From Brownian to Deterministic Motor Movement in a DNA-Based Molecular Rotor

Molecular devices that have an anisotropic periodic potential landscape can be operated as Brownian motors. When the potential landscape is cyclically switched with an external force, such devices can harness random Brownian fluctuations to generate a directed motion. Recently, directed Brownian motor-like rotatory movement was demonstrated with an electrically switched DNA origami rotor with designed ratchet-like obstacles. Here, we demonstrate that the intrinsic anisotropy of DNA origami rotors is also sufficient to result in motor movement. We show that for low amplitudes of an external switching field, such devices operate as Brownian motors, while at higher amplitudes, they behave deterministically as overdamped electrical motors. We characterize the amplitude and frequency dependence of the movements, showing that after an initial steep rise, the angular speed peaks and drops for excessive driving amplitudes and frequencies. The rotor movement can be well described by a simple stochastic model of the system.

Priorities, opportunities, and challenges for integrating microorganisms into Earth system models for climate change prediction

Climate change jeopardizes human health, global biodiversity, and sustainability of the biosphere. To make reliable predictions about climate change, scientists use Earth system models (ESMs) that integrate physical, chemical, and biological processes occurring on land, the oceans, and the atmosphere. Although critical for catalyzing coupled biogeochemical processes, microorganisms have traditionally been left out of ESMs. Here, we generate a "top 10" list of priorities, opportunities, and challenges for the explicit integration of microorganisms into ESMs. We discuss the need for coarse-graining microbial information into functionally relevant categories, as well as the capacity for microorganisms to rapidly evolve in response to climate-change drivers. Microbiologists are uniquely positioned to collect novel and valuable information necessary for next-generation ESMs, but this requires data harmonization and transdisciplinary collaboration to effectively guide adaptation strategies and mitigation policy.

Electrokinetic Torque Generation by DNA Nanorobotic Arms Studied via Single-Molecule Fluctuation Analysis

DNA nanotechnology has enabled the creation of supramolecular machines, whose shape and function are inspired from traditional mechanical engineering as well as from biological examples. As DNA inherently is a highly charged biopolymer, the external application of electric fields provides a versatile, computer-programmable way to control the movement of DNA-based machines. However, the details of the electrohydrodynamic interactions underlying the electrical manipulation of these machines are complex, as the influence of their intrinsic charge, the surrounding cloud of counterions, and the effect of electrokinetic fluid flow have to be taken into account. In this work, we identify the relevant effects involved in this actuation mechanism by determining the electric response of an established DNA-based nanorobotic arm to varying design and operation parameters. Borrowing an approach from single-molecule biophysics, we determined the electrical torque exerted on the nanorobotic arms by analyzing their thermal fluctuations when oriented in an electric field. We analyze the influence of various experimental and design parameters on the "actuatability" of the nanostructures and optimize the generated torque according to these parameters. Our findings give insight into the physical processes involved in the actuation mechanism and provide general guidelines that aid in designing and efficiently operating electrically driven nanorobotic devices made from DNA.

Low-Cost Particulate Matter Sensors for Monitoring Residential Wood Burning

Conventional monitoring systems for air quality, such as reference stations, provide reliable pollution data in urban settings but only at relatively low spatial density. This study explores the potential of low-cost sensor systems (LCSs) deployed at homes of residents to enhance the monitoring of urban air pollution caused by residential wood burning. We established a network of 28 Airly (Airly-GSM-1, SP. Z o.o., Poland) LCSs in Kristiansand, Norway, over two winters (2021-2022). To assess performance, a gravimetric Kleinfiltergerät measured the fine particle mass concentration (PM2.5) in the garden of one participant's house for 4 weeks. Results showed a sensor-to-reference correlation equal to 0.86 for raw PM2.5 measurements at daily resolution (bias/RMSE: 9.45/11.65 μg m-3). High-resolution air quality maps at a 100 m resolution were produced by combining the output of an air quality model (uEMEP) using data assimilation techniques with the network data that were corrected and calibrated by using a proposed five-step network data processing scheme. Leave-one-out cross-validation demonstrated that data assimilation reduced the model's RMSE, MAE, and bias by 44-56, 38-48, and 41-52%, respectively.

SensEURCity: A multi-city air quality dataset collected for 2020/2021 using open low-cost sensor systems

Low-cost air quality sensor systems can be deployed at high density, making them a significant candidate of complementary tools for improved air quality assessment. However, they still suffer from poor or unknown data quality. In this paper, we report on a unique dataset including the raw sensor data of quality-controlled sensor networks along with co-located reference data sets. Sensor data are collected using the AirSensEUR sensor system, including sensors to monitor NO, NO₂, O₃, CO, PM_2.5, PM₁₀, PM₁, CO₂ and meteorological parameters. In total, 85 sensor systems were deployed throughout a year in three European cities (Antwerp, Oslo and Zagreb), resulting in a dataset comprising different meteorological and ambient conditions. The main data collection included two co-location campaigns in different seasons at an Air Quality Monitoring Station (AQMS) in each city and a deployment at various locations in each city (also including locations at other AQMSs). The dataset consists of data files with sensor and reference data, and metadata files with description of locations, deployment dates and description of sensors and reference instruments.

Mass spectrometric detection of ion pairs containing rigid copper clusters and weakly coordinating counter ions using liquid injection field desorption/ionisation

A comparative mass spectrometric investigation using electrospray ionisation (ESI) and liquid injection field desorption/ionisation (LIFDI) techniques is reported for the highly luminescent and cationic copper cluster [(PCP)3Cu4]+ (1[Formula: see text], PCP = [1,3-(Ph2P)2C6H3]-). Depending on the available counter ion X-, ion pairs consisting of the original or a modified cluster cation and the weakly coordinating counter ion can be detected by LIFDI-high-resolution-mass spectrometry in addition to the cluster cation. Notably, only large counter ions with an extremely low tendency for metal coordination give rise to the observation of ion pairs, whereas smaller ions such as BF4- do not show peaks corresponding to ion pairs in their mass spectra. In principle, two pathways were identified for the formation of positively charged ion pairs: (i) association of a generated Cu+ ion to the neutral ion pair [(PCP)3Cu4]X (1+X, X- = BAr20F, BAr24F) and (ii) abstraction of an electron from the neutral ion pair [(PCP)3Cu4]X (1+X), leading to the oxidised ion pair [1+X][Formula: see text] (X- = Al(ORF)4).

Energy landscapes of rotary DNA origami devices determined by fluorescence particle tracking

Biomolecular nanomechanical devices are of great interest as tools for the processing and manipulation of molecules, thereby mimicking the function of nature's enzymes. DNA nanotechnology provides the capability to build molecular analogs of mechanical machine elements such as joints and hinges via sequence-programmable self-assembly, which are otherwise known from traditional mechanical engineering. Relative to their size, these molecular machine elements typically do not reach the same relative precision and reproducibility that we know from their macroscopic counterparts; however, as they are scaled down to molecular sizes, physical effects typically not considered by mechanical engineers such as Brownian motion, intramolecular forces, and the molecular roughness of the devices begin to dominate their behavior. In order to investigate the effect of different design choices on the roughness of the mechanical energy landscapes of DNA nanodevices in greater detail, we here study an exemplary DNA origami-based structure, a modularly designed rotor-stator arrangement, which resembles a rotatable nanorobotic arm. Using fluorescence tracking microscopy, we follow the motion of individual rotors and record their corresponding energy landscapes. We then utilize the modular construction of the device to exchange its constituent parts individually and systematically test the effect of different design variants on the movement patterns. This allows us to identify the design parameters that most strongly affect the shape of the energy landscapes of the systems. Taking into account these insights, we are able to create devices with significantly flatter energy landscapes, which translates to mechanical nanodevices with improved performance and behaviors more closely resembling those of their macroscopic counterparts.

Exceptional response to neoadjuvant targeted therapy with the selective RET inhibitor selpercatinib in RET-fusion-associated sarcoma

With the increasing use of next-generation sequencing, highly effective targeted therapies have been emerging as treatment options for several cancer types. Recurrent gene-fusions have been recognized in sarcomas; however, options for targeted therapy remain scarce. Here, we describe a case of a sarcoma, associated with a RET::TRIM33-fusion gene with an exceptional response to a neoadjuvant therapy with the selective RET inhibitor selpercatinib. Resected tumor revealed subtotal histopathologic response. This is the first report of successful targeted therapy with selpercatinib in RET-fusion-associated sarcomas. As new targeted therapies are under development, similar treatment options may become available for sarcoma patients.

Real-time molecular imaging of near-surface tissue using Raman spectroscopy

The steady progress in medical diagnosis and treatment of diseases largely hinges on the steady development and improvement of modern imaging modalities. Raman spectroscopy has attracted increasing attention for clinical applications as it is label-free, non-invasive, and delivers molecular fingerprinting information of a sample. In combination with fiber optic probes, it also allows easy access to different body parts of a patient. However, image acquisition with fiber optic probes is currently not possible. Here, we introduce a fiber optic probe-based Raman imaging system for the real-time molecular virtual reality data visualization of chemical boundaries on a computer screen and the physical world. The approach is developed around a computer vision-based positional tracking system in conjunction with photometric stereo and augmented and mixed chemical reality, enabling molecular imaging and direct visualization of molecular boundaries of three-dimensional surfaces. The proposed approach achieves a spatial resolution of 0.5 mm in the transverse plane and a topology resolution of 0.6 mm, with a spectral sampling frequency of 10 Hz, and can be used to image large tissue areas in a few minutes, making it highly suitable for clinical tissue-boundary demarcation. A variety of applications on biological samples, i.e., distribution of pharmaceutical compounds, brain-tumor phantom, and various types of sarcoma have been characterized, showing that the system enables rapid and intuitive assessment of molecular boundaries.

Cationic ligands between σ-donation and hydrogen-bridge-bond-stabilisation of ancillary ligands in coinage metal complexes with protonated carbodiphosphoranes

Protonated carbodiphosphoranes are demonstrated to act as σ- or hydrogen-bridge-bond donors in a series of copper and silver complexes.

Experimental demonstration of novel beam characterization using a polarizable X-band transverse deflection structure

The PolariX TDS (Polarizable X-Band Transverse Deflection Structure) is an innovative TDS-design operating in the X-band frequency-range. The design gives full control of the streaking plane, which can be tuned in order to characterize the projections of the beam distribution onto arbitrary transverse axes. This novel feature opens up new opportunities for detailed characterization of the electron beam. In this paper we present first measurements of the Polarix TDS at the FLASHForward beamline at DESY, including three-dimensional reconstruction of the charge-density distribution of the bunch and slice emittance measurements in both transverse directions. The experimental results open the path toward novel and more extensive beam characterization in the direction of multi-dimensional-beam-phase-space reconstruction.

Hydrogenolysis of Polysilanes Catalyzed by Low-Valent Nickel Complexes

The dehydrogenation of organosilanes (R_x SiH_4-x ) under the formation of Si-Si bonds is an intensively investigated process leading to oligo- or polysilanes. The reverse reaction is little studied. To date, the hydrogenolysis of Si-Si bonds requires very harsh conditions and is very unselective, leading to multiple side products. Herein, we describe a new catalytic hydrogenation of oligo- and polysilanes that is highly selective and proceeds under mild conditions. New low-valent nickel hydride complexes are used as catalysts and secondary silanes, RR'SiH₂ , are obtained as products in high purity.

Costs and benefits of implementing an Environmental Speed Limit in a Nordic city

We present a comprehensive study on the impacts and associated changes in costs resulting from the implementation of Environmental Speed Limits (ESLs), as a measure to reduce PM₁₀ and associated health effects. We present detailed modelled emissions (i.e., CO₂, NO_x, PM_2.5 and PM₁₀), concentration levels (i.e., PM_2.5 and PM₁₀) and population exposure to PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ under three scenarios of ESL implementation for the Metropolitan Area of Oslo. We find that whilst emissions of NO_x and CO₂ do not seem to show significant changes with ESL implementation, PM₁₀ emissions are reduced by 6-12% and annual concentration levels are reduced up to 8%, with a subsequent reduction in population exposure. The modelled data is used to carry out a detailed analysis to quantify the changes in private and social costs for the roads in Oslo where ESL are implemented today. This involves assessments related to human health, climate, fuel consumption, time losses and the incidence of traffic accidents. For a scenario using actual speed data from ESL implementation, our study shows a net benefit associated with the implementation of ESLs, whilst for a theoretical scenario with strict speed limit compliance we find a net increase in costs. This is largely due to variation in costs due to time losses between the scenarios, although uncertainties are high.

Accuracy of Carotid Artery Stenosis Quantification with 4-D-Supported 3-D Power-Doppler versus Color-Doppler and 2-D Blood Velocity-Based Duplex Ultrasonography

Assessment of the severity of internal carotid artery stenosis is relevant to therapeutic decisions. Direct measurement of stenosis in static three-dimensionally rendered ultrasonographic color-Doppler images after an orientation with 4-D gray-scale views (4D/3D-C-US) was recently observed to be metrically non-inferior to angiography. In the study described here, power-Doppler (Christian Doppler was a physicist) ultrasonography (4D/3D-P-US) was prospectively compared with angiography, 4D/3D-C-US and 2-D duplex ultrasonography (DUS) in a similar fashion using blinded observers. Percentage stenosis was measured in 36 patients. Continuous percentage stenosis measures (standard deviation of difference and concordance correlation coefficient) between angiography and 4D/3D-P-US did not differ from the results between angiography observers (p > 0.05). Dichotomous diagnosis with 4D/3D-P-US resulted in κ values similar to the inter-rater agreement of angiography and the inter-method agreement of 4D/3D-C-US and DUS compared with angiography. Binary accuracy did not differ between 4D/3D-P-US, 4D/3D-C-US and DUS (p > 0.5). In conclusion, stenosis grading using 4D/3D-P-US exhibited non-inferior inter-method agreement with angiography at good accuracies, similar to 4D/3D-C-US and DUS.

Taking a snapshot of the triplet excited state of an OLED organometallic luminophore using X-rays

OLED technology beyond small or expensive devices requires light-emitters, luminophores, based on earth-abundant elements. Understanding and experimental verification of charge transfer in luminophores are needed for this development. An organometallic multicore Cu complex comprising Cu–C and Cu–P bonds represents an underexplored type of luminophore. To investigate the charge transfer and structural rearrangements in this material, we apply complementary pump-probe X-ray techniques: absorption, emission, and scattering including pump-probe measurements at the X-ray free-electron laser SwissFEL. We find that the excitation leads to charge movement from C- and P- coordinated Cu sites and from the phosphorus atoms to phenyl rings; the Cu core slightly rearranges with 0.05 Å increase of the shortest Cu–Cu distance. The use of a Cu cluster bonded to the ligands through C and P atoms is an efficient way to keep structural rigidity of luminophores. Obtained data can be used to verify computational methods for the development of luminophores.

OLED materials based on thermally activated delayed fluorescence have promising efficiency. Here, the authors investigate an organometallic multicore Cu complex as luminophore, by pump-probe X-ray techniques at three different facilities deriving a complete picture of the charge transfer in the triplet excited state.

Factors influencing quality of life, function, reintegration and participation after musculoskeletal tumour operations

Background

The number of people living with soft-tissue and bone sarcomas is increasing due to improved individual therapy and changes in demographics. At present, there are no recommendations for psychological co-treatment, occupational and social reintegration following the treatment of soft tissue and bone sarcomas.

Methods

Seventy-four patients, 42 males and 32 females, aged between 18 and 80 years (54.58 ± 16.99 yr.) with soft-tissue (62) and bone sarcomas (12) were included to answer five standardized and one personal questionnaire regarding quality of life, function, reintegration and participation after surgical treatment.

Results

A number of tumour-specific and patient-specific factors were identified that affected the therapeutic outcome. Patients with sarcoma of the lower extremity described poorer mobility. Patients who underwent amputation reported a higher anxious preoccupation. Patients with a higher range of education were less fatalistic and avoiding. The size of tumours or additive radiation therapy did not affect the post-therapeutic quality of life, coping and function. There was a good correlation between anxiety and depression with occupational reintegration, function, quality of life and coping.

Conclusion

Patients with sarcomas of the lower limb have a higher demand for postoperative rehabilitation and need more help in the postoperative occupational reintegration. Furthermore patients that underwent limb-preserving operations reported better postoperative function and quality of life. Risk assessment using patient-specific factors and an intensive psychological co-treatment may have a large role in the co-treatment of patients from the beginning of their cancer therapy.

Improved Carotid Stenosis Quantification on Novel 4D/3D-Doppler Ultrasonography Indexing to the Common Carotid Artery

PURPOSE

 The accuracy of internal carotid artery stenosis (ICAS) quantification depends on the method of stenosis measurement, impacting therapeutic decisions and outcomes. The NASCET method references the stenotic to the distal ICAS lumen, the ECST method to the local outer and the common carotid artery (CC) method to the CC diameter. Direct morphometric stenosis measurement with four-dimensionally guided three-dimensional ultrasonography (4D/3DC-US) demonstrated good validity for the commonly used NASCET method. The NASCET definition has clinically relevant drawbacks. Our purpose was to investigate the validity of the ECST and CC methods.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 4D/3DC-US percent-stenosis measures of 103 stenoses (80 patients) were compared to quantitative catheter angiography and duplex ultrasonography (DUS) in a blinded fashion.

RESULTS

 The 4D/3DC-US versus angiography intermethod standard deviation of differences (SDD, n = 103) was lower for the CC method (5.7 %) compared to the NASCET (8.1 %, p < 0.001) and ECST methods (9.1 %, p < 0.001). Additionally, it was lower than the NASCET angiography interrater SDD of 52 stenoses (SDD 7.2 %, p = 0.047) and non-inferior for the ECST method (p = 0.065). Interobserver analysis of equivalent grading methods showed no differences for the SDDs between angiography and 4D/3DC-US observers (p > 0.076). Binary comparison to angiography showed equal Kappa values > 0.7 and an accuracy ≥ 85 % for the NASCET and CC methods, higher than for the ECST method. The binary accuracy of ICAS grading did not differ from DUS for all methods.

CONCLUSION

 The new 4D/3DC-US CC method is an accurate and well reproducible alternative to the NASCET and ECST methods and offers potential for clinical application.

Non-Oxido-Vanadium(IV) Metalloradical Complexes with Bidentate 1,2-Dithienylethene Ligands: Observation of Reversible Cyclization of the Ligand Scaffold in Solution

Derivatives of 1,2‐dithienylethene (DTE) have superb photochromic properties due to an efficient reversible photocyclization reaction of their hexatriene structure and, thus, have application potential in materials for optoelectronics and (multi‐responsive) molecular switches. Transition‐metal complexes bearing switchable DTE motifs commonly incorporate their coordination site rather distant from the hexatriene system. In this work the redox active ligand 1,2‐bis(2,5‐dimethylthiophen‐3‐yl)ethane‐1,2‐dione is described, which reacts with [V(TMEDA)₂Cl₂] to give a rare non‐oxido vanadium(IV) species 3(M,M/P,P). This blue complex has two bidentate en‐diolato ligands which chelate the V^IV center and give rise to two five‐membered metallacycles with the adjacent hexatriene DTE backbone bearing axial chirality. Upon irradiation with UVA light or prolonged heating in solution, the blue compound 3(M,M/P,P) converts into the purple atropisomer 4(para,M/para,P). Both complexes were isolated and structurally characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis (using lab source and synchrotron radiation). The antiparallel configuration (M or P helicity) present in both 3(M,M/P,P) and 4(para,M/para,P) is a prerequisite for (reversible) 6π cyclization reactions. A CW EPR spectroscopic study reveals the metalloradical character for 3(M,M/P,P) and 4(para,M/para,P) and indicates dynamic reversible cyclization of the DTE backbone in complex 3(M,M/P,P) at ambient temperature in solution.

Tri- and Tetranuclear Metal-String Complexes with Metallophilic d10 -d10 Interactions

The reaction of 2,6-F2 C6 H3 SiMe3 with Ph2 PLi provided 2,6-(Ph2 P)2 C6 H3 SiMe3 (1), which can be regarded as precursor for the novel anionic tridentate ligand [2,6-(Ph2 P)2 C6 H3 ]- (PCP)- . The reaction of 1 with [AuCl(tht)] (tht=tetrahydrothiophene) afforded 2,6-(Ph2 PAuCl)2 C6 H3 SiMe3 (2). The subsequent reaction of 2 with CsF proceeded with elimination of Me3 SiF and yielded the neutral tetranuclear complex linear-[Au4 Cl2 (PCP)2 ] (3) comprising a string-like arrangement of four Au atoms. Upon chloride abstraction from 3 with NaBArF 4 (ArF =3,5-(CF3 )2 C6 H3 ) in the presence of tht, the formation of the dicationic tetranuclear complex linear-[Au4 (PCP)2 (tht)2 ](BArF 4 )2 (4) was observed, in which the string-like structural motif is retained. Irradiation of 4 with UV light triggered a facile rearrangement in solution giving rise to the dicationic tetranuclear complex cyclo-[Au4 (PCP)2 (tht)2 ](BArF 4 ) (5), which comprises a rhomboidal motif of four Au atoms. In 3-5, the Au atoms are associated by a number of significant aurophilic interactions. The atom-economic and selective reaction of 3 with HgCl2 yielded the neutral trinuclear bimetallic complex [HgAu2 Cl3 (PCP)] (6) comprising significant metallophilic interactions between the Au and Hg atoms. Therefore, 6 may be also regarded as a metallopincer complex [ClHg(AuCAu)] between HgII and the anionic tridentate ligand [2,6-(Ph2 PAuCl)2 C6 H3 ]- (AuCAu)- containing a central carbanionic binding site and two "gold-arms" contributing pincer-type chelation trough metallophilic interactions. Compounds 1-6 were characterized experimentally by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography and computationally using a set of real-space bond indicators (RSBIs) derived from electron density (ED) methods including Atoms In Molecules (AIM), the Electron Localizability Indicator (ELI-D) as well as the Non-Covalent Interaction (NCI) Index.

1159 Right ventricular electromechanical dyssynchrony in relation to right ventricular remodeling, dysfunction and exercise capacity in Ebstein anomaly

Background

Abnormal atrioventricular conduction and functional right ventricular (fRV) dysfunction are common in patients with Ebstein anomaly (EA). However, the relation of fRV dyssynchrony to fRV function in EA has not been studied.

Purpose

We hypothesized that fRV electromechanical dyssynchrony is associated with fRV remodeling, dysfunction and exercise intolerance in EA patients.

Methods

Non-operated EA patients and age-matched controls prospectively underwent echocardiography, cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and cardiopulmonary exercise testing to quantify RV remodeling, dysfunction and exercise capacity, respectively. The relation of these to fRV dyssynchrony was investigated. RV mechanical dyssynchrony was defined by early septal activation (right-sided septal flash), RV lateral wall prestretch/late contraction, postsystolic shortening, and the maximal intra-RV delay (difference in time to peak of lateral basal RV and apical septal segments) using 2-dimensional strain echocardiography.

Results

Thirty-five EA patients (age 31.6 ± 17.3 years, 19 female) and 35 age-matched controls were studied. QRS duration and intra-fRV mechanical delay were significantly longer in EA compared with controls. 19/35(54%) of EA patients had early activation of septal segments with simultaneous stretching and consequent late activation and post-systolic shortening of RV lateral segments. QRS duration correlated with fRV end-diastolic (fRVEDVI, r = 0.46, P &lt;0.01) and end-systolic indexed volumes (fRVESVIr = 0.57, P &lt;0.001). Intra-fRV delay correlated with RV global longitudinal strain (GLS, r=-0.45,P &lt;0.05) and RV fractional area change (r=-0.56, P &lt;0.01). Intra-fRV delay was also associated with fRVEDVI (r = 0.43, P &lt;0.05), fRVESVI (r = 0.63, P &lt;0.001), fRVEF (r=-0.46,P &lt;0.05) and predicted peak VO2 (r=-0.39, P &lt; 0.05). EA patients with versus without a septal flash had lower fRVEF (45 ± 11 vs. 54 ± 8%, p &lt; 0.05) and predicted peak VO2 (0.71 ± 0.19 vs. 0.92 ± 0.33, p &lt; 0.05).

Conclusions

In EA, fRV electromechanical dyssynchrony is associated with fRV remodeling, dysfunction and impaired exercise capacity and may constitute a therapeutic target.

Abstract 1159 Figure.

A Small Cationic Organo-Copper Cluster as Thermally Robust Highly Photo- and Electroluminescent Material

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are revolutionizing display applications. In this aspect, luminescent complexes of precious metals such as iridium, platinum, or ruthenium still playing a significant role. Emissive compounds of earth-abundant copper with equivalent performance are desired for practical, large-scale applications such as solid-state lighting and displays. Copper(I)-based emitters are well-known to suffer from weak spin-orbit coupling and a high reorganization energy upon photoexcitation. Here we report a cationic organo-copper cluster [Cu₄(PCP)₃]⁺ (PCP = 2,6-(PPh₂)₂C₆H₃) that features suppressed nonradiative decays, giving rise to a robust narrow-band green luminophore with a photoluminescent (PL) efficiency up to 93%. PL decay kinetics corroborated by DFT calculations reveal a complex emission mechanism involving contributions of both thermally activated delayed fluorescence and phosphorescence. This robust compound was solution-processed into a thin film in prototype OLEDs with external quantum efficiency up to 11% and a narrow emission bandwidth (65 nm fwhm).

The SAPPHIRE criteria, history of myocardial infarction and diabetes predict adverse outcomes following carotid endarterectomy similar to stenting

Aims

Identifying factors associated with worse outcome following carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is important to improve prevention of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), yet rarely used for registries. We intended to identify predictors of MACCE following CEA as recently analysed for stenting.

Methods and results

Patients undergoing CEA at 2 centers over 13 years were entered into a database. Baseline clinical characteristics, procedural factors and a panel of clinical and lesion-related high-risk features (SHR) and exclusion criteria (SE), empirically compiled for stratification in the SAPPHIRE trial, were differentially analysed using Cox regressions. The analysis included 748 operations; 262 (35%) asymptomatic, 208 (28%) with previous strokes, and 278 (37%) with transient ischemic attacks (TIA). The overall 30-day MACCE rate was 6.7%, 5.0% in asymptomatic and 7.6% in symptomatic patients. Previous MI (HR 2.045, p = 0.022), diabetes (HR 2.111, p = 0.011) and symptomatic patients (HR 2.045, p = 0.044) were independently associated with MACCE. SE patients (n = 81) had a MACCE rate of 13.6%; the MACCE rate of the remainder dropped to 5.8% (4.7% in asymptomatic and 6.5% in symptomatic patients). Hazard ratio for SHR patients was 2.069 (CI 1.087–3.941) and 2.389 for SE (CI 1.223–4.666), each compared to all patients with lower risk and adjusted for symptomatic status. Among SHR and SE criteria NYHA 3–4, contralateral occlusions and intraluminal thrombus were significant determinants and MI < 4 weeks before CEA showed a strong trend (p = 0.05).

Conclusion

Patients identified by SHR and SE criteria, prior MI and diabetes warrant increased attention to prevent MACCE following CEA.

Graphic abstract

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00392-019-01546-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

CO2-based hydrogen storage – hydrogen liberation from methanol/water mixtures and from anhydrous methanol

New strategies for the reforming of methanol under mild conditions on the basis of heterogeneous and molecular catalysts have raised the hopes and expectations on this fuel. This contribution will focus on the progress achieved in the production of hydrogen from aqueous and anhydrous methanol with molecular and heterogeneous catalysts. The report entails thermal approaches, as well as light-triggered dehydrogenation reactions. A comparison of the efficiency and mechanistic aspects will be made and principles of catalytic pathways operating in biological systems will be also addressed.

Webcrawling and machine learning as a new approach for the spatial distribution of atmospheric emissions

In this study we apply two methods for data collection that are relatively new in the field of atmospheric science. The two developed methods are designed to collect essential geo-localized information to be used as input data for a high resolution emission inventory for residential wood combustion (RWC). The first method is a webcrawler that extracts openly online available real estate data in a systematic way, and thereafter structures them for analysis. The webcrawler reads online Norwegian real estate advertisements and it collects the geo-position of the dwellings. Dwellings are classified according to the type (e.g., apartment, detached house) they belong to and the heating systems they are equipped with. The second method is a model trained for image recognition and classification based on machine learning techniques. The images from the real estate advertisements are collected and processed to identify wood burning installations, which are automatically classified according to the three classes used in official statistics, i.e., open fireplaces, stoves produced before 1998 and stoves produced after 1998. The model recognizes and classifies the wood appliances with a precision of 81%, 85% and 91% for open fireplaces, old stoves and new stoves, respectively. Emission factors are heavily dependent on technology and this information is therefore essential for determining accurate emissions. The collected data are compared with existing information from the statistical register at county and national level in Norway. The comparison shows good agreement for the proportion of residential heating systems between the webcrawled data and the official statistics. The high resolution and level of detail of the extracted data show the value of open data to improve emission inventories. With the increased amount and availability of data, the techniques presented here add significant value to emission accuracy and potential applications should also be considered across all emission sectors.

Magnetic Ground State Stabilized by Three-Site Interactions: Fe/Rh(111)

We report the direct observation of a theoretically predicted magnetic ground state in a monolayer Fe on Rh(111), which is referred to as an up-up-down-down (↑↑↓↓) double-row-wise antiferromagnetic spin structure, using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy. This exotic phase, which exists in three orientational domains, is revealed by experiments with magnetic probe tips performed in external magnetic fields. It is shown that a hitherto unconsidered four-spin-three-site beyond-Heisenberg interaction distinctly contributes to the spin coupling of atoms with S≥1 spins. The observation of the ↑↑↓↓ order substantiates the presence of higher-order, in particular, three-site interactions, in thin magnetic films of itinerant magnets.

Abstract 339: Predictors of Periopertive Neurologic Outcomes Following CEA

Objective: The prospective registry study intended to identify risk factors of periinterventional neurologic outcomes after carotid endarteriectomy (CEA) to improve patient selection. Neurologic outcome predicition differs from the endpoint MACCE as previously shown.

Methods: Patient characteristics and procedural factors were prospectively acquired and analysed using Cox regression to determine predictors for stroke and death within 30-days of CEA.

Results: The analysis included 748 operations, 262 (35%) asymptomatic, 208 (28%) with previous strokes, and 278 (37%) with transient ischemic attacks (TIA). The overall 30-day stroke rate was 5.5%, 3.1% in asymptomatic and 6.8% in symptomatic patients and for stroke and death 5.6%, 3.1% and 7.0% respectively. Independent predictors of stroke and death were contralateral occlusion (HR=3.826, p=0.006, CI 1.483 - 9.867), symptomatic status (HR=3.626, p=0.004, CI 1.51 - 8.706), First-degree atrioventricular block (HR=2.209, p=0.041, CI 1.034 - 4.722), resection (HR=2.448, p=0.027, CI 1.106 - 5.416) and myocardial infarction (HR=2.03, p=0.04, CI 1.032 - 3.994) compared to all patients. Similar effect estimates were found for stroke alone. Compared to lower risk patients, SHR and SEC criteria predicted stroke and death after adjustment for symptomatic status (HR=2.29, p=0.02, CI 1.142 - 4.592) and (HR=2.286, p=0.028, CI 1.094 - 4.778). Outcome in low risk patients were not related to the symptomatic status for stroke and death (HR=2.484, p=0.148, CI 0.724 - 8.524), correspondingly for stroke.

Conclusions: This is the first report identifying preprocedural myocardial infarction, first degree AV-block, SHR and SEC as predictors of stroke and stroke and death at 30 days postoperatively.

Synthesis, characterization and Pd(ii)-coordination chemistry of the ligand tris(quinolin-8-yl)phosphite. Application in the catalytic aerobic oxidation of amines

The ligand P(Oquin)₃ is reported and was coordinated to Pd(ii). This complex is a catalyst precursor for the homocoupling of amines.

Mapping urban air quality in near real-time using observations from low-cost sensors and model information

The recent emergence of low-cost microsensors measuring various air pollutants has significant potential for carrying out high-resolution mapping of air quality in the urban environment. However, the data obtained by such sensors are generally less reliable than that from standard equipment and they are subject to significant data gaps in both space and time. In order to overcome this issue, we present here a data fusion method based on geostatistics that allows for merging observations of air quality from a network of low-cost sensors with spatial information from an urban-scale air quality model. The performance of the methodology is evaluated for nitrogen dioxide in Oslo, Norway, using both simulated datasets and real-world measurements from a low-cost sensor network for January 2016. The results indicate that the method is capable of producing realistic hourly concentration fields of urban nitrogen dioxide that inherit the spatial patterns from the model and adjust the prior values using the information from the sensor network. The accuracy of the data fusion method is dependent on various factors including the total number of observations, their spatial distribution, their uncertainty (both in terms of systematic biases and random errors), as well as the ability of the model to provide realistic spatial patterns of urban air pollution. A validation against official data from air quality monitoring stations equipped with reference instrumentation indicates that the data fusion method is capable of reproducing city-wide averaged official values with an R² of 0.89 and a root mean squared error of 14.3 μg m^-3. It is further capable of reproducing the typical daily cycles of nitrogen dioxide. Overall, the results indicate that the method provides a robust way of extracting useful information from uncertain sensor data using only a time-invariant model dataset and the knowledge contained within an entire sensor network.

Public participation GIS for improving wood burning emissions from residential heating and urban environmental management

A crowdsourcing study supported by a public participation GIS tool was designed and carried out in two Norwegian regions. The aim was to improve the knowledge about emissions from wood burning for residential heating in urban areas based on the collection of citizens' localized insights. We focus on three main issues: 1) type of dwelling and residential heating source; 2) wood consumption and type of wood appliances; and 3) citizens' perception of the urban environment. Our study shows the importance of wood burning for residential heating, and of the resulted particle emissions, in Norwegian urban areas. Citizens' localized insights on environmental perception highlight the areas in the city that require particular attention as part of clean air strategies. Information about environmental perception is combined with existing environmental data showing certain correlation. The results support the urban environmental management based on co-benefit approaches, achieving several outcomes from a single policy measure. Measures to reduce urban air pollution will have a positive impact on the citizens' environmental perception, and therefore on their quality of life, in addition to reducing the negative consequences of air pollution on human health. The characterization of residential heating by fuelwood is still a challenging activity. Our study shows the potential of a crowdsourcing method as means for bottom-up approaches designed to increase our knowledge on human activities at urban scale that result on emissions.