Adolescent Reference Values for MR-Derived Biventricular Strain Obtained Using Feature-Tracking and Myocardial Tagging.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial strain is a promising marker for the detection of early left or right ventricular (LV or RV) dysfunction in pediatric populations. The reference standard for MR strain measurement is myocardial tagging (MT); however, MT has limited clinical utility because the additional acquisitions needed are time-consuming. In contrast, MR-feature tracking (FT) allows strain quantification from routinely acquired cine sequences. Studies providing reference values obtained with both FT and MT for adolescents are lacking. PURPOSE: To use MR-FT and MT to define sex-specific LV and RV strain reference values for adolescents. STUDY TYPE: Cross-sectional, prospective. POPULATION: One hundred twenty-three adolescents aged 15-18 years (52% girls) without known cardiovascular disease. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: Balanced steady-state free-precession sequence for FT analysis and a spatial modulation of magnetization hybrid TFE-EPI sequence for MT acquisitions at 3.0-T. ASSESSMENT: Segment Medviso software was used to obtain longitudinal (LS) and circumferential (CS) strain for both ventricles, and radial strain (RS) for LV. STATISTICAL TESTS: The Student t-test was used for between-sex comparisons of continuous variables. Sex-specific percentiles were calculated using the weighted average method. Intraobserver and interobserver agreement was assessed in 30 randomly selected studies using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: FT-derived LVLS and LVCS were significantly higher in girls than in boys (-19.8% vs. -17.8% and -22.2% vs. -21.0%, respectively), as they were with MT (LVLS: -18.1% vs. -16.8%; LVCS: -20.8% vs. -19.7%). FT-LVRS was higher in girls than in boys (44.8% vs. 35.1%), while MT-LVRS was the opposite (18.6% vs. 22.7%). FT-RVLS was higher in girls (-23.4% vs. -21.3%), but there were no between-sex differences in MT-derived RVLS or RVCS. ICC values for intraobserver agreement were ≥0.89, whereas for interobserver agreement were <0.80 for MT-LVRS and ≥0.80 for all remaining parameters. DATA CONCLUSION: This study provides sex-specific reference biventricular strain values obtained with MR-MT and MR-FT for adolescents aged 15-18 years. MR-FT may be a valid method for obtaining strain values in pediatric populations. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 3.

Framing fact-checks as a "confirmation" increases engagement with corrections of misinformation: a four-country study.

Previous research has extensively investigated why users spread misinformation online, while less attention has been given to the motivations behind sharing fact-checks. This article reports a four-country survey experiment assessing the influence of confirmation and refutation frames on engagement with online fact-checks. Respondents randomly received semantically identical content, either affirming accurate information ("It is TRUE that p") or refuting misinformation ("It is FALSE that not p"). Despite semantic equivalence, confirmation frames elicit higher engagement rates than refutation frames. Additionally, confirmation frames reduce self-reported negative emotions related to polarization. These findings are crucial for designing policy interventions aiming to amplify fact-check exposure and reduce affective polarization, particularly in critical areas such as health-related misinformation and harmful speech.

Biotissue stent for supraciliary outflow in open-angle glaucoma patients: surgical procedure and first clinical results of an aqueous drainage biostent.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To report a first-in-human trial in open-angle glaucoma (OAG) subjects treated with a new microinterventional biostent-reinforced cyclodialysis technique to enhance supraciliary aqueous drainage. METHODS: Subjects (N=10; 74.1±7.9 years old) with OAG and cataracts underwent combined phacoemulsification cataract surgery with implantation of a permanent endoscleral supraciliary biostent to reinforce a controlled cyclodialysis cleft. The biostent comprised decellularised scleral allograft tissue microtrephined into a polymer tubular implant intraoperative/postoperative safety, intraocular pressure (IOP) and glaucoma medications were tracked through 12 months postimplantation. RESULTS: Baseline medicated IOP averaged 24.2±6.9 mm Hg with subjects using 1.3±0.8 IOP-lowering medications. Successful biostent implantation was achieved in all individuals without significant complications. Immediate IOP lowering was sustained through 1 year. Twelve-month mean IOP was reduced 40% from baseline to 14.6±3.2 mm Hg (p=0.004; paired two-tailed t-test), and 80% of patients achieved >20% IOP reduction. Biostenting reduced glaucoma medication use 62%, from a baseline mean of 1.3 required medications to 0.5 medications (p=0.037) at postoperative 12 months. The biotissue implant was well tolerated and demonstrated good endothelial safety with only 11% endothelial cell loss at 12 months after combined phaco-biostenting surgery, similar to that expected after phacoemulsification alone. Mean BCVA increased from baseline 20/130 Snellen to 20/36 at postoperative 12 months (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Supraciliary biostenting in OAG patients is well tolerated, has a good safety profile and produces long-term IOP-lowering while reducing glaucoma medication requirements.

Operando detection and suppression of spurious singlet oxygen in Li-O2 batteries.

The rechargeable lithium air (oxygen) battery (Li-O2) has very high energy density, comparable to that of fossil fuels (∼3600 W h kg-1). However, the parasitic reactions of the O2 reduction products with solvent and electrolyte lead to capacity fading and poor cyclability. During the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in aprotic solvents, the superoxide radical anion (O2˙-) is the main one-electron reaction product, which in the presence of Li+ ions undergoes disproportionation to yield Li2O2 and O2, a fraction of which results in singlet oxygen (1O2). The very reactive 1O2 is responsible for the spurious reactions that lead to high charging overpotential and short cycle life due to solvent and electrolyte degradation. Several techniques have been used for the detection and suppression of 1O2 inside a Li-O2 battery under operation and to test the efficiency and electrochemical stability of different physical quenchers of 1O2: azide anions, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) and triphenylamine (TPA) in different solvents (dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), diglyme and tetraglyme). Operando detection of 1O2 inside the battery was accomplished by following dimethylanthracene fluorescence quenching using a bifurcated optical fiber in front-face mode through a quartz window in the battery. Differential oxygen-pressure measurements during charge-discharge cycles vs. charge during battery operation showed that the number of electrons per oxygen molecule was n > 2 in the absence of physical quenchers of 1O2, due to spurious reactions, and n = 2 in the presence of physical quenchers of 1O2, proving the suppression of spurious reactions. Battery cycling at a limited specific capacity of 500 mA h gC-1 for the MWCNT cathode and 250 mA gC-1 current density, in the absence and presence of a physical quencher or a physical quencher plus the redox mediator I3-/I- (with a lithiated Nafion® membrane), showed increasing cyclability according to coulombic efficiency and cell voltage data over 100 cycles. Operando Raman studies with a quartz window at the bottom of the battery allowed detection of Li2O2 and excess I3- redox mediator during discharge and charge, respectively.

Absence of Myocardial Involvement After SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Asymptomatic Adolescents.

This study aimed to evaluate the presence of subclinical myocardial damage in adolescents who were vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. One hundred twenty asymptomatic adolescents with a mean age of 16.0 ± 0.4 years (51% girls) underwent cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. SARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgM antibody testing was performed, and self-reported dates of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or vaccination were collected. Participants were classified according to SARS-CoV-2 status as naïve (non-infected and unvaccinated, n = 74), infected (unvaccinated, n = 23), and vaccinated (independently of past infection status, n = 23). Biventricular volumes and ejection fraction and myocardial T2 relaxation time were similar in the three groups. T1 relaxation time was slightly higher in vaccinated adolescents (1249 ± 35 ms) than in naïve and infected participants (1231 ± 30 ms and 1227 ± 29 ms, respectively; p = 0.035), although this difference was considered clinically irrelevant. This observational study found no evidence of relevant subclinical myocardial involvement after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in asymptomatic adolescents.

Magnetic resonance imaging reference values for cardiac morphology, function and tissue composition in adolescents.

Background: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is a precise tool for the assessment of cardiac anatomy, function, and tissue composition. However, studies providing CMR reference values in adolescence are scarce. We aim to provide sex-specific CMR reference values for biventricular and atrial dimensions and function and myocardial relaxation times in this population. Methods: Adolescents aged 15-18 years with no known cardiovascular disease underwent a non-contrast 3-T CMR scan between March 2021 and October 2021. The imaging protocol included a cine steady-state free-precession sequence for the analysis of chamber size and function, as well as T2-GraSE and native MOLLI T1-mapping for the characterization of myocardial tissue. Findings: CMR scans were performed in 123 adolescents (mean age 16 ± 0.5 years, 52% girls). Mean left and right ventricular end-diastolic indexed volumes were higher in boys than in girls (91.7 ± 11.6 vs 78.1 ± 8.3 ml/m2, p < 0.001; and 101.3 ± 14.1 vs 84.1 ± 10.5 ml/m2, p < 0.001), as was the indexed left ventricular mass (48.5 ± 9.6 vs 36.6 ± 6.0 g/m2, p < 0.001). Left ventricular ejection fraction showed no significant difference by sex (62.2 ± 4.1 vs 62.8 ± 4.2%, p = 0.412), whereas right ventricular ejection fraction trended slightly lower in boys (55.4 ± 4.7 vs. 56.8 ± 4.4%, p = 0.085). Indexed atrial size and function parameters did not differ significantly between sexes. Global myocardial native T1 relaxation time was lower in boys than in girls (1215 ± 23 vs 1252 ± 28 ms, p < 0.001), whereas global myocardial T2 relaxation time did not differ by sex (44.4 ± 2.0 vs 44.1 ± 2.4 ms, p = 0.384). Sex-stratified comprehensive percentile tables are provided for most relevant cardiac parameters. Interpretation: This cross-sectional study provides overall and sex-stratified CMR reference values for cardiac dimensions and function, and myocardial tissue properties, in adolescents. This information is useful for clinical practice and may help in the differential diagnosis of cardiac diseases, such as cardiomyopathies and myocarditis, in this population. Funding: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI19/01704).

Winning! Election returns and engagement in social media.

This article analyzes social media engagement when elections are adjudicated to one of the contending parties. We extend existing models of political dialogue to explain differences in social media engagement (i.e. time-to-retweet) when users support the winner or losers of an election. We show that users who support the winning candidate are more engaged and have a lower time-to-retweet. We also show heterogeneity in Twitter engagement conditional on the number of followers, with accounts with more followers being less sensitive to the election result. We measure the effect of electoral adjudication using a regression discontinuity design, with estimates by winning or losing status, and for accounts with many followers (high authority) or with few followers (low authority). Analyses use Twitter data collected in Argentina (2019), Brazil (2018), the United Kingdom (2019), and the United States (2016).

Two-year outcomes of the MINIject drainage system for uncontrolled glaucoma from the STAR-I first-in-human trial.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The current study evaluates the efficacy and safety of the stand-alone implantation of the MINIject (iSTAR Medical, Wavre, Belgium) supraciliary, microinvasive glaucoma drainage device in patients with medically uncontrolled open-angle glaucoma. METHODS: This prospective, multicentre, first-in-human, single-arm interventional study evaluated stand-alone, ab interno implantation in 25 patients of a 5 mm long uveoscleral device made of STAR biocompatible material, which is a soft, microporous, flexible silicone. The primary outcome was the reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) at 6 months compared with baseline, and follow-up continued until 2 years for 21 patients. Secondary outcomes included success defined as diurnal IOP of ≤21 mmHg and >5 mmHg with an IOP reduction of 20% without (complete) or with/without (qualified) glaucoma medication. RESULTS: Mean baseline IOP was 23.2±2.9 mmHg on 2.0±1.1 glaucoma medication ingredients and decreased to 13.8±3.5 mmHg (-40.7% reduction) on 1.0±1.3 medications 2 years after implantation. Complete success was achieved in 47.6% of patients (10/21) and qualified success in 100% of patients (21/21) at the 2-year follow-up. All patients achieved a 20% IOP reduction with 48% of patients medication-free. No serious ocular adverse events or additional glaucoma surgery were reported. Mean central endothelial cell density (ECD) mildly decreased from 2411 cells/mm2 (n=26) to 2341 cells/mm2 (n=21) at 24 months, which represents a 5% decrease for matched eyes. No patient had a ≥30% decrease in central ECD. CONCLUSION: This first-in-human study on the stand-alone implantation of the MINIject supraciliary drainage system shows promising IOP-lowering results and medication reduction over 24 months with few adverse events. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03193736.

Effect of porosity and active area on the assessment of catalytic activity of non-precious metal electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction.

We describe a method to study porous thin-films deposited onto rotating disc electrodes (RDE) applied to non-platinum group electrocatalyst obtained by pyrolysis of iron phthalocyanine and carbon, FePc/C. The electroactive area and porous properties of the thin film electrodes were obtained using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy under the framework of de Levie impedance model. The electrocatalytic activity of different electrodes was correlated to the total electroactive area (Ap) and the penetration ratio parameter through the film under ac current. The cylindrical pore model was extended to the RDE boundary conditions and derived in a Koutecky-Levich type expression that allowed to separate the effect of the electroactive area and structural properties. The resulting specific electrocatalytic activity of FePc/C heat treated at different temperatures was correlated to FePc surface concentration.

Direct Lithium Recovery from Aqueous Electrolytes with Electrochemical Ion Pumping and Lithium Intercalation.

In this mini-review, we provide an account of recent developments on electrochemical methods for the direct extraction of lithium (DEL) from natural brines, geothermal fluids, seawater, and battery recycling electrolytes by ion-pumping entropy cells. A critical discussion of selected examples with the LiMn2O4 lithium intercalation battery cathode material is presented, with emphasis on the operation parameters, some experimental results and multiscale simulations, some limitations and challenges, and conditions for industrial scaleup.

El aborto en el Congreso: Argentina 2018-2020 / Abortion in Congress: Argentina 2018-2020

La investigación inicial del proyecto mirar fue la observación del proceso social y legislativo que tuvo lugar en diciembre de 2020: se estudiaron los debates en torno al proyecto de ley de IVE dentro del Congreso y los mensajes difundidos y comunicados tanto en las redes sociales como en los diarios impresos. Esta publicación reúne aquellos tres primeros estudios. El primer estudio, "Mensajes en disputa. El debate legislativo del proyecto de Ley de Interrupción Voluntaria del Embarazo" (Argentina, 2020), a cargo de Paloma Dulbecco, Santiago L. Cunial y Daniel E. Jones, se abocó a describir y analizar cuantitativa y cualitativamente el debate de la Ley de IVE en las dos Cámaras del Congreso de la Nación. El segundo estudio, "Análisis de la cobertura periodística del debate legislativo sobre la Ley de Interrupción Voluntaria del Embarazo" (Argentina, 2020),a cargo de Sara Pérez, Ana Aymá, Florencia Moragas y Emilse Kejner, analiza el discurso de la prensa gráfica digital durante el debate desarrollado en el Congreso sobre el proyecto de Ley de IVE, incluyendo medios de alcance nacional, regional y provincial. El tercer estudio, "#ESLEY | Aprobación de la IVE y activación de narrativas en redes sociales" (Argentina, 2020), de Ernesto Calvo, Natalia Aruguete, Paola Ingrassia y Celeste Gómez Wagner, se concentró en medir y analizar la propagación de noticias y mensajes relativos a la consideración y aprobación de la Ley en las redes sociales.

Electrochemical stability of glyme-based electrolytes for Li-O2 batteries studied by in situ infrared spectroscopy.

In situ subtractively normalized Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (SNIFTIRS) experiments were performed simultaneously with electrochemical experiments relevant to Li-air battery operation on gold electrodes in two glyme-based electrolytes: diglyme (DG) and tetraglyme (TEGDME), tested under different operational conditions. The results show that TEGDME is intrinsically unstable and decomposes at potentials between 3.6 and 3.9 V vs. Li+/Li even in the absence of oxygen and lithium ions, while DG shows a better stability, and only decomposes at 4.0 V vs. Li+/Li in the presence of oxygen. The addition of water to the DG based electrolyte exacerbates its decomposition, probably due to the promotion of singlet oxygen formation.

Metal Nanoparticle Enhancement of Electron Transfer to Tethered Redox Centers through Self-Assembled Molecular Films.

Metal-nanoparticle-mediated electron transfer (ET) across an insulator thin film containing nanoparticles with attached redox centers was studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Specifically, a gold spherical microelectrode was modified with 16-amino-1-hexa-decanethiol, creating an insulator film. This was followed by the electrostatic adsorption of gold nanoparticles and the covalent attachment of Os2+ redox centers. A variation of the Creager-Wooster method was developed to get quantitative information regarding the ET kinetics of the system. The experimental data obtained from a single measurement was fitted with a model that decouples two or more ET processes with different time constants and considers a Gaussian distribution of tunneling distances. Two parallel ET mechanisms were observed: one in which the electrons flow by tunneling between the surface and the redox couples with a low kET0 = 1.3 s-1 and a second one in which an enhancement of the electron transfer is produced due to the presence of the gold nanoparticles with a kET0 = 7 × 104 s-1. In this study, we demonstrate that the gold nanoparticle electron transfer enhancement is present only in the local environment of the nanoparticle, showing that the nanoscale architecture is crucial to maximize the enhancement effect.

Microinterventional endocapsular nucleus disassembly: novel technique and results of first-in-human randomised controlled study.

AIM: To assess the safety and efficacy of microinterventional endocapsular nuclear fragmentation in moderate to severe cataracts. METHODS: This was a prospective single-masked multisurgeon interventional randomised controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02843594) where 101 eyes of 101 subjects with grade 3‒4+ nuclear cataracts were randomised to torsional phacoemulsification alone (controls) or torsional phacoemulsification with adjunctive endocapsular nuclear fragmentation using a manual microinterventional nitinol filament loop device (miLOOP group). Outcome measures were phacoemulsification efficiency as measured by ultrasound energy (cumulative dispersed energy (CDE) units) and fluidics requirements (total irrigation fluid used) as well as incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Only high-grade advanced cataracts were enrolled with more than 85% of eyes with baseline best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/200 or worse in either group. Mean CDE was 53% higher in controls (32.8±24.9 vs 21.4±13.1 with miLOOP assistance) (p=0.004). Endothelial cell loss after surgery was low and similar between groups (7‒8%, p=0.561) One-month BCVA averaged 20/27 Snellen in miLOOP eyes and 20/24 in controls. No direct complications were caused by the miLOOP. In two cases, capsular tears occurred during IOL implantation and in all remaining cases during phacoemulsification, with none occurring during the miLOOP nucleus disassembly part of the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Microinterventional endocapsular fragmentation with the manual, disposable miLOOP device achieved consistent, ultrasound-free, full-thickness nucleus disassembly and significantly improved overall phaco efficiency in advanced cataracts. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02843594.

A First-in-Human Study of the Efficacy and Safety of MINIject in Patients with Medically Uncontrolled Open-Angle Glaucoma (STAR-I).

PURPOSE: To describe the safety and efficacy of a novel, supraciliary, microinvasive glaucoma surgery drainage system, MINIject (iSTAR Medical, Wavre, Belgium), in the study. DESIGN: Prospective, multicenter, interventional, single-arm trial. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-six patients with primary open-angle glaucoma uncontrolled with 1 or more intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering medications. METHODS: Using an ab interno approach, 25 eyes were implanted successfully in a stand-alone procedure with a 5-mm long device made of biocompatible STAR material, which is soft and flexible silicone in a microporous, network design. Intraocular pressure, medication use, and other ocular parameters were evaluated before surgery, 1 day, 1 and 2 weeks, and 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intraocular pressure reduction at 6 months compared with baseline analyzed using a paired t test. Safety evaluation entailed tabulation of the nature and frequency of adverse events. RESULTS: Mean baseline diurnal IOP was 23.2 mmHg (standard error, 0.6 mmHg) using a mean ± standard deviation of 2.0±1.1 IOP-lowering medication classes. During the 6-month follow-up period, mean IOP ranged from 10.0-16.3 mmHg (mean reductions, 6.9-13.2 mmHg or 31.0%-56.8%). Six months after surgery, mean diurnal IOP was 14.2 mmHg (standard error, 0.9 mmHg), equivalent to a reduction of 9.0 mmHg or 39.1% (P < 0.0001). The mean ± standard deviation number of IOP-lowering medications was 0.3±0.7. Of 24 patients seen at 6-month follow-up, 21 (87.5%) were medication-free and 23 (95.8%) achieved a minimum 20% IOP reduction from baseline. There were no serious adverse events related to the device or procedure, and no additional glaucoma surgery was required. Frequently reported events included anterior chamber inflammation (n = 8), IOP elevation (n = 6), of which 1 event was an IOP spike per protocol, visual acuity reduction (n = 3), and hyphema (n = 3), all of which resolved. There was no change to mean central or peripheral corneal endothelial cell density. No device-related adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: The MINIject glaucoma drainage system significantly lowered IOP and eliminated the need for medication in most patients 6 months after surgery when implanted in a standalone procedure. There were no serious ocular adverse events.

Síndrome de Dandy-Walker en mujer de 85 años independiente para actividades básicas de la vida diaria / Dandy-Walker syndrome in an independent for basic activities of daily living woman of 85 years old

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Adsorption of 4,4'-Dithiodipyridine Axially Coordinated to Iron(II) Phthalocyanine on Au(111) as a New Strategy for Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysis.

The coordination of PySSPy to FePc was monitored by UV/Vis spectroscopy while the adsobed FePc, anchored by PyS-Au(111), was examined by in situ STM in 0.1 M HClO4 and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Rotating-disc-electrode (RDE) and linear-sweep-voltammetry (LSV) studies on the resulting FePc-modified Au(111) electrodes in an oxygen-saturated 0.1 M NaOH electrolyte exhibit excellent electrocatalytic properties for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), with a smaller overpotential than that observed for Au(111) with FePc deposited by direct adsorption from a benzene solution.