The Abundances of Zinc and Copper in the Atmospheres of 78 Vir (A2p SrCrEu) and θ Leo (A2 IV)

Zinc and Copper abundances are rarely available for normal and Chemically Peculiar A stars because the strongest transitions of Zn ii and Cu ii fall in the mid-UV. Estimates of the abundances of zinc and copper are derived for 78 Vir (A2p SrCrEu) and θ Leo (A2 IV) using mean mid-ultraviolet spectra constructed by coadding individual spectra collected with the Long Wave Prime and Long wavelength Redundant cameras over the 18 yr of the IUE mission. The strong transition of Cu ii at 2135.98 Å is present in 78 Vir and θ Leo but definitely stronger in 78 Vir, whereas all Zn ii lines are blended. Spectral synthesis of the least blended lines yields estimates of the abundances of zinc and copper of about 4.92 and 4.95 respectively in θ Leo and 5.82 and 5.19 in 78 Vir (on a scale where log(H) = 12). There is no convincing evidence that these lines varied in the spectra analyzed for both stars.

Scene Context Impairs Perception of Semantically Congruent Objects

Visual scene context is well-known to facilitate the recognition of scene-congruent objects. Interestingly, however, according to predictive-processing accounts of brain function, scene congruency may lead to reduced (rather than enhanced) processing of congruent objects, compared with incongruent ones, because congruent objects elicit reduced prediction-error responses. We tested this counterintuitive hypothesis in two online behavioral experiments with human participants ( N = 300). We found clear evidence for impaired perception of congruent objects, both in a change-detection task measuring response times and in a bias-free object-discrimination task measuring accuracy. Congruency costs were related to independent subjective congruency ratings. Finally, we show that the reported effects cannot be explained by low-level stimulus confounds, response biases, or top-down strategy. These results provide convincing evidence for perceptual congruency costs during scene viewing, in line with predictive-processing theory.

Horizontal Transfers Lead to the Birth of Momilactone Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in Grass

Momilactone A, an important plant labdane-related diterpenoid, functions as a phytoalexin against pathogens and an allelochemical against neighboring plants. The genes involved in biosynthesis of momilactone A are found in clusters, i.e., MABGCs (Momilactone A biosynthetic gene clusters), in the rice and barnyardgrass genomes. How MABGCs originate and evolve is still not clear. Here, we integrated results from comprehensive phylogeny and comparative genomic analyses of the core genes of MABGC-like clusters and MABGCs in 40 monocot plant genomes, providing convincing evidence for the birth and evolution of MABGCs in grass species. The MABGCs found in the PACMAD clade of the core grass lineage (including Panicoideae and Chloridoideae) originated from a MABGC-like cluster in Triticeae (BOP clade) via horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and followed by recruitment of MAS and CYP76L1 genes. The MABGCs in Oryzoideae originated from PACMAD through another HGT event and lost CYP76L1 afterwards. The Oryza MABGC and another Oryza diterpenoid cluster c2BGC are two distinct clusters, with the latter being originated from gene duplication and relocation within Oryzoideae. Further comparison of the expression patterns of the MABGC genes between rice and barnyardgrass in response to pathogen infection and allelopathy provides novel insights into the functional innovation of MABGCs in plants. Our results demonstrate HGT-mediated origination of MABGCs in grass and shed lights into the evolutionary innovation and optimization of plant biosynthetic pathways.

The Abundances of Cobalt and Nickel in the Atmosphere of 78 Vir (A2p SrCrEu)

Cobalt and nickel abundances are rarely available for normal and Chemically Peculiar A stars because the strongest transitions of Co ii and Ni ii fall in the mid-UV. The abundances of cobalt and nickel are derived for 78 Vir using a mean mid-ultraviolet spectrum constructed by coadding 10 spectra collected with the Long Wave Prime and Long wavelength Redundant cameras over the 18 yr of the IUE mission. The strong transitions of Co ii at 2286.16 Å, 2307.86 Å, 2324.32 Å and 2580.33 Å and that of Ni ii et 2287.09 Å are present and more or less affected by blends. The least blended, λ 2286.16 Å, yields a mean overabundance of cobalt of 5 times the solar abundance, the Ni ii line at 2287.09 Å yields a 3 times solar overabundance. There is no convincing evidence that these lines varied in the spectra analyzed. The rotational period of 78 Vir estimated from its recent TESS lightcurve is 3.723 ± 0.055 days.

Environmentally-friendly electric vehicles: a silent menace to vulnerable road users?

Prediction models have been extensively used in the field of road safety, however, none of these models have been particularly applied to zero-emission electric vehicle (EV) related injuries so far; which may lead to different outcomes due to their inaudible engines. Using an optimizable classification tree, this first-ever study aims to predict the likelihood of personal injury severities stemming from EV-related crashes on Britain's roads. The prediction model was found to be capable of detecting significant and insignificant factors. The factors provide important insights into how the severity of injuries can be reduced in the future deployment of EVs. Although there was an increased risk for injuries classified as ‘slight severity’, particularly at lower urban speed limits, several predictors are suggesting that EVs do not pose more of a risk to a certain group. Contrary to popular belief, no convincing evidence has been found to suggest that eco-friendly EVs are ‘silent killers’ for vulnerable road users.

Life cycle energy analysis of a green building in Vietnam

The paper presents the life cycle energy analysis (LCEA) of an office green building in Hanoi, Vietnam to prove the advantages of green buildings regarding energy efficiency and environmental effects. The case study building is a concrete structured one, which consists of 3 basements, 17 floors, and 1 attic with a gross area of 14,112 m2. In the study, the building’s embodied energy is determined based on the contained energy coefficient of the ith material and its quantity needed. Whereas, the operating energy is computed according to the annual energy consumption of the building, which is stimulated by the EnergyPlus simulation software. Relying on the relative share of the demolition energy with the life cycle energy that has been proposed by previous publications, this category will be estimated. Results showed that the initial embodied energy contributed the largest share to the life cycle energy (61.37%), followed by operational energy (27.61%). It also indicated that the percentage share of the operational energy of a green building is much lower than that of other buildings. The primary reason for this is associated with the usage of environmentally friendly materials and energy-saving equipment in the design option of the green building. Therefore, it can be convincing evidence that may help to change the mindset of decision-makers in Vietnam about green buildings.

Controllable sites and high-capacity immobilization of uranium in Nd2Zr2O7 pyrochlore

As potential nuclear waste host matrices, two series of uranium-doped Nd2Zr2O7 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using an optimized molten salt method in an air atmosphere. Our combined X-ray diffraction, Raman and X-ray absorption fine-structure (XAFS) spectroscopy studies reveal that uranium ions can precisely substitute the Nd site to form an Nd2–x U x Zr2O7+δ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) system and the Zr site to form an Nd2Zr2–y U y O7+δ (0 ≤ y ≤ 0.4) system without any impurity phase. With increasing U concentration, there is a phase transition from pyrochlore (Fd 3 m) to defect fluorite (Fm 3 m) structures in both series of U-doped Nd2Zr2O7. The XAFS analysis indicates that uranium exists in the form of high-valent U6+ in all samples. To balance the extra charge for substituting Nd3+ or Zr4+ by U6+, additional oxygen is introduced accompanied by a large structural distortion; however, the Nd2Zr1.6U0.4O7+δ sample with high U loading (20 mol%) still maintains a regular fluorite structure, indicating the good solubility of the Nd2Zr2O7 host for uranium. This study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first systematic study on U-incorporated Nd2Zr2O7 synthesized via the molten salt method and provides convincing evidence for the feasibility of accurately immobilizing U at specific sites.

2021 Korean Diabetes Association Clinical Practice Guidelines for Diabetes: Diabetic Kidney Disease

Diabetic kidney disease is one of the most serious complications of type 2 diabetes and a leading cause of end-stage kidney disease. Recently, the Korean Diabetes Association released a new version of clinical practice guidelines including substantial changes in the management of diabetic kidney disease. Of note, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists are now the preferred glucose-lowering agents for reduced glomerular filtration rate or albuminuria. Convincing evidence from cardiovascular or renal outcome trials supports the recommendation of those drugs. This review summarizes the results of recent clinical studies on diabetic kidney disease and explains new clinical recommendations based on them.

Neurogenic Inflammation: The Participant in Migraine and Recent Advancements in Translational Research

Migraine is a primary headache disorder characterized by a unilateral, throbbing, pulsing headache, which lasts for hours to days, and the pain can interfere with daily activities. It exhibits various symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sound, and odors, and physical activity consistently contributes to worsening pain. Despite the intensive research, little is still known about the pathomechanism of migraine. It is widely accepted that migraine involves activation and sensitization of the trigeminovascular system. It leads to the release of several pro-inflammatory neuropeptides and neurotransmitters and causes a cascade of inflammatory tissue responses, including vasodilation, plasma extravasation secondary to capillary leakage, edema, and mast cell degranulation. Convincing evidence obtained in rodent models suggests that neurogenic inflammation is assumed to contribute to the development of a migraine attack. Chemical stimulation of the dura mater triggers activation and sensitization of the trigeminal system and causes numerous molecular and behavioral changes; therefore, this is a relevant animal model of acute migraine. This narrative review discusses the emerging evidence supporting the involvement of neurogenic inflammation and neuropeptides in the pathophysiology of migraine, presenting the most recent advances in preclinical research and the novel therapeutic approaches to the disease.

High-risk pregnancy: effectiveness of personalized pregravid preparation and positive perinatal experience

Research objective: to study the possibilities of improving perinatal results by optimizing pergravid preparation in women with high perinatal risk.Materials and methods. The first stage – a cross-sectional study – consisted in determining the vitamin D (VD) status and assessing the course of pregnancy in 459 women in the II and III trimester; the second stage was a randomized controlled study of women with VD deficiency in group IIA (planning stage, 54 women) and IIB (I trimester, 60 women), who received the vitamin and mineral complex (VMC) Pregna-5 with a high calcitriol content and perinatal results were evaluated. VD in the blood was determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results. VD level was optimal only in 30.7% of pregnant women (group ІА), in 69.3% of women its insufficiency or deficiency was found (group ІB). The frequency of threatened termination (9.9 vs. 45.6%; p < 0.01), preeclampsia (2.0 vs. 11%; p < 0.05), intrauterine growth retardation (7% only in group IIB, p < 0.01) was significantly higher against the background of BD deficiency. Normalization of the VD level (groups IIA and IIB) after VMC administration was observed within 1–3 months. Pregnancy complications value was higher in the group where the VMC was started in the first trimester: early gestosis (15 vs. 28.57%; p < 0.05), the threat of termination (22.2 vs. 36.7%; p < 0.05), bacterial vaginosis (7.4 vs. 31.7%; p < 0.05), placental dysfunction (18.5 vs. 40.0%; p <0.01), placental pathology in group IIB was detected 2–3 times more often. The differences between the preeclampsia (1.9 vs. 6.7%; p > 0.05) and anemia (16.6 vs. 28.3%; p > 0.05) were insignificant. Analysis of the childbirth results showed a significantly higher frequency of cesarean sections in group IIB (38.3 vs. 22.2%; p < 0.05), the average weight of newborns was less (3299.11 ± 128 g vs. 3643.24 ± 136 g; p < 0.01). The most effective was the VMC start at the stage of pregnancy planning (F = 13.35482; p = 0.000016); a significant difference was revealed in the course of pregnancy in the groups where VMC started in the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy (Q = 4.67, p = 0.00458).Conclusions. Timely donation of VMC with a high content of cholecalciferol in women with high perinatal risk may lead to a positive course of pregnancy. Further research is required to obtain a convincing evidence base.