point-of-care ultrasound study used to evaluate for abdominal hemorrhage, pneumothorax, or pericardial blood in trauma patients as an adjunct to their initial assessment. The quality of the image can be limited, and its diagnostic value is heavily dependent on operator skill. Our objective was to determine whether a standardized review process improved image quality and reduced incidence of nondiagnostic or insufficient imaging by 10% over a 6-month period. Study Design: Between July 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022, we evaluated 1106 trauma activations at our level II trauma center. Two exams per practitioner per month were reviewed by an emergency medicine trained traumatologist with specialized training in point-of-care ultrasound and board certification in echocardiography. Priority was given to exams on patients with known injuries identified on other studies. If there were no exams that matched these criteria, random exams were selected. Images were reviewed for image quality, diagnostic accuracy, and labeling with counseling given to the provider if indicated. Categorical variables were compared using chi squared analysis, while continuous non-normally distributed variables were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: A total of 305 FAST exams were reviewed (186 pre-intervention and 119 during intervention). Image quality improved from 46.3% (n = 31/65) to 79.0% (n = 94/119) (P < .01) with need for counseling falling from 63.1% (n = 41/65) pre-QI to 42.0% (n = 50/119) post-QI (P < .01). Incidence of detectable injury, BMI, ISS, and AIS body regions were consistent across the study period. This was seen in both the geriatric and non-geriatric cohorts despite a significant increase in ISS in the post-intervention geriatric patients.Discussion: A FAST review program is associated with improvement in image quality and decreased need for counseling of trauma providers.

Cerebrospinal fluid soluble insulin receptor levels in Alzheimer's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Brain insulin resistance and deficiency is a consistent feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Insulin resistance can be mediated by the surface expression of the insulin receptor (IR). Cleavage of the IR generates the soluble IR (sIR). METHODS: We measured the levels of sIR present in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from individuals along the AD diagnostic spectrum from two cohorts: Seattle (n = 58) and the Consortium for the Early Identification of Alzheimer's Disease-Quebec (CIMA-Q; n = 61). We further investigated the brain cellular contribution for sIR using human cell lines. RESULTS: CSF sIR levels were not statistically different in AD. CSF sIR and amyloid beta (Aß)42 and Aß40 levels significantly correlated as well as CSF sIR and cognition in the CIMA-Q cohort. Human neurons expressing the amyloid precursor protein "Swedish" mutation generated significantly greater sIR and human astrocytes were also able to release sIR in response to both an inflammatory and insulin stimulus. DISCUSSION: These data support further investigation into the generation and role of sIR in AD. Highlights: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) soluble insulin receptor (sIR) levels positively correlate with amyloid beta (Aß)42 and Aß40.CSF sIR levels negatively correlate with cognitive performance (Montreal Cognitive Assessment score).CSF sIR levels in humans remain similar across Alzheimer's disease diagnostic groups.Neurons derived from humans with the "Swedish" mutation in which Aß42 is increased generate increased levels of sIR.Human astrocytes can also produce sIR and generation is stimulated by tumor necrosis factor α and insulin.

Anharmonic strong-coupling effects at the origin of the charge density wave in CsV3Sb5.

The formation of charge density waves is a long-standing open problem, particularly in dimensions higher than one. Various observations in the vanadium antimonides discovered recently further underpin this notion. Here, we study the Kagome metal CsV3Sb5 using polarized inelastic light scattering and density functional theory calculations. We observe a significant gap anisotropy with 2 Δ max / k B T CDW ≈ 20 , far beyond the prediction of mean-field theory. The analysis of the A1g and E2g phonons, including those emerging below TCDW, indicates strong phonon-phonon coupling, presumably mediated by a strong electron-phonon interaction. Similarly, the asymmetric Fano-type lineshape of the A1g amplitude mode suggests strong electron-phonon coupling below TCDW. The large electronic gap, the enhanced anharmonic phonon-phonon coupling, and the Fano shape of the amplitude mode combined are more supportive of a strong-coupling phonon-driven charge density wave transition than of a Fermi surface instability or an exotic mechanism in CsV3Sb5.