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Background: Hyperechogenicity of the substantia nigra (SN) measured by transcranial sonography (TCS) is a characteristic feature observed in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). To our knowledge, no SN hyperechogenicity data are available for Polish population. Moreover most of studies come from few centres, which used the one type of ultrasound device. The main aim of the study was to investigate the association between PD and SN hyperechogenicity measured by sonographic machine, not assessed so far. Materials and methods: In this study cross-sectional study SN hyperechogenicity was evaluated in 102 PD patients and 95 control subjects. Midbrain was visualised by Aloka Prosound 7 ultrasound device. SN area measurement, the relation to the clinical features of PD, inter- and intra-observer reliability were evaluated. Results: We confirmed that SN echogenicity is significantly increased in PD patients compared to control subjects (p < 0.001). The area under curve for PD patients vs. controls was 0.93. Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated a cut-offs for SN echogenicity at 0.19 cm² with accuracy equal to 90%, specificity -- 86% and sensitivity -- 93.7%. The SN hyperechogenicity was not related to PD clinical findings. Reliability was good if an experienced sonographer performed the SN measurements. Conclusions: This study shows that the SN abnormality observed by TCS is a specific feature, which can be helpful in the process of PD diagnosing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

$$\mathrm{Bi}_{5}\mathrm{Ti}_{3}\mathrm{FeO}_{15}$$ magnetoelectric (ME) ceramics have been synthesized and investigated. The ME effect can be described as an induced electric polarization under an external magnetic field or an induced magnetization under an external electric field. The materials in the ME effect are called ME materials, and they are considered to be a kind of new promising materials for sensors, processors, actuators, and memory systems. Multiferroics, the materials in which both ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity can coexist, are the prospective candidates which can potentially host the gigantic ME effect. $$\mathrm{Bi}_{5}\mathrm{Ti}_{3}\mathrm{FeO}_{15}$$ , an Aurivillius compound, was synthesized by sintering a mixture of $$\mathrm{Bi}_{2}\mathrm{O}_{3}, \mathrm{Fe}_{2}\mathrm{O}_{3}$$ , and $$\mathrm{TiO}_{2}$$ oxides. The precursor materials were prepared in a high-energy attritorial mill for (1, 5, and 10) h. The orthorhombic $$\mathrm{Bi}_{5}\mathrm{Ti}_{3}\mathrm{FeO}_{15}$$ ceramics were obtained by a solid-state reaction process at 1313 K. The ME voltage coefficient ( $$\alpha _\mathrm{ME}$$ ) was measured using the dynamic lock-in method. The highest ME voltage coefficient ( $$\alpha _\mathrm{ME} = 8.28\,\text{ mV }{\cdot }\text{ cm }^{-1}{\cdot }\text{ Oe }^{-1})$$ is obtained for the sample milled for 1 h at $$H_\mathrm{DC }= 4$$ Oe (1 Oe = 79.58 $$\text{ A }{\cdot }\text{ m }^{-1})$$ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) is a characteristic surface component in bacteria belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family. It is generally integrated in the outer membrane via a linkage to phosphatidylglycerol (ECA) and at the same time in some special cases via a linkage to lipopolysaccharide (ECA); the latter form is immunogenic. Yersinia enterocolitica O:3 expresses both ECA and ECA. To study whether ECA-immunogenicity of Y. enterocolitica O:3 is temperature-regulated, rabbits were immunized with ECA-expressing Y. enterocolitica O:3 bacteria grown at 22 and 37°C. To induce minimal amount of anti-LPS antibodies, immunization was performed with YeO3-c-trs8-R, an LPS mutant missing both O-polysaccharide and the outer core hexasaccharide. However, abundant antibodies specific for LPS core were still present in the obtained antisera such that the reactivity of ECA-specific antibodies could not be detected. To obtain 'monovalent' anti-ECA antisera, the sera were absorbed with ECA-negative bacteria. Absorption with live bacteria removed efficiently the anti-LPS antibodies, whereas this was not the case with boiled bacteria. Western blotting revealed that the specificity of the monovalent anti-ECA antiserum was different from that of a monoclonal anti-ECA antibody (mAb 898) as it did not react with ECAPG, and this suggested that in Y. enterocolitica O:3 ECA only one or two ECA repeat unit(s) is/are linked to LPS. Both ECA and ECA expression were found to be regulated by temperature and repressed at 37°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of materials and the studies of crystal structure and Fe Mössbauer effect were performed for TbDy(FeCo) intermetallics. Terfenol-D (TbDyFe) is the starting compound of this Fe/Co-substituted series. X-ray measurements showed evidence of a pure cubic Laves phase C15, MgCu-type, and unit cell parameters were determined across the series. A Co substitution introduced local area, at sub-nanoscale, with random Fe/Co neighbourhoods of the Fe atoms. Mössbauer effect spectra for the TbDy(FeCo) series at room temperature are composed of a number of locally originated subspectra due to the random distribution of Fe and Co atoms in the transition metal sublattice, and due to [1 1 1] an easy axis of magnetization. Isomer shift, magnetic hyperfine field and quadrupole interaction parameter were obtained from the spectra, both for the local area and for the bulk sample. As a result of Fe/Co substitution, a Slater-Pauling-type curve for the average magnetic hyperfine field vs. Co content was observed. It was found that the magnetic hyperfine fields corresponding to the local area also create a dependence of the Slater-Pauling-type vs. Co contribution in the Fe/Co neighbourhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic people experience higher levels of negative emotions, as well as face many negative and intense emotions felt by others. Thus, it is important to look for risk and protective factors that allow and help individuals to regulate these negative emotions and adapt to the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives: The main aims of the study were to (i) test how empathic dimensions (perspective taking, empathic concern and personal distress) and emotion regulation abilities were related to intensity of depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown in Poland, as well as to (ii) check if emotion regulation difficulties and personal distress predicted slower decrease in depressive symptoms over the two months in which the number of COVID-19 cases declined in Poland. Methods: A total of 792 participants took part in the three-wave panel study. The sample was representative of the Polish population in terms of gender, age, and place of residence. Participants completed the following online questionnaires: The Patient Health Questionnaire-9, The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale Short Form, and Brief version of the Empathic Sensitivity. Results: Significant positive correlations were found between depressive symptoms and both personal distress and emotion regulation difficulties during the lockdown. Moreover, emotion regulation difficultieswere the only significant predictor of slower decrease in depressive symptoms over time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: It seems that interventions focused on improvement of emotion regulation abilities could be particularly beneficial in reducing depressive symptoms during the pandemic and preventing potential negative long-term outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]