Comparison of active measurements, lichen biomonitoring, and passive sampling for atmospheric mercury monitoring

The number of atmospheric mercury (Hg) monitoring stations is growing globally. However, there are still many regions and locations where Hg monitoring is limited or non-existent. Expansion of the atmospheric Hg monitoring network could be facilitated by the use of cost-effective monitoring methods. As such, biomonitoring and passive monitoring offer a unique alternative to well-established monitoring by active measurements, since they do not require a power supply and require minimal workload to operate. The use of biomonitoring (lichens and mosses) and passive air samplers (PASs) (various designs with synthetic materials) has been reported in the literature, and comparisons with active measurement methods have also been made. However, these studies compared either biomonitoring or PASs (not both) to only one type of active measurement. In our work, we used transplanted (7 sampling sites) and in situ lichens (8 sampling sites) for biomonitoring, two PASs from different producers (3 sampling sites), and two different active measurement types (continuous and discontinuous active measurements, 1 and 8 sampling sites, respectively) to evaluate their effectiveness as monitoring methods. In the 9-month sampling campaign, 3 sampling locations with different characteristics (unpolluted, vicinity of a cement plant, and vicinity of a former Hg mine) were used. The results obtained with lichens and PASs clearly distinguished between sampling locations with different Hg concentrations; using both PASs and lichens together increased the confidence of our observations. The present work shows that biomonitoring and passive sampling can be effectively used to identify areas with elevated atmospheric Hg concentrations. The same can be said for discontinuous active measurements; however, the discrepancy between atmospheric Hg concentrations derived from PASs and discontinuous active measurements should be further investigated in the future.

Application of traceable calibration for gaseous oxidized mercury in air

BACKGROUND

The current speciation methods for mercury (Hg) measurements are fraught with considerable uncertainty, from sample collection to calibration. High reactivity of gaseous oxidized Hg (GOM) species and their ultra-trace level presence makes them difficult to sample and calibrate. Given that improper calibration may lead to measurement biases, reliable and metrologically traceable calibration methods are required for accurately quantifying GOM in air. In the present study, we applied the recently developed calibration method based on non-thermal plasma oxidation of elemental Hg, to a commercially available Hg air speciation system for actual environmental measurements of GOM for the first time.

RESULTS

Hg species such as HgO, HgCl2, and HgBr2 were produced with trace amounts of reactant gases (oxygen and electrolytically produced chlorine and bromine) and the production was driven by plasma-assisted oxidation. The plasma oxidation efficiency of elemental Hg with oxygen was 98.5 ± 7.5 % (k = 2), while that for chlorine and bromine was 96.8 ± 6.9 % (k = 2) and 97.4 ± 9.6 % (k = 2), respectively. The calibration method was tested against the internal permeation (Hg0) source of the Tekran 2537B Hg analyzer on-field by loading HgO to different KCl-coated denuders using the plasma. GOM concentrations were measured using the Tekran speciation system. With internal calibration, concentrations were up to 9.1 % lower than those in plasma calibration, thereby emphasizing the importance of the calibration strategy. Measurement uncertainty (k = 2) further emphasizes this distinction. Internal calibration measurement uncertainty was 36.8 %, while plasma calibration boasted lower uncertainty at 13.8 %.

SIGNIFICANCE

The non-thermal plasma calibration strategy, as a unique and discrete calibration method traceable to the NIST SRM 3133 for ambient air GOM measurements, provide a higher level of confidence in the accuracy of GOM measurements with several advantages over other methods. Calibrations at extreme low concentrations (<100 pg) are possible with this method relevant to ambient air GOM concentrations.

Optimization of a pre-concentration method for the analysis of mercury isotopes in low-concentration foliar samples

Hg isotope analysis in samples from background regions is constrained by the presence of low Hg concentration and therefore requires a pre-concentration method. Existing Hg pre-concentration methods are constrained by long sample processing time and limited sample loading capacity. Using foliar samples as a test case, an optimized Hg pre-concentration method is presented that involves the microwave-assisted digestion of samples for Hg isotope analysis with the addition of a pre-digestion step. Microwave-digested foliar samples and CRMs were transferred to an impinger, reduced with SnCl2, and collected in a 2.25 mL concentrated inverse aqua regia (3:1 HNO3:HCl, v/v). This resulted in an optimal acid concentration in the solution ideal for analysis on MC-ICP-MS. The time for purging with Hg-free N2 was optimized to 30 min and the efficiency of the pre-concentration method was tested using a combination of approaches. Tests performed on pure reagents and matrix of foliar samples spiked with 197Hg radiotracer showed recoveries averaging 99 ± 1.7% and 100 ± 3.0%, respectively. Mercury at concentrations as low as 1.83 ng g-1 was pre-concentrated by digesting aliquots of foliage samples in individual digestion vessels. Recoveries following their pre-concentration averaged 99 ± 6.0%, whereas recoveries of 95 ± 4.7% and 95 ± 2.5% were achieved for NIST SRM 1575a (pine needle) and reagents spiked with NIST SRM 3133, respectively. Analysis using multicollector-ICP-MS showed low fractionation of δ202Hg during sample pre-concentration with no significant mass-independent fractionation. The proposed method is a relatively simple and robust way to prepare Hg samples for Hg isotopic analysis and is suitable even for complex biological matrices.

EuCd_{2}As_{2}: A Magnetic Semiconductor

EuCd_{2}As_{2} is now widely accepted as a topological semimetal in which a Weyl phase is induced by an external magnetic field. We challenge this view through firm experimental evidence using a combination of electronic transport, optical spectroscopy, and excited-state photoemission spectroscopy. We show that the EuCd_{2}As_{2} is in fact a semiconductor with a gap of 0.77 eV. We show that the externally applied magnetic field has a profound impact on the electronic band structure of this system. This is manifested by a huge decrease of the observed band gap, as large as 125 meV at 2 T, and, consequently, by a giant redshift of the interband absorption edge. However, the semiconductor nature of the material remains preserved. EuCd_{2}As_{2} is therefore a magnetic semiconductor rather than a Dirac or Weyl semimetal, as suggested by ab initio computations carried out within the local spin-density approximation.

Assessing comparability and uncertainty of analytical methods for methylated mercury species in seawater

BACKGROUND

The relative distribution and importance of monomethylmercury (MMHg) and dimethylmercury (DMHg) in seawater is still under debate. A lack of comparability between measurements at sub-picomolar levels hampered the further understanding of the biogeochemical Hg cycle. To overcome this, we assessed the relative standard measurement uncertainties (Uex,r) for direct measurements of MMHg and DMHg by species-specific isotope dilution ICP-MS and cryo-focusing GC-ICP-MS at femtomolar concentrations. Furthermore, Uex,r was determined for the indirect determination of DMHg (DMHgcalc = MeHg - MMHg) and MeHg (MeHgcalc = MMHg + DMHg) to compare the two methodologies.

RESULTS

Expanded Uex,r (confidence interval of 95%) for cryo-focusing GC-ICP-MS was 14.4 (<50 fM) and 14.2% (>50 fM) and for SS-ID GC-ICP-MS 5.6 (<50 fM) and 3.7% (>50 fM). For concentrations above 50 fM, Uex,r for DMHgcalc was always lower than for direct measurements (14.2%). For MeHgcalc, on the other hand, Uex,r was always higher for concentrations above 115 fM (range: 3.7-13.9%) than for direct measurements (3.7%). We evaluated the comparability of directly measured and calculated DMHg and MeHg concentrations based on Hg speciation measurements for two vertical profiles in the Mediterranean Sea. We show that directly measured and indirectly determined DMHg and MeHg concentrations yield comparable results.

SIGNIFICANCE

Our results validate the application of the indirect method for the determination of DMHg if a direct measurement method with a low Uex,r such as isotope dilution is used for MMHg and MeHg measurements. The validation of the indirect measurement approach opens new possibilities to generate more precise and accurate DMHg data in the global ocean.

Optimisation of distillation as an isolation method for the determination of low methylmercury concentrations in urine samples

Methylmercury (MeHg) speciation in urine requires a robust, reproducible and sensitive technique that enables reliable measurements in limited sample volumes. Conventional MeHg extraction by acid digestion allows for processing of only small amounts of urine digest, making accurate MeHg determination in low-concentration samples virtually impossible. Distillation has been proven as an efficient isolation method with very low detection limits for measuring MeHg in water samples; therefore, in this study, it was optimised for urine samples. Combined with aqueous phase ethylation, purging with nitrogen, preconcentration on Tenax trap, isothermal gas chromatography and cold vapour atomic fluorescence detection, distillation achieved high and repeatable urine spike recoveries of 94% ± 7%. Larger measured aliquot volume led to a significantly lower limit of detection (LOD) for distillation compared with acid digestion (1.1 versus 5.5 pg g^-1 urine). Thirty-two general population urine samples were analysed using both methods, and the results were compared. Distillation led to better separation of MeHg from inorganic Hg and the matrix. Good correlation was observed between the results obtained by the two methods for samples with MeHg concentrations above 10 pg g^-1 urine (slope = 0.9492, R² = 0.9879). For samples below this MeHg concentration, distillation was superior, enabling the measurement of MeHg in 9 out of 12 urine samples that were below the LOD of acid digestion. Distillation had significantly lower measurement uncertainty, particularly in the low-concentration samples, where the expanded combined standard uncertainty of the acid digestion method reached as high as 43.2% (k = 2), predominantly owing to poor sample repeatability.

First-in-Human µCAB™ Coronary Revascularization Surgery

Less invasive coronary artery bypass grafting surgery is underused despite more than 25 years of interest from surgeons and growing patient demands for less pain and rapid full recovery. New approaches may offer surgeons additional options to provide enhanced clinical results through reliable subxiphoid bilateral internal thoracic artery harvesting and the creation of durable anastomoses through very small thoracotomy incisions. This first-in-human case report describes 2 patients who received surgical coronary revascularization using the µCAB^™ technology and techniques. The encouraging early results indicate that the µCAB^™ approach may offer a new ergonomic, affordable method for coronary revascularization with less surgical trauma.

Fractionation of mercury stable isotopes in lichens

Bio-monitoring of mercury (Hg) in air using transplanted and in-situ lichens was conducted at three locations in Slovenia: (I) the town of Idrija in the area of the former Hg mine, where Hg contamination is well known; (II) Anhovo, a settlement with a cement production plant, which is a source of Hg contamination, and (III) Pokljuka, a part of a national park. Lichens from Pokljuka were transplanted to different sites and sampled four times-once per season, from January 2020 to February 2021. Lichens were set on tree branches, fences, and under cover, allowing them to be exposed to different environmental conditions (e.g., light and rain). The in-situ lichens were sampled at the beginning and the end of the sampling period. The highest concentrations were in the Idrija area, which was consistent with previous research. Significant mass-dependent fractionation has been observed in transplanted lichens during summer period. The δ²⁰²Hg changed from -3.0‰ in winter to -1.0‰ in summer and dropped again to the same value in winter the following year. This trend was observed in all samples, except those from the most polluted Idrija sampling site, which was in the vicinity of the former Hg ore-smelting plant. This was likely due to large amounts of Hg originating from polluted soil close to the former smelting plant with a distinct isotopic fingerprint in this local area. The Δ¹⁹⁹Hg in transplanted lichens ranged from -0.5‰ to -0.1‰ and showed no seasonal trends. These findings imply that seasonality, particularly in summer months, may affect the isotopic fractionation of Hg and should be considered in the sampling design and data interpretation. This trend was thus described in lichens for the first time. The mechanism behind such change is not yet fully understood.

Dispersion of airborne mercury species emitted from the cement plant

The cement industry is the second largest source of anthropogenic mercury (Hg) emissions in Europe, accounting for 11% of global anthropogenic Hg emissions. The main objective of this study was to examine the influence of Hg emissions from the Salonit Anhovo cement plant on Hg levels measured in the ambient air at Vodarna, 1 km downwind from the flue gas chimney. The findings reveal that the plant raw mill operational status plays an important role in Hg concentrations in the flue gas emitted from the plant. Emitted total gaseous mercury was, on average, higher (49.4 μg/m³) when raw mills were in the direct mode (both raw mills-off) and lower (23.4 μg/m³) in the combined mode (both raw mills-on). The average Hg concentrations in Vodarna were 3.14 ng/m³ for gaseous elemental mercury, 53.7 pg/m³ for gaseous oxidised mercury, and 41.9 pg/m³ for particulate bound mercury for the whole measurement period. Atmospheric Hg speciation in Vodarna, coupled with plant emissions and wind data, has revealed that the total gaseous mercury emitted from the cement plant is clearly related to all Hg species measured in Vodarna. Wind blowing from the northeastern quadrant (mostly NE, ENE) is responsible for the elevated Hg levels in Vodarna, where gaseous oxidised mercury levels are highly linked to the cement plant emissions. However, elevated levels of Hg species in the absence of northeastern winds indicate potential inputs from other unknown local sources as well as inputs from regional and global transport mechanisms.

Calibration Approach for Gaseous Oxidized Mercury Based on Nonthermal Plasma Oxidation of Elemental Mercury

Atmospheric mercury measurements carried out in the recent decades have been a subject of bias largely due to insufficient consideration of metrological traceability and associated measurement uncertainty, which are ultimately needed for the demonstration of comparability of the measurement results. This is particularly challenging for gaseous Hg^II species, which are reactive and their ambient concentrations are very low, causing difficulties in proper sampling and calibration. Calibration for atmospheric Hg^II exists, but barriers to reliable calibration are most evident at ambient Hg^II concentration levels. We present a calibration of Hg^II species based on nonthermal plasma oxidation of Hg⁰ to Hg^II. Hg⁰ was produced by quantitative reduction of Hg^II in aqueous solution by SnCl₂ and aeration. The generated Hg⁰ in a stream of He and traces of reaction gas (O₂, Cl₂, or Br₂) was then oxidized to different Hg^II species by nonthermal plasma. A highly sensitive ¹⁹⁷Hg radiotracer was used to evaluate the oxidation efficiency. Nonthermal plasma oxidation efficiencies with corresponding expanded standard uncertainty values were 100.5 ± 4.7% (k = 2) for 100 pg of HgO, 96.8 ± 7.3% (k = 2) for 250 pg of HgCl₂, and 77.3 ± 9.4% (k = 2) for 250 pg of HgBr₂. The presence of HgO, HgCl₂, and HgBr₂ was confirmed by temperature-programmed desorption quadrupole mass spectrometry (TPD-QMS). This work demonstrates the potential for nonthermal plasma oxidation to generate reliable and repeatable amounts of Hg^II compounds for routine calibration of ambient air measurement instrumentation.

Enhanced mercury reduction in the South Atlantic Ocean during carbon remineralization

Mercury (Hg) in seawater is subject to interconversions via (photo)chemical and (micro)biological processes that determine the extent of dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) (re)emission and the production of monomethylmercury. We investigated Hg speciation in the South Atlantic Ocean on a GEOTRACES cruise along a 40°S section between December 2011 and January 2012 (354 samples collected at 24 stations from surface to 5250 m maximum depth). Using statistical analysis, concentrations of methylated mercury (MeHg, geometric mean 35.4 fmol L^-1) were related to seawater temperature, salinity, and fluorescence. DGM concentrations (geometric mean 0.17 pmol L^-1) were related to water column depth, concentrations of macronutrients and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). The first-ever observed linear correlation between DGM and DIC obtained from high-resolution data indicates possible DGM production by organic matter remineralization via biological or dark abiotic reactions. DGM concentrations projected from literature DIC data using the newly discovered DGM-DIC relationship agreed with published DGM observations.

Validating an Evaporative Calibrator for Gaseous Oxidized Mercury

Understanding atmospheric mercury chemistry is the key for explaining the biogeochemical cycle of mercury and for improving the predictive capability of computational models. Increased efforts are being made to ensure comparable Hg speciation measurements in the air through establishing metrological traceability. While traceability for elemental mercury has been recently set, this is by no means the case for gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM). Since a calibration unit suitable for traceable GOM calibrations based on evaporation of HgCl₂ solution was recently developed, the purpose of our work was to extensively evaluate its performance. A highly specific and sensitive ¹⁹⁷Hg radiotracer was used for validation over a wide range of concentrations. By comparing experimental and calculated values, we obtained recoveries for the calibration unit. The average recoveries ranged from 88.5% for 1178 ng m⁻³ HgCl₂ gas concentration to 39.4% for 5.90 ng m⁻³ HgCl₂ gas concentration. The losses were due to the adsorption of oxidized Hg on the inner walls of the calibrator and tubing. An adsorption isotherm was applied to estimate adsorption enthalpy (ΔH_ads); a ΔH_ads value of −12.33 kJ mol⁻¹ was obtained, suggesting exothermal adsorption. The results of the calibrator performance evaluation suggest that a newly developed calibration unit is only suitable for concentrations of HgCl₂ higher than 1 µg m⁻³. The concentration dependence of recoveries prevents the system from being used for calibration of instruments for ambient GOM measurements. Moreover, the previously assessed uncertainty of this unit at µg m⁻³ level (2.0%, k = 2) was re-evaluated by including uncertainty related to recovery and was found to be 4.1%, k = 2. Calibrator performance was also evaluated for HgBr₂ gas calibration; the recoveries were much lower for HgBr₂ gas than for HgCl₂ gas even at a high HgBr₂ gas concentration (>1 µg m⁻³). As HgBr₂ is often used as a proxy for various atmospheric HgBr species, the suitability of the unit for such calibration must be further developed.

Mercury speciation in meconium and associated factors

Meconium is formed early in gestation and it is normally not excreted until after birth. Thus it may provide a longer and cumulative record of exposure to mercury (Hg). The present study aims to speciate Hg in meconium samples (N = 488) from Slovenian and Croatian new-borns prenatally exposed to low levels of methyl-Hg (MeHg) from maternal seafood intake and to Hg⁰ from maternal dental amalgam fillings. We had complete data of total Hg (THg) and MeHg in meconium and THg in maternal hair (MH), while THg and MeHg in maternal blood (MB) were available only for Croatian mothers. Personal data namely maternal seafood intake, age, pre-pregnancy BMI, parity, smoking, estimated gestational age at birth, sex, and birth weight were available for the majority of participants, except the number of dental amalgams which was in most cases missing for Croatian mothers. The median THg concentration in meconium was 11.1 (range: 0.41-375.2) ng/g and inorganic Hg (Hg(II)) presented 98.8% (range: 82%-100%, CV: 2%) of THg. We observed significant correlation between meconium and MH Hg levels, with the highest correlation between hair THg and meconium MeHg. Correlation analysis including MB (available only for Croatian population) showed a significant positive correlation between THg in meconium and THg in MB (R_s = 0.642). Additionally, MeHg from MB was correlated with MeHg in meconium (R_s = 0.898), while the correlation between Hg(II) in MB and meconium was positive, but not significant. Maternal seafood intake was significantly correlated with meconium MeHg (R_s = 0.498) and Hg(II) (R_s = 0.201). Multiple linear regression (performed on the Slovenian population, N = 143) confirmed a positive association between meconium MeHg and seafood intake. Furthermore, meconium Hg(II) was positively associated with the number of maternal dental amalgam fillings, but linear regression models did not confirm correlation between seafood intake and meconium Hg(II) levels. We assume that Hg⁰ released from maternal dental amalgam fillings and MeHg from seafood intake were both transported through the placental barrier and portioned between different foetal compartments including meconium. Weak correlation between maternal seafood intake and Hg(II) levels in meconium suggests that there is certain evidence of MeHg demethylation. However, because this correlation was not confirmed by the multiple regression, MeHg demethylation during prenatal life cannot be neither confirmed nor excluded. Further investigations at higher level of exposure are needed to confirm this observations. We can conclude that meconium is a suitable biomarker for MeHg and Hg⁰ exposure during pregnancy. However, comparability of the results reported in meconium in different studies is hindered by a lack of standardized sampling protocols, storage, and analysis.

Mercury concentrations in biota in the Mediterranean Sea, a compilation of 40 years of surveys

The Mediterranean Region has a long lasting legacy of mercury mining activities and a high density of sub-marine volcanoes that has strongly contributed to its mercury budget. In the last forty years, there have been recorded increases in mercury concentrations in biota that have spurred a growing number of research activities to assess the impact of mercury pollution on human health and environment. Field investigations that quantify mercury concentrations in marine biota have led to a large amount of experimental data scattered in many peer-reviewed publications making it difficult for modelling applications and regional environmental assessments. This paper reviews existing peer-reviewed literature and datasets on mercury concentration in marine flora and fauna (Animal, Plants and Chromista Kingdoms) in the Mediterranean basin. A total of 24,465 records have been retrieved from 539 sources and included in Mercury in Mediterranean Biota (M2B). Well-defined specimens account for 24,407 observations, while a few records include generic plankton and unidentified fish species. Among all considered species, we selected Diplodus sargus, Sardina pilchardus, Thunnus thynnus and Xiphias gladius to show trends of mercury concentration against WHO and EU limits. Few notes on how M2B is intended to support the implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury by a user-driven Knowledge Hub are finally reported.

Measurement(s)	mercury
Technology Type(s)	digital curation
Factor Type(s)	geographic location • fishing area • species • sampling time • depth • weight • tissue
Sample Characteristic - Organism	Eukaryota
Sample Characteristic - Environment	ocean biome
Sample Characteristic - Location	Mediterranean Sea • Black Sea

Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: 10.6084/m9.figshare.9886004

A Unique Interactive Nanostructure Knitting based Passive Sampler Adsorbent for Monitoring of Hg2+ in Water

This work reports the development of ultralight interwoven ultrathin graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) nanosheets for use as a potential adsorbent in a passive sampler (PAS) designed to bind Hg²⁺ ions. The g-CN nanosheets were prepared from bulk g-CN synthesised via a modified high-temperature short-time (HTST) polycondensation process. The crystal structure, surface functional groups, and morphology of the g-CN nanosheets were characterised using a battery of instruments. The results confirmed that the as-synthesized product is composed of few-layered nanosheets. The adsorption efficiency of g-CN for binding Hg²⁺ (100 ng mL⁻¹) in sea, river, rain, and Milli-Q quality water was 89%, 93%, 97%, and 100%, respectively, at natural pH. Interference studies found that the cations tested (Co²⁺, Ca²⁺, Zn²⁺, Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Bi³⁺, Na⁺, and K⁺) had no significant effect on the adsorption efficiency of Hg²⁺. Different parameters were optimised to improve the performance of g-CN such as pH, contact time, and amount of adsorbent. Optimum conditions were pH 7, 120 min incubation time and 10 mg of nanosheets. The yield of nanosheets was 72.5%, which is higher compared to other polycondensation processes using different monomers. The g-CN sheets could also be regenerated up to eight times with only a 20% loss in binding efficiency. Overall, nano-knitted g-CN is a promising low-cost green adsorbent for use in passive samplers or as a transducing material in sensor applications.

Relations between mercury fractions and microbial community components in seawater under the presence and absence of probable phosphorus limitation conditions

Microbial transformations of toxic monomethylmercury (MMHg) and dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) at the lower levels of the marine food web are not well understood, especially in oligotrophic and phosphorus-limited seas. To examine the effects of probable phosphorus limitation (^PP-limitation) on relations between mercury (Hg) fractions and microorganisms, we determined the total mercury (THg), total methylated mercury (MeHg), DGM, and microbiological and chemical parameters in the Central Adriatic Sea. Using statistical analysis, we assessed the potential microbial effects on Hg transformations and bioaccumulation. Only in the absence of ^PP-limitation conditions (^NO-PP-limitation) is MeHg significantly related to most chemical and microbial parameters, indicating metabolism-dependent Hg transformations. The heterotrophic activity of low nucleic acid bacteria (abundant in oligotrophic regions) seems responsible for most of Hg methylation under ^NO-PP-limitation. Under these conditions, DGM is strongly related to microbial fractions and chlorophyll a, indicating biological DGM production, which is probably not metabolically induced, as most of these relations are also observed under ^PP-limitation. MMHg biomagnification was observed through an increased bioaccumulation factor from microseston to mesozooplankton. Our results indicate that Hg transformations and uptake might be enhanced under ^NO-PP-limitation conditions, emphasizing their impact on the transfer of Hg to higher trophic levels.

Direct electric field control of the skyrmion phase in a magnetoelectric insulator

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected spin-whirls currently considered as promising for use in ultra-dense memory devices. Towards achieving this goal, exploration of the skyrmion phase response and under external stimuli is urgently required. Here we show experimentally, and explain theoretically, that in the magnetoelectric insulator Cu2OSeO3 the skyrmion phase can expand and shrink significantly depending on the polarity of a moderate applied electric field (few V/μm). The theory we develop incorporates fluctuations around the mean-field that clarifies precisely how the electric field provides direct control over the free energy difference between the skyrmion and the surrounding conical phase. The quantitative agreement between theory and experiment provides a solid foundation for the development of skyrmionic applications based on magnetoelectric coupling.

Note: Commercial SQUID magnetometer-compatible NMR probe and its application for studying a quantum magnet

We present a compact nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) probe which is compatible with a magnet of a commercial superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer and demonstrate its application to the study of a quantum magnet. We employ trimmer chip capacitors to construct an NMR tank circuit for low temperature measurements. Using a magnetic insulator MoOPO₄ with S = 1/2 (Mo⁵⁺) as an example, we show that the T-dependence of the circuit is weak enough to allow the ligand-ion NMR study of magnetic systems. Our ³¹P NMR results are compatible with previous bulk susceptibility and neutron scattering experiments and furthermore reveal unconventional spin dynamics.

Non-percolating small metallic clusters and sharp suppression of metallicity in RE0.55Sr0.45Mn1−xRuxO3manganites

The origin of the anomalous sharp phase transition from a ferromagnetic metal into a ferromagnetic insulator has been investigated in ruthenium (Ru)-doped RE_0.55Sr_0.45Mn_1−xRu_xO₃(0 ≤x≤ 0.25) manganites (RESRMO) with RE(A-site) = Sm, Eu and Gd.

Central mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the mandible – A case report

INTRODUCTION

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma, compared to other tumors of salivary glands, occurs in 5–10% of cases. Histopathologically, it is divided into a well differentiated tumor that is of low-grade of malignancy, and a medium and poorly differentiated tumor of high grade of malignancy. Central mucoepidermoid carcinoma (CMEC) of the mandible was firstly described by Lepp in 1936, on a 66-year-old female patient. CMEC is characterized by atypical clinical image and radiological manifestation.

CASE OUTLINE

A 55-year-old female patient was examined at the Clinic of Dentistry in Niš, Serbia, with anamnestic data regarding the presence of painless swelling in the right side of the mandible. Considering the histopathological results and presence of enlarged lymph nodes, right hemimandibulectomy and tumour excision from pterygomandibular space followed by supraomohyoid neck dissection was done. In due course, postoperative radiotherapy was applied (60 Gy)

CONCLUSION

CMEC represents a rare tumor, characterized by local tissue destruction and ability to metastasize. Initial biopsy represented the key in preoperative planing. Radical excision with neck lymph node dissection followed by postoperative radiotherapy in our case represent a successful method of treating CMEC of the mandible.

Vaccine model of antiphospholipid syndrome induced by tetanus vaccine

Successful induction of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) in two different non-autoimmune prone mouse strains, BALB/c and C57BL/6, was achieved by tetanus toxoid (TTd) hyperimmunization using different adjuvants (glycerol or aluminium hydroxide), and different adjuvant pretreatments (glycerol or Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA)). APS had different manifestations of reproductive pathology in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice: fetal resorption (as a consequence of extreme T-cell activation obtained in the course of pretreatment), and lowering of fecundity (as a consequence of polyclonal B-cell stimulation), respectively. In BALB/c mice fetal resorption coincided with glycerol and CFA pretreatments, while in C57BL/6 mice lowering of fecundity was most obvious in CFA-pretreated mice immunized with TTd in aluminium hydroxide. Both molecular mimicry and polyclonal B-cell activation occur in APS induction, with molecular mimicry effects being dominant in BALB/c mice, and polyclonal cell activation being dominant in C57BL/6 mice. Confirmation of molecular mimicry effects, which in the condition of T-cell stimulation generated fetal resorptions in the BALB/c strain, was achieved by passive infusion of monoclonal antibody (MoAb) T-26 specific for TTd and anti-β2-glycoprotein I obtained after TTd hyperimunization. High polyclonal B-cell activation in C57BL/6 mice prevented fetal resorption but induced fecundity lowering, as was the case in passive administration of MoAb T-26 in this mouse strain. Passive infusion of anti-idiotypic MoAb Y7 into C57BL/6 mice induced fetal resorptions and confirmed the above suggestion on the protective role of polyclonal B-cell stimulation in fetal resorptions.