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This research centers on an empirical exploration of the athlete’s experience grounded in Merleau-Ponty’s Body Phenomenology. Employing a phenomenological analysis, the study illuminates the agency of the body-subject and the profound significance of world-construction through embodiment in athletic situations. By delving into the lived experiences of athletes, this investigation unveils the dynamic interplay between the athlete’s body, subjective agency and the perceptual construction of the sporting environment. The recognition of the agency of the body-subject and the active role of the body schema provides a nuanced perspective on the phenomenology of athletic performance. Insights gleaned from this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the intricate relationship between the athlete, their embodied experiences and the constructed world of sports. The implications extend to sports training methodologies, emphasizing the importance of holistic approaches that consider the athlete as an embodied and perceiving subject. And the same time, this research enhances our comprehension of the philosophical foundations underlying the athlete’s engagement with the sporting world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE) is a frequent complication of chronic liver disease. Type C HE mainly appears in episodes; only seldom chronic persistent forms occur. HE can lead to hospitalization and it has a huge impact on the health related quality of life. Symptoms of HE comprise alterations of the mental status and HE was associated with structural brain alterations. After the resolution of HE episodes alterations of the mental status seem to be reversible. However, cognitive impairment was described to persist in some patients in between HE episodes questioning the full reversibility of functional and structural alterations of HE. The causative treatment of chronic liver disease and subsequent HE episodes is liver transplantation. After liver transplantation functional and structural alterations caused by HE seem to be reversible, however, neurological complications in the first weeks after liver transplantation are frequent, especially in patients with a history of HE before transplantation. Furthermore, in patients in the long term after liver transplantation cognitive dysfunction was described. The underlying causes discussed are residual HE, side effects of immunosuppressive therapy and cerebrovascular disease besides others. It is an important question for patients and caregivers whether HE is a fully reversible episodic phenomenon or if it leads to persistent structural and functional brain alterations even after liver transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sixteen thio/semicarbazide-based benzyloxy derivatives (BT1-BT16) were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activities against monoamine oxidases (MAOs). Most compounds showed better inhibitory activity against MAO-B than against MAO-A. BT1, BT3, and BT5 showed the greatest inhibitory activity with an identical IC50 value of 0.11 µM against MAO-B, followed by BT6 and BT7 (IC50 = 0.12 µM) and BT2 (IC50 = 1.68 µM). The selectivity index of BT5 was the highest (363.64) for MAO-B, whereas that of BT1 was 88.73. BT1 and BT5 were reversible MAO-B inhibitors, based on the results of dialysis experiments. In inhibition kinetics, BT1 and BT5 were competitive MAO-B inhibitors with Ki values of 0.074 ± 0.0020 and 0.072 ± 0.0079 µM, respectively. Additionally, in the in-vitro parallel artificial membrane penetration assay, BT1 and BT5 crossed the blood–brain barrier. Cytotoxicity and possible neuroprotective effects of the lead compounds were assessed using IMR 32 cells. Levels of the antioxidant superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in IMR 32 cells were increased by pretreatment with lead compounds. Five lead molecules (BT1, BT3, BT5, BT6, and BT7) were used for the docking studies. A significant pi–pi interaction with Tyr 326 was observed and molecular dynamics studies were performed for the most promising BT1-MAO-B complex. These results suggested that BT1 and BT5 could be used therapeutically for the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fix a group G and let X be an algebraic variety over an algebraically closed field k of characteristic zero. We investigate the invertibility of algebraic cellular automata, namely, G-equivariant uniformly continuous self-maps whose local defining maps are induced by morphisms of algebraic varieties XM → X where M ⊂ G is a finite memory set. When G is locally embeddable into finite groups (LEF), we show that the inverses of reversible algebraic cellular automata are automatically algebraic cellular automata and thus computable in polynomial time. Generalizations are also obtained for finite product Hopfian pointed object alphabets in concrete categories. Moreover, we prove that for algebraic cellular automata, the notions of reversibility and injectivity are equivalent whenever G is surjunctive and the field k is, additionally, uncountable of arbitrary characteristic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the active unstable nature of carbon anions, it is challenging to develop carbanion‐functionalized ionic liquids (ILs) for efficient and reversible carbon dioxide (CO2) capture. Here, a series of carbanion‐based ILs with large conjugated structures were designed and a promising system was achieved through tuning the nucleophilicity of carbanions and screening the cation. The ideal carbanion‐functionalized IL trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium N,N‐diethycyanoacetoamide ([P66614][DECA]) showed equimolar chemisorption of CO2 (up to 0.98 mol CO2/mol IL) under ambient pressure and excellent absorption rate. What′s more, the combined CO2 can be released easily, leading to excellent reversibility due to high stability of anion conjugated structures. More importantly, the presence of water had negligible effect on the absorption capacity, which makes it potential to be applied to the CO2 capture in industrial flue gas. The chemisorption mechanism of the carbanion and CO2 was confirmed by spectroscopic investigations and DFT calculations, where carboxylic acid product was formed through proton transfer after the carbanions reacted with CO2. Considering that high capacity, quick rate as well as excellent reversibility, these carbanion‐functionalized ILs should certainly represent competitive candidates for further scale up and practical application in CO2 capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of frailty prevalence and incidence trends over time is essential for planning the necessary health and social resources. The objective of this study was to assess frailty prevalence, incidence, reversibility and mortality rates, and trends for the population aged ≥65 years in Catalonia over the period 2017–2021. Longitudinal epidemiological study. An observational longitudinal 5-year study (1 January 2017 to 31 December 2021) of the population aged ≥65 years in Catalonia (approximately 1.5 million individuals) was performed using retrospectively collected data from different health databases. Frailty status was evaluated using the electronic Screening Index of Frailty (e-SIF) and categorised as robust, pre-frail, moderately frail or severely frail. Standardised frailty prevalence rates were 10.5 % (2017), 11.8 % (2018), 13.1 % (2019), 12.9 % (2020) and 14.3 % (2021) [p-value for trend = 0.010]. Standardised frailty incidence rates per 1000 non-frail persons/year were 35 (2018), 36 (2019), 28 (2020) and 33 (2021) [p-value for trend = 0.492]. Both prevalence and incidence were higher in women and increased with age. Standardised frailty reversibility rates per 1000 frail persons/year were 123 (2018), 108 (2019) and 121 (2020) [p-value for trend = 0.406], and decreased with age. Standardised mortality rates for frail individuals per 1000 frail persons/year were 93 (2018), 84 (2019) and 110 (2020) [p-value for trend = 0.555], and increased with frailty severity. Frailty prevalence in Catalonia increased by 36 % between 2017 and 2021; however, no clear trend was evident for frailty incidence and reversibility, while results for mortality were likely to have been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coupled Wright–Fisher diffusions have been recently introduced to model the temporal evolution of finitely-many allele frequencies at several loci. These are vectors of multidimensional diffusions whose dynamics are weakly coupled among loci through interaction coefficients, which make the reproductive rates for each allele depend on its frequencies at several loci. Here we consider the problem of filtering a coupled Wright–Fisher diffusion with parent-independent mutation, when this is seen as an unobserved signal in a hidden Markov model. We assume individuals are sampled multinomially at discrete times from the underlying population, whose type configuration at the loci is described by the diffusion states, and adapt recently introduced duality methods to derive the filtering and smoothing distributions. These respectively provide the conditional distribution of the diffusion states given past data, and that conditional on the entire dataset, and are key to be able to perform parameter inference on models of this type. We show that for this model these distributions are countable mixtures of tilted products of Dirichlet kernels, and describe their mixing weights and how these can be updated sequentially. The evaluation of the weights involves the transition probabilities of the dual process, which are not available in closed form. We lay out pseudo codes for the implementation of the algorithms, discuss how to handle the unavailable quantities, and briefly illustrate the procedure with synthetic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eaton (1992) considered a general parametric statistical model paired with an improper prior distribution for the parameter and proved that if a certain Markov chain, constructed using the model and the prior, is recurrent, then the improper prior is strongly admissible , which (roughly speaking) means that the generalized Bayes estimators derived from the corresponding posterior distribution are admissible. Hobert and Robert (1999) proved that Eaton's Markov chain is recurrent if and only if its so-called conjugate Markov chain is recurrent. The focus of this paper is a family of Markov chains that contains all of the conjugate chains that arise in the context of a Poisson model paired with an arbitrary improper prior for the mean parameter. Sufficient conditions for recurrence and transience are developed and these are used to establish new results concerning the strong admissibility of non-conjugate improper priors for the Poisson mean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reversibility of structural change in a bimetallic catalyst during the chemical reaction is an essential factor to determine the catalytic stability. Herein, we investigate the surface modulation of three Pt−Ni bimetallic alloy nanoparticle compositions (Pt3Ni1, Pt1Ni1, and Pt1Ni3) under alternating redox cycles. We validate trends in the structural change of the three compositions of Pt−Ni nanoparticles via spectroscopic/microscopic investigations at bulk and atomic levels. Pt‐rich Pt−Ni nanoparticles exhibited higher reversibility in structural change during the repeated redox cycles. On the contrary, Ni‐rich Pt−Ni nanoparticles showed irreversible structural changes, leading to the segregation and separation of Ni species from the alloy, which could deactivate the catalysts. This work demonstrates the reversibility of structural dynamics in alloy catalysts depending on their composition, providing fundamental insights for developing ideal bimetallic catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recyclability of polyurethane materials is significant to relieve environmental problems caused by damaged polymers. Inspired by plenty of self‐healing properties based on dynamic covalent bonds. A high mechanical strength and thermally reversible polyurethane adhesive are acquired through co‐polymerization of poly‐1,4‐butylene adipate glycol (PBA), soybean oil‐based polyol (MESO), and toluene diisocyanate (TDI) whose linear polymer chains are constructed by Diels–Alder reaction between furfuryl alcohol (FA) and bismaleimide (BMI), named DAPU. Further, the obtained polyurethane adhesives show great recyclability, mechanical performance (Whose tensile strength can reach 91.7 MPa), and appropriate self‐healing ability through the thermally reversible Diels–Alder covalent bonds and hydrogen bonds between urethane groups, which may pave a way for further development of recyclable materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is known that the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis in a number of ATPases is reversible. Radioactive methods are standard in measuring ATPase reversibility. We used myosin as a well-studied model enzyme to develop a luciferase-based assay to quantify the reversibility of ATP hydrolysis. In myosin, ATP bound to the active site is hydrolyzed into adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and inorganic phosphate (Pi) and recombined back into ATP multiple times before products of hydrolysis are released. The reversibility of ATP hydrolysis by skeletal myosin was previously confirmed using radioactively labeled isotopes. Transient kinetics studies indicated that the ATP hydrolysis step is temperature-sensitive, with a dissociation equilibrium constant of 1.6 at 3 °C. Consequently, the association equilibrium constant at this temperature is 0.63. The goal of our work was two-fold, (a) to develop a luciferase-based assay to measure the equilibrium constant of enzymatic ATP hydrolysis, eliminating the need for radioactively labeled Pi, and (b) refine the value of the association equilibrium constant of the myosin ATPase hydrolysis step. Methods: In this assay, a reaction mixture containing myosin and saturating levels of ADP and Pi was incubated to reach equilibrium, then the reaction was terminated, and the amount of ATP produced by myosin was quantified using the luciferase assay. The equilibrium constant of ATP hydrolysis was defined as the ratio of ATP to ADP bound to myosin. Results: We obtained a value of 0.78 ± 0.14 for the association equilibrium constant of ATP hydrolysis at 0 °C. 50 μM ADP bound to myosin is turned into 21.9 ± 3.0 μM ATP. Our result is in excellent agreement with the literature data, supporting the viability of the new methodology. Discussion: This methodology allows a more accessible and safe option to measure ATP production and reversibility of ATPase enzymes. Standard laboratory equipment is utilized in the assay, and the number of steps in the developed assay is reduced significantly compared to the radioactive method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the adjoint action of the symplectic Lie group Sp (2 n , C) on its Lie algebra sp (2 n , C). An element X ∈ sp (2 n , C) is called Ad Sp (2 n , C) -real if − X = Ad (g) X for some g ∈ Sp (2 n , C). Moreover, if − X = Ad (h) X for some involution h ∈ Sp (2 n , C) , then X ∈ sp (2 n , C) is called strongly Ad Sp (2 n , C) -real. In this paper, we prove that for every element X ∈ sp (2 n , C) , there exists a skew-involution g ∈ Sp (2 n , C) such that − X = Ad (g) X. Furthermore, we classify the strongly Ad Sp (2 n , C) -real elements in sp (2 n , C). We also classify skew-Hamiltonian matrices that are similar to their negatives via a symplectic involution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Due to a special hemodynamic feature, pulmonary vascular disease in pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease (PAH-CHD) has two stages: reversible and irreversible. So far, the mechanism involved in the transition from reversible to irreversible stage is elusive. Moreover, no recognized and reliable assessments to distinguish these two stages are available. Furthermore, we found that compared with control and reversible PAH, thrombospondin-4 (THBS4) was significantly upregulated in irreversible group by bioinformatic analysis. Hence, we further verify and investigate the expression and role of THBS4 in PAH-CHD. Methods We established the monocrotaline plus aorto-cava shunt-induced (MCT-AV) rat model. We measured the expression of THBS4 in lung tissues from MCT-AV rats. Double immunofluorescence staining of lung tissue for THBS4 and α-SMA (biomarker of smooth muscle cells) or vWF (biomarker of endothelial cells) to identify the location of THBS4 in the pulmonary artery. Primary pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) were cultivated, identified, and used in this study. THBS4 was inhibited and overexpressed by siRNA and plasmid, respectively, to explore the effect of THBS4 on phenotype transformation, proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of PASMCs. The effect of THBS4 on pulmonary vascular remodeling was evaluated in vivo by adeno-associated virus which suppressed THBS4 expression. Circulating level of THBS4 in patients with PAH-CHD was measured by ELISA. Results THBS4 was upregulated in the lung tissues of MCT-AV rats, and was further upregulated in severe pulmonary vascular lesions. And THBS4 was expressed mainly in PASMCs. When THBS4 was inhibited, contractile markers α-SMA and MYH11 were upregulated, while the proliferative marker PCNA was decreased, the endothelial-mensenchymal transition marker N-cad was downregulated, proapototic marker BAX was increased. Additionally, proliferation and migration of PASMCs was inhibited and apoptosis was increased. Conversely, THBS4 overexpression resulted in opposite effects. And the impact of THBS4 on PASMCs was probably achieved through the regulation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. THBS4 suppression attenuated pulmonary vascular remodeling. Furthermore, compared with patients with simple congenital heart disease and mild PAH-CHD, the circulating level of THBS4 was higher in patients with severe PAH-CHD. Conclusions THBS4 is a promising biomarker to distinguish reversible from irreversible PAH-CHD before repairing the shunt. THBS4 is a potential treatment target in PAH-CHD, especially in irreversible stage.

Liver fibrosis is the pathological deposition of extracellular matrix rich in fibrillar collagen within the hepatocytes in response to chronic liver injury due to various causes. As the condition advances, it can progress to cirrhosis, the late stages of which are irreversible. Multiple pathophysiological mechanisms and cell types are responsible for the progression of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Hepatic stellate cells and myofibroblast activation represent a key event in fibrosis. Capillarization of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells further contributes to extracellular matrix deposition and an increase in portal pressure. Macrophages and neutrophils produce inflammatory cytokines and participate in activating hepatic stellate cells. Although initially believed to be irreversible, early stages of fibrosis are now found to be reversible. Furthermore, advances in noninvasive imaging and serum studies have changed and improved how cirrhosis can be evaluated and monitored. Although there are currently no specific approved therapies to reverse liver fibrosis, management of underlying diseases has been found to halt the progression, and to an extent, even reverse liver fibrosis, preventing further liver injury and cirrhosis-related complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Event structures have emerged as a foundational model for concurrent computation, explaining computational processes by outlining the events and the relationships that dictate their execution. They play a pivotal role in the study of key aspects of concurrent computation models, such as causality and independence, and have found applications across a broad range of languages and models, spanning realms like persistence, probabilities, and quantum computing. Recently, event structures have been extended to address reversibility, where computational processes can undo previous computations. In this context, reversible event structures provide abstract representations of processes capable of both forward and backward steps in a computation. Since their introduction, event structures have played a crucial role in bridging operational models, traditionally exemplified by Petri nets and process calculi, with denotational ones, i.e., algebraic domains. In this context, we revisit the standard connection between Petri nets and event structures under the lenses of reversibility. Specifically, we introduce a subset of contextual Petri nets, dubbed reversible causal nets, that precisely correspond to reversible prime event structures. The distinctive feature of reversible causal nets lies in deriving causality from inhibitor arcs, departing from the conventional dependence on the overlap between the postset and preset of transitions. In this way, we are able to operationally explain the full model of reversible prime event structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Moderate mechanical stress generated by normal joint loading and movements helps maintain the health of articular cartilage. Despite growing interest in the pathogenesis of cartilage degeneration caused by reduced mechanical stress, its reversibility by mechanical reloading is less understood. This study aimed to investigate the response of articular cartilage exposed to mechanical reloading after unloading in vivo and in vitro. Methods and results: Disuse atrophy was induced in the knee joint cartilage of adult mice through hindlimb unloading by tail suspension. For in vivo experiments, mice were subjected to reloading with or without daily exercise intervention or surgical destabilization of the knee joint. Microcomputed tomography and histomorphometric analyses were performed on the harvested knee joints. Matrix loss and thinning of articular cartilage due to unloading were fully or partially restored by reloading, and exercise intervention enhanced the restoration. Subchondral bone density decreased by unloading and increased to above-normal levels by reloading. The severity of cartilage damage caused by joint instability was not different even with prior non-weight bearing. For in vitro experiments, articular chondrocytes isolated from the healthy or unloaded joints of the mice were embedded in agarose gel. After dynamic compression loading, the expression levels of anabolic (Sox9, Col2a1, and Acan) and catabolic (Mmp13 and Adamts5) factors of cartilage were analyzed. In chondrocytes isolated from the unloaded joints, similar to those from healthy joints, dynamic compression increased the expression of anabolic factors but suppressed the expression of catabolic factors. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the morphological changes in articular cartilage exposed to mechanical unloading may be restored in response to mechanical reloading by shifting extracellular matrix metabolism in chondrocytes to anabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal Zn anode encounters uncontrolled dendrite growth, resulting in poor cycling stability and low coulombic efficiency (CE). Herein, a novel approach for oriented‐electrochemical etching of Zn (ECE‐Zn) in deep eutectic solvent (DES) is presented to adjust the interface concentration and electric fields, effectively mitigating intractable issues. The oriented etches off the crystal edges between the (002), (100), and (101) principal crystal planes of commercial Zn foil, subsequently etches the (100) and (101) crystal planes, resulting in the formation well‐organized Zn columns. Comprehensive experimental investigations and theoretical analyses reveal that Zn ions directionally nucleate and grow between Zn columns, enabling epitaxial growth at the (002) crystal plane. The ECE‐Zn‐2 anodes demonstrate remarkable stability, along with low nucleation and polarization voltages. Specifically, the symmetric ECE‐Zn‐2 cells show sustained operation for 5400 h, and long‐term 10 000 cycles at 40 mA cm−2. More significantly, the asymmetric cells exhibit an average CE as high as 99.92% over 6000 cycles at 5.0 mA cm−2. When assembled with a V2O5 cathode, a high retention of 81.5% can be maintained even under severe condition (N/P ratio of 7.35). This strategy of oriented‐electrochemical etching for commercial Zn opens up a new pathway for dendrite‐free Zn metal anode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binomials have been relatively understudied compared to other types of multiword expressions (MWEs) in second language research, such as collocations and idioms. This study investigated English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' processing of English binomials and how it is influenced by interlexical factors (L1-L2 congruency and L1-lexicalization) and intralexical factors (word and binomial frequency, binomial reversibility, and binomial predictability). Forty Chinese EFL learners participated in a phrase acceptability judgment task of 64 target binomials (16 congruent L1-lexicalized, 16 congruent L1-nonlexicalized, and 32 incongruent) and 64 non-binomial controls. Results revealed that learners experienced difficulty judging the formulaicity of binomials. They processed binomial stimuli significantly faster than non-binomial baselines, demonstrating a binomial phrase effect. They also processed L1-L2 congruent items faster and more accurately than incongruent items, showing a robust congruency effect. The congruent items which are lexicalized in the L1 showed further processing advantage than the non-lexicalized items, indicating a graded congruency effect. Moreover, binomial reversibility and binomial predictability (measured with cloze probability) also showed significant effects. These findings highlight the need to distinguish and investigate different types of congruency, explore appropriate measures for MWE predictability, and to examine binomials focusing on their unique features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Supramolecular polymer bottlebrushes (SPBs) consist in the 1D self-assembly of building blocks composed of a self-assembling core with pendant polymer arms. Kinetic hurdles often hinder their stimuli-responsiveness in solution. Changing the nature of the solvent should alleviate these hurdles by modulating the self-association strength, leading to stimuli-responsive SPBs. The SPBs were formed, in various solvents, by hydrogen bond-driven self-assembly of an azobenzene-bisurea decorated with poly(ethylene oxide) polymer arms. The photo-isomerization of the azobenzene unit was studied by UV/visible spectroscopy and proton NMR spectroscopy, whereas the consequences on supramolecular self-assembly were studied by small angle neutron and X-ray scattering. In water, the assembly was previously shown to be driven by both hydrogen-bonds and strong hydrophobic effects, the latter rendering the system kinetically frozen and the disassembly irreversible. Here we show that in organic solvents such as toluene or chloroform, reversible light-responsive dissociation is achieved. Solvophobic effects in these solvents are expected to be much weaker than in water, which probably allows reversibility of the light-response in the former solvents. The key role of the solvent on the reversibility of the process opens up new perspectives for the design of stimuli-responsive SPBs and their applications in various fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While somatic cell editing to treat disease is widely accepted, the use of human genome editing for "enhancement" remains contested. Scientists and policy‐makers routinely cite the prospect of enhancement as a salient ethical challenge for human genome editing research. If preventive genome editing projects are perceived as pursuing human enhancement, they could face heightened barriers to scientific, public, and regulatory approval. This article outlines what we call "preventive strengthening research" (or "PSR") to explore, through this example, how working to strengthen individuals' resistance to disease beyond what biomedicine considers to be the human functional range may be interpreted as pursuing human enhancement. Those involved in developing guidance for PSR will need to navigate the interface between preventive goals and enhancement implications. This article identifies and critiques three of these ideas in the interest of anticipating the wider emergence of PSR and the need for a normative approach for its pursuit. All three "candidate criteria" merit attention, but each also faces challenges that will need to be addressed as further research policy is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroprotection aims to safeguard neurons from damage caused by various factors like stress, potentially leading to the rescue, recovery, or regeneration of the nervous system and its functions [J Clin Neurosci. 2002;9(1):4–8]. Conversely, neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to adapt and change throughout life, involving structural and functional alterations in cells and synaptic transmission [Neural Plast. 2014;2014:541870]. Neuroprotection is a broad and multidisciplinary field encompassing various approaches and strategies aimed at preserving and promoting neuronal health. It is a critical area of research in neuroscience and neurology, with the potential to lead to new therapies for a wide range of neurological disorders and conditions. Neuroprotection can take various forms and may involve pharmacological agents, lifestyle modifications, or behavioral interventions. Accordingly, also the perspective and the meaning of neuroprotection differs due to different angles of interpretation. The primary interpretation is from the pharmacological point of view since the most consistent data come from this field. In addition, we will discuss also alternative, yet less considered, perspectives on neuroprotection, focusing on specific neuroprotective targets, interactions with surrounding microglia, different levels of neuroprotective effects, the reversive/adaptative dimension, and its use as anticipatory/prophylactic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper and Mercury ions have vital role to play in biological world as their excess or deficiency can cause different type of diseases in human being as well as biological species including plants and animals. Therefore, their detection at trace level becomes very important in term of biological. The current studies embody the fabrication, structural characterization and recognition behavior of a novel rhodamine B hydrazone formed when hydrazide of rhodamine B was condensed with 5-Allyl-3-methoxy salicylaldehyde (RBMA). RBMA was found to be responsive towards the very trace level of Cu2+ and Hg2+ among other tested cations so far. The sensing procedure is based on the classical opening of the spiroatom ring of rhodamine. The limit of detection (LOD) and binding constant is 5.35 ppm, 2.06 × 104 M−1 and 5.16 ppm, 1.26 × 104 M−1 for Cu2+ and Hg2+ ions respectively. The probable mechanism correlates the specific binding of RBMA with Cu2+ and Hg2+ ions. The 1:1 stoichiometry of RBMA with Cu2+ and Hg2+ ions have been supported by HRMS, FT-IR data, Job's plot, and binding constant data. Reversibility is well exhibited by RBMA by the involvement of CO32− ions via demetallation process. The real time application is well demonstrated by the use of paper strip test. The DFT study also carried out which agrees well with the experimental findings. The results displayed the novelty of this current work towards the trace level analysis of the Cu2+ and Hg2+ of the cations which are play the crucial role in industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely understood that quantum computing — quantum gates upon qubits — is the general case, encompassing computing by classical means, viz. Boolean logic upon classical bits. It also seems reasonable that Quantum Software should encompass Classical Software. However, to accept such a statement regarding software, the feeling that it seems reasonable is not enough. One needs clear-cut definitions and formal conclusions. This is exactly the purpose of this paper. Previously, we have represented Classical Software by the Laplacian Matrix. More recently, we have shown that Quantum Software is faithfully represented by Density Matrices. It turns out that a Laplacian Matrix normalized by the Laplacian Trace easily obtains a Density Matrix. This opens the horizons for Quantum Software operations — such as unitary and reversible evolution — not naturally available with the classical Laplacian. This paper provides the necessary definitions and conclusions, illustrating the more general Quantum operations with a relevant case study, playing the double role of both classical and quantum software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of Li dendrites poses potential safety hazard to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), and eliminating Li dendrites thoroughly stills face tough difficulties ahead. Thus, regulating Li-plating is a critical optimization-direction to address the issue. Herein, a "graphite-Li hybrid" anode with high reversibility is realized under the constant-capacity lithiation (CCL). Within CCL, the uniform distribution of Li-plating on the graphite surface is successfully achieved. The evolution in different states of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) is investigated in detail to study the interaction between the potentials and impedance during the process of Li-intercalation and Li-deintercalation. Under the potential below 0 V and the state of charge (SOC) of 110% relative to the theoretical capacity, the F-rich SEI with high stability is constructed to hinder the emergency of Li dendrites and maintain the intact structure of graphite anode under long cycling. The cell presents more than 100% Coulombic efficiency (CE) with the 900 cycles, demonstrating the reversible Li-plating and the utilization of defects. And the CCL half-cell provides a good cycling performance and specific capacity of 900 cycles at 0.5 C, it is attributed to the synergy effect of stable inorganic-rich SEI and regulated active Li-plating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melengestrol acetate (MGA) implants are a progestin‐based reversible contraceptive used to manage fertility in animals. MGA implants are recommended for replacement every 2 years; however, reproduction may be suppressed longer if implants are not removed. In this study, we investigated whether the probability of reproducing (pR) differed among nonimplanted females, females with MGA implants removed, and females whose implants were not removed. In addition, since implant loss in hamadryas baboons is a concern, we explored whether female age, institution, implant placement year, implant location, or implant placement type (intramuscular vs. subcutaneous) differed for females whose implants were lost compared to those that were not. The pR differed significantly across all three treatment conditions with the nonimplanted group having the highest pR. The pR plateaued at 63% after 40 months for the implant‐removed group compared to 96% after 84 months in the nonimplanted group. There was no reproduction after contraception if implants were not removed (7.83–45.53 months). In the nonimplanted group, pR was significantly higher for older and parous females. In terms of implant loss, we found that implant placement type was significantly associated with implant loss, such that there were fewer losses when implants were placed intramuscularly (IM) as compared to subcutaneously. Our results suggest that placing MGA implants IM is likely to reduce loss. When loss is prevented, MGA implants are an effective form of contraception and are reliably reversibly in most individuals when removed. However, if not removed, they can prevent reproduction longer than 2 years. Research Highlights: Following mate access, the probability of reproducing was relatively high for nonimplanted and implant‐removed female baboons.Melengestrol acetate implants should be placed intramuscularly to prevent loss and must be removed if reproduction later is desired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to a special hemodynamic feature, pulmonary vascular disease in pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease (PAH-CHD) has two stages: reversible and irreversible. So far, the mechanism involved in the transition from reversible to irreversible stage is elusive. Moreover, no recognized and reliable assessments to distinguish these two stages are available. Furthermore, we found that compared with control and reversible PAH, thrombospondin-4 (THBS4) was significantly upregulated in irreversible group by bioinformatic analysis. Hence, we further verify and investigate the expression and role of THBS4 in PAH-CHD. Methods: We established the monocrotaline plus aorto-cava shunt-induced (MCT-AV) rat model. We measured the expression of THBS4 in lung tissues from MCT-AV rats. Double immunofluorescence staining of lung tissue for THBS4 and α-SMA (biomarker of smooth muscle cells) or vWF (biomarker of endothelial cells) to identify the location of THBS4 in the pulmonary artery. Primary pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) were cultivated, identified, and used in this study. THBS4 was inhibited and overexpressed by siRNA and plasmid, respectively, to explore the effect of THBS4 on phenotype transformation, proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of PASMCs. The effect of THBS4 on pulmonary vascular remodeling was evaluated in vivo by adeno-associated virus which suppressed THBS4 expression. Circulating level of THBS4 in patients with PAH-CHD was measured by ELISA. Results: THBS4 was upregulated in the lung tissues of MCT-AV rats, and was further upregulated in severe pulmonary vascular lesions. And THBS4 was expressed mainly in PASMCs. When THBS4 was inhibited, contractile markers α-SMA and MYH11 were upregulated, while the proliferative marker PCNA was decreased, the endothelial-mensenchymal transition marker N-cad was downregulated, proapototic marker BAX was increased. Additionally, proliferation and migration of PASMCs was inhibited and apoptosis was increased. Conversely, THBS4 overexpression resulted in opposite effects. And the impact of THBS4 on PASMCs was probably achieved through the regulation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. THBS4 suppression attenuated pulmonary vascular remodeling. Furthermore, compared with patients with simple congenital heart disease and mild PAH-CHD, the circulating level of THBS4 was higher in patients with severe PAH-CHD. Conclusions: THBS4 is a promising biomarker to distinguish reversible from irreversible PAH-CHD before repairing the shunt. THBS4 is a potential treatment target in PAH-CHD, especially in irreversible stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The promise of using 2D materials for hydrogen storage has broad prospects, ascribe to their significant specific surface area and lightweight properties. In this work, the hydrogen storage capability and reversible storage mechanism of 2D penta-SiCN material are investigated based on the first-principles computational method. Thermal stability of penta-SiCN is calculated by the ab-initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulation and root-mean-square displacement (RMSD) algorithm. It has been found that penta-SiCN is thermodynamically stable even after adsorbing hydrogen molecules. Taking into account the benchmarks of average and continuous adsorption energies of the adsorption systems, a pristine 2 × 2 × 1 penta-SiCN substrate has the ability to adsorb up to 26H 2 molecules, which results in a maximum hydrogen storage capacity of 10.80 wt%. According to the semi-empirical calculation method that based on the thermodynamic analysis, the penta-SiCN adsorption system has a high reversible hydrogen storage capacity of 9.57 wt% within the adsorption and desorption application working conditions. The results proposed in this study demonstrates that penta-SiCN exhibits considerable promise for hydrogen storage with its substantial hydrogen storage capacity, exceptional reversibility, and eco-friendly characteristics. [Display omitted] • Pristine penta-SiCN is a promising material for hydrogen storage. • Theoretical predictions by combining DFT and a semi-empirical calculation method. • The gravimetric densities of penta-SiCN can reach 10.80 wt%. • The penta-SiCN has a high reversible hydrogen storage capacity of 9.57 wt% within the adsorption and desorption working environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium hydride (MgH2) is considered as an ideal hydrogen storage material with excellent hydrogen capacity, but the slow kinetics impedes its application. Herein, an efficient additive of V2C MXene-anchored PrF3 nanoparticles (PrF3/V2C) was synthesized, which presents excellent catalytic effect in improving the reversibility and stability of hydrogen storage in MgH2. The initial dehydrogenation temperature of the 5 wt.% PrF3/V2C-containing MgH2 (182 °C) is 105 °C lower than that of pure MgH2, and 6.5 wt.% hydrogen is rapidly released from 5 wt.% PrF3/V2C-added MgH2 sample in 6 min at 240 °C. In addition, 5 wt.% PrF3/V2C-containing MgH2 sample possesses outstanding reversible hydrogen storage capability of 6.5 wt.% after 10 cycles of dehydrogenation and hydrogenation. Microstructure analysis shows that the introduction of Pr improves the stability of V-species (V0 and V2+) and O-species (lattice oxygen (OL) and vacancy oxygen (OV)) formed during ball milling, promotes the interaction between V-species and O-species, and enhances their reversibility, which contributes to the significant improvement in re/dehydrogenation reversibility and cycling stability of MgH2. This study provides effective ideas and strategies for the purpose of designing and fabricating high-efficient catalysts for solid-state hydrogen storage materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theme of reversibility in architecture focuses on the addition of the new to the existing and how this ‘input’ can be made reversible to preserve the pre-existing ideas budding in the Italian culture of Restoration and promoting new ideas in architectural design and the sustainable reuse of building materials, according to the different seasons of Kunstwollen. The experiences, which the contribution critically exposes, are oriented towards the possibility of ensuring the effective reversibility of interventions while addressing the theme of the design of reversible architectural elements and revisiting traditional techniques and materials, reinterpreted in a new key, also about the themes of demographic increase and the growing need for ‘flexibility’ typical of the contemporary era. Article info Received: 21/09/2024; Revised: 11/11/2024; Accepted: 12/11/2024

Background The criteria for significant bronchodilator responsiveness (BDR) were published in 2005 by the European Respiratory Society/American Thoracic Society, which were revised in 2021, however, data on the agreement between these two recommendations in untreated patients with airflow limitation are missing.Aims We aimed to study BDR to salbutamol (SABA) or ipratropium bromide (SAMA) in patients with suspected bronchial asthma or COPD at initial clinical presentation using the 2005 and 2021 criteria and explore clinical factors associated with BDR+.Methods Symptomatic, treatment-naïve patients with expiratory airflow limitation (n = 105, 57 men, age (mean ± standard deviation): 65 ± 10 years) underwent BDR testing with 400 mcg salbutamol (day 1) or 80 mcg ipratropium bromide (day 2) and BDR was measured after 15 and 30 minutes. Clinical factors with risk for BDR+ were assessed with binomial logistic regression analysis.Results We found a good agreement between the number of 2005-BDR+ and 2021-BDR+ patients at 15 and 30 minutes post-salbutamol and post-ipratropium (88.6–94.8%). More patients showed BDR+ after 30 minutes than following 15 minutes using either criterion. When results at 30 minutes are considered, the number of patients with 2005-BDR+ (82%) was higher than that of 2021-BDR+ (75%), with the proportion of SAMA+ patients being higher than that of SABA+ (2005: 70% vs. 49%, Fisher exact p

Abstract Ten isatin-based hydrazone derivatives were synthesized using two subseries, IA (isatin + acetophenone) and IB (isatin + benzaldehyde), and evaluated for their monoamine oxidases (MAOs) inhibitory activity. All the compounds showed stronger MAO-A inhibition than MAO-B, and the IB series showed more effective MAO-A inhibitory activity than IA series. Compound IB4 most potently inhibited MAO-A (half maximal inhibitory concentration IC50 = 0.015 µM), followed by IB3 (IC50 = 0.019 µM). On the contrary, compound IB3 showed the highest MAO-B inhibition (IC50 = 0.068 µM), followed by IB4 (IC50 = 1.87 µM). Compound IB3 and IB4 had low selectivity indices of 3.68 and 8.50, respectively. Structurally, the methyl group of IA series decreased the inhibition of both MAO-A and MAO-B. Among them, IB3 and IB4 (4-Cl and 4-Br in B-ring, respectively) showed higher MAO-A and MAO-B inhibition than the other substitutions. Inhibition constant Ki values of IB3 and IB4 for MAO-A were 0.0088 and 0.0063 µM, respectively, and those for MAO-B were 0.048 and 0.060 µM, respectively. IB3 and IB4 were competitive, reversible inhibitors of MAO-A and MAO-B. Molecular docking analysis predicted that IB3 and IB4 formed stable hydrogen bonds between Asn181 and the NH atom of isatin in the ligand-protein complex. Dynamic analysis revealed that IB3 and IB4 are stable with both MAO isoforms. These observations suggest IB3 and IB4 are potent and reversible MAO-A and MAO-B inhibitors and both compounds can be used as therapeutic agents for neurological disorders.

Dynamic bonds can facilitate reversible formation and dissociation of connections in response to external stimuli, endowing materials with shape memory and self-healing capabilities. Temperature is an external stimulus that can be easily controlled through heat. Dynamic covalent bonds in response to temperature can reversibly connect, exchange, and convert chains in the polymer. In this review, we introduce dynamic covalent bonds that operate without catalysts in various temperature ranges. The basic bonding mechanism and the kinetics are examined to understand dynamic covalent chemistry reversibly performed by equilibrium control. Furthermore, a recent synthesis method that implements dynamic covalent coupling based on various polymers is introduced. Dynamic covalent bonds that operate depending on temperature can be applied and expand the use of polymers, providing predictions for the development of future smart materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the extended effects and interrelations of corneal biomechanics, corneal optical density (COD), corneal thickness (CT), and intraocular pressure (IOP) following cataract surgery. Sixteen eyes were analyzed prospectively. The Corneal Visualization Scheimpflug Technology (Corvis ST) device assessed corneal biomechanics, while the Pentacam AxL® (Pentacam) measured COD and CT. Postoperative data were collected around six months after surgery, with a subgroup analysis of data at nine months. The Pearson correlation was used to examine the relationship between surgical-induced changes in corneal biomechanics and COD. At six months, significant postoperative differences were observed in various biomechanical indices, including uncorrected IOP (IOPuct) and biomechanics-corrected IOP (bIOP). However, many indices lost statistical significance by the nine-month mark, suggesting the reversibility of postoperative corneal changes. Postoperative COD increased at the anterior layer of the 2−6 mm annulus and incision site. The changes in COD correlated with certain biomechanical indices, including maximal (Max) deformative amplitude (DA) and stiffness parameter (SP). In conclusion, despite significant immediate postoperative changes, corneal biomechanics, COD, and IOP experienced a gradual recovery process following cataract surgery. Clinicians should maintain vigilance for any unusual changes during the short-term observation period to detect abnormalities early. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten isatin-based hydrazone derivatives were synthesized using two subseries, IA (isatin + acetophenone) and IB (isatin + benzaldehyde), and evaluated for their monoamine oxidases (MAOs) inhibitory activity. All the compounds showed stronger MAO-A inhibition than MAO-B, and the IB series showed more effective MAO-A inhibitory activity than IA series. Compound IB4 most potently inhibited MAO-A (half maximal inhibitory concentration IC50 = 0.015 µM), followed by IB3 (IC50 = 0.019 µM). On the contrary, compound IB3 showed the highest MAO-B inhibition (IC50 = 0.068 µM), followed by IB4 (IC50 = 1.87 µM). Compound IB3 and IB4 had low selectivity indices of 3.68 and 8.50, respectively. Structurally, the methyl group of IA series decreased the inhibition of both MAO-A and MAO-B. Among them, IB3 and IB4 (4-Cl and 4-Br in B-ring, respectively) showed higher MAO-A and MAO-B inhibition than the other substitutions. Inhibition constant Ki values of IB3 and IB4 for MAO-A were 0.0088 and 0.0063 µM, respectively, and those for MAO-B were 0.048 and 0.060 µM, respectively. IB3 and IB4 were competitive, reversible inhibitors of MAO-A and MAO-B. Molecular docking analysis predicted that IB3 and IB4 formed stable hydrogen bonds between Asn181 and the NH atom of isatin in the ligand-protein complex. Dynamic analysis revealed that IB3 and IB4 are stable with both MAO isoforms. These observations suggest IB3 and IB4 are potent and reversible MAO-A and MAO-B inhibitors and both compounds can be used as therapeutic agents for neurological disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Aldol reaction is a key and challenging topic in the foundational organic chemistry course. In our teaching practice, we have found that explaining the principles of the Aldol reaction based on its reversibility and providing mechanism problems can effectively deepen students’ understanding and awareness of the Aldol reaction, thus enhancing the teaching effectiveness. In this article, we share three typical examples of rearrangement reactions based on reversible Aldol reactions, which can serve as references for teachers and students in their teaching and learning endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference (Ericksen in Q. J. Mech. Appl. Math. 45:545–554, 1992), a short and dense paper by J.L. Ericksen, is taken as a primary source of terms frequently used in continuum thermodynamics, in an attempt to make their significance as precise as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]