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Background: Blood cultures (BCs) are key diagnostic elements for sepsis patients. Accurate preanalytical procedures are substantial, and results should be available as soon as possible to guide adequate antimicrobial treatment. This study aimed to evaluate BC collection practices and diagnostic capacity across European hospitals. Methods: This cross-sectional survey investigated BC diagnostics in
Efficient and clean production of electrical and mechanical energy for use in industry, transportation and propulsion is currently a concern. The transition from fossil fuels to biofuels involves challenges related to the fuel composition and combustion, as well as methods to increase engine fuel flexibility. One potentially useful tool under development is Plasma Assisted Combustion (PAC), where
Like many cities worldwide, Amsterdam has ambitious plans around sustainability transitions. The city has oriented towards an alternative economic development model called “Doughnut Economics” and has attempted to implement ideas from the work of economist Kate Raworth on the ground through a “Doughnut Strategy” and the Amsterdam Doughnut Coalition. This paper explores the evolution of Amsterdam's
Renewable diesel fuels may reduce greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter compared to fossil diesel, but the toxicity of their combustion products remains unclear. This study assessed pulmonary effects of renewable diesel exhaust particles in female C57BL/6NTac mice after single intratracheal instillation (6, 18, or 54 µg/mouse). Particles were generated from renewable fuels (rapeseed meth
Background Advances in medical and surgical care have improved survival in patients with transposition of the great arteries (TGA), shifting focus toward quality of life (QoL). In this study we evaluate QoL in adults with TGA, including congenitally corrected TGA (ccTGA) and patients with dextro-TGA (d-TGA), by comparing patients with a systemic right ventricle (sRV) and systemic left ventricle (s
We report resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) spectra of neon atoms interacting with intense x-ray pulses generated using an x-ray free-electron laser (XFEL). We find that an unexpected peak emerges near the Ka line of Ne, which does not coincide with any physical resonances of neon ions. We perform theoretical calculations based on a quantum-state-resolved rate-equation approach with x-ray
Precise synchronization of paleoclimate records is essential for inferring the dynamics and past evolution of the climate system. For the last glacial period, the time scales of ice cores from the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have been synchronized by the use of cosmogenic radionuclides, atmospheric gas concentrations, and traces of large volcanic eruptions. Here we identify the sulfate depo
Abstract – Background: Endocrine science remains underrepresented in European Union research programs despite the fundamental role of hormone health in human well-being. Analysis of the CORDIS database reveals a persistent gap between the societal impact of endocrine disorders and their research prioritization. At national funding level, endocrine societies report limited or little attention of na
Introduction: Turnover rates among health-care personnel are rising, which could jeopardise patient safety and the quality of care. One contributing factor to the high turnover is the prevalence of mental distress. Stress of conscience among healthcare personnel has been shown to affect them negatively, and feeling that they cannot provide the care their patients need increases their stress levels
Despite frequent use of conodonts as an archive for seawater 87Sr/86Sr, available diagenetic screening tools are inconsistent predictors of primary seawater 87Sr/86Sr preservation. Here, we attempt to isolate variables affecting the preservation of seawater 87Sr/86Sr in conodonts. We present new Middle–Late Ordovician (∼470–450 Ma) conodont 87Sr/86Sr from mid-paleolatitude (30–45°S) carbonate succ
Passivity arises from spontaneous formation of a thin protective passive film (oxide/hydroxide layer) on the metal surface, and the stability of passive film is of great importance for corrosion resistance. This study investigates the formation, stability, and transpassive dissolution of passive films on two Ni-based alloys, Alloy 625 and Alloy 59, in acidified NaCl solution, by combining in situ
Background: Mammography screening programmes have been widely implemented across European countries over the past 40 years with the main aim to detect breast cancer earlier and thereby reduce breast cancer mortality. This study aimed to analyse and compare changes over time in breast cancer incidence, by stage at diagnosis, and breast cancer mortality across countries in relation to the timing of
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous anthropogenic particles that accumulate in coastal zones, sediments, and the water column. The exposure of organisms to MPs in these habitats may depend on foraging strategies and landscape characteristics. This study compared MP contamination in the feces of waterbirds from two trophic groups: benthivores (American oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus; white-backe
Context. Super-Earths and mini-Neptunes are missing from our Solar System, yet they appear to be the most abundant planetary types in our Galaxy. A detailed characterization of key planets within this population is important for understanding the formation mechanisms of rocky and gas giant planets and the diversity of planetary interior structures. Aims. In 2019, NASA’s TESS satellite found a tran
The Light Dark Matter eXperiment (LDMX) is proposed to employ a thin tungsten target and a multi-GeV electron beam to carry out a missing momentum search for the production of dark matter candidate particles. We study the sensitivity for a complementary missing-energy-based search using the LDMX Electromagnetic Calorimeter as an active target with a focus on early running. In this context, we cons
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) was long cast as a hematopoiesis villain, driving bone marrow and hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) suppression. We now see that TNF's effects are cell type-, context-, and time-dependent. Rather than being simply "bad," TNF can prune progenitors while transiently reprogramming HSCs without sacrificing long-term regenerative capacity.
The lithium extractive industry is expanding, as technological and economic shifts associated with climate change mitigation goals drive global demand for lithium-ion batteries. This article explores the case of the ‘Lithium Triangle’, a region of Latin America (spanning Bolivia, Chile and Argentina) that contains the world’s largest reserves, and where environmental conflicts associated with lith
The article aims to engage with possible readings of Levinas's scholarship to construct a common theme: a Levinasian account of resistance to power. The article will firstly demonstrate the way Levinas's scholarship challenges the idea of totality in western philosophy and demands an alternative epistemological construction. It will then develop a reading of Levinas's interpretation of a Talmudic
