bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Issues of under-representation in quantitative DNA metabarcoding weaken the inference about diet of the tundra vole Microtus oeconomus
Authors: Neby Magne , Kamenova Stefaniya , Devineau Olivier , Ims Rolf A. , Soininen Eeva M.
Published: August 2021

During the last decade, methods based on high-throughput sequencing such as DNA metabarcoding have opened up for a range of new questions in animal dietary studies. One of the major advantages of dietary metabarcoding resides in the potential to infer a quantitative relationship between sequence read proportions and biomass of ingested food. However, this relationship’s robustness is highly dependent on the system under study, calling for case-specific assessments. Herbivorous small rodents often play important roles in the ecosystem, and the use of DNA metabarcoding for analyses of rodent diets is increasing. However, there has been no direct validation of the quantitative reliability of DNA metabarcoding for small rodents. Therefore, we used an experimental approach to assess the relationship between input plant biomass and sequence reads proportions from DNA metabarcoding in the tundra vole Microtus oeconomus. We found a weakly positive relationship between the number of high-throughput DNA sequences and the expected biomass proportions of food plants. The weak relationship was possibly caused by a systematic under-amplification of one of the three plant taxa fed. Generally, our results add to the growing evidence that case-specific validation studies are required to reliably make use of sequence read abundance as a proxy of relative food proportions in the diet.
Recommended nitrogen rates and the verification of effects based on leaf SPAD readings of rice
Authors: Hou Wenfeng , Shen Juan , Xu Weitao , Khan Muhammad Rizwan , Wang Yin , Zhou Xue , Gao Qiang , Murtaza Behzad , Zhang Zhongqing
Published: August 2021

Modern rice production systems need a reliable, easy-to-use, efficient, and environmentally-friendly method to determine plant nitrogen (N) status , predict grain yield, and optimize N management. We conducted field experiments to determine the influence of different N rates on Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) readings of rice leaves. We also performed field validations to evaluate the grain yield and N use efficiency under recommended N rates. Our results showed that leaf SPAD readings increased as N rates increased. We applied the recommended N based on the relationships between the N rates and leaf SPAD readings at the tillering and booting stages. The recommended N decreased N rates and improved N use efficiency without sacrificing grain yield. When compared to farmer practices (FP), the recommended N rates of optimization (OPT) decreased by 5.8% and 10.0%, respectively. In comparison with FP, the N agronomic efficiency of OPT increased by 5.8 and 10.0% while the partial factor productivity of N increased by 6.0 and 14.2%, respectively. The SPAD meter may be a reliable tool to analyze the N in rice, estimate real-time N fertilization, and improve N use efficiency.
Development and Proximate Evaluation of Spirulina Enriched Food for Elderly Population
Authors: Jahan Farhat , Prakash Jai , Mishra Sunita
Published: August 2021

Spirulina is a multicellular cyanobacterium that has achieved a considerable popularity in the health sectors due to high protein content, antioxidant and macro and micro nutrients. The consumption of food containing spirulina can forget the complications/diseases related with protein and iron deficiencies especially elderly population. This regard, a study to require to development of spirulina enriched food for elderly population. In the present study, spirulina enriched food bar (SEFB) was developed. SEFB accept overall acceptability by panelist such as color and appearance, aroma/odour, flavor and taste, body and texture. SEFB showed good amount of protein (11.86%), and iron (30.24%) as compared to control. Afterward, the developed SEFB exhibited good amount of antioxidants content (42.86%) and moisture conent (12.86%), respectively. SEFB can be most attractive and nutritious food for elderly people due to rich source of protein and iron. This novel food can solve diseases/problems related with protein and iron deficiency.
Preparation and Evaluation of Biodegradation Performance of Potato Starch Mixed LDPE Polymer Composites
Authors: Dewanjee Sanchita , Nahar Lainur , Parven Shahnaz , Miah Muhammed Yusuf
Published: August 2021

The potential of biodegradable polymers has long been appreciated. In this work, an attempt has been made to synthesize biodegradable polymer composite from potato starch and low density polyethylene (LDPE) with different ratios of starch (0%-15% w/w) by using an extruder. The structure and morphology of film surfaces was studied using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) respectively. The physical (density, water absorption), mechanical (tensile, flexural) and thermal (TGA and DTA) analyses of starch/LDPE bio-composites were evaluated through standard methods and instruments. Biodegradation tendency was investigated utilizing soil burial and Rockwell micro-hardness test.The results revealed that the density and water absorption of polymer blends increased with increasing the starch content in starch/LDPE composites. The tensile strength and elongation at break decreased with starch content whereas the elastic modulus, flexural strength and flexural modulus rose. The biodegradability of composites enhanced by increasing the starch content and the result was backed by weight loss during burial of the samples in soil for 90 days. Microhardness test also supported the biodegradation probability as hardness found to reduce extensively after soil burial. However, further study to decide the optimum starch loading alongwith some modifications to starch and LDPE is highly suggested to have a biodegradable LDPE polymer composite in a realistic time frame.
Proximate and Mineral Composition, Phytochemical Analysis, and Antioxidant Activity of Fig Trees (Ficus spp.) Leaf Powder
Authors: Osowe C. O. , Olowu O. P. A. , Adu O. A. , Oloruntola O. D. , Chineke C. A.
Published: August 2021

Aim: This study aims to analyse and characterise the leaf powder of Ficus carica, Ficus exasperata, and Ficus thonningii.

Methodology: Ficus carica, Ficus exasperata, and Ficus thonningii leaf powder were analysed quantitatively for proximate, phytochemicals, minerals, and antioxidant activity.

Results: The ash, crude protein, and nitrogen free extract concentration were significantly (P<0.05) higher in Ficus carica leaf powder than the rest Ficus species under study. However, the crude fiber and crude fat concentrations were higher (P<0.05) in Ficus thonningii and Ficus exasperata leaf powder, respectively. The concentration of tannins, flavonoids, phenols, and saponins was higher (P<0.05) in Ficus exasperata than other Ficus species under study. However, the concentration of the alkaloids was higher (P<0.05) in Ficus carica leaf powder than Ficus exasperata and Ficus thonningii leaf powder. The Zn and P were higher (P<0.05) in Ficus carica than the rest F. species under study. The Fe contents of F. carica and F. exasperata leaf powders were higher (P<0.05) than F. thonningii leaf powder. The Ca contents of F. carica leaf powder and F. thonningii leaf powder were higher (P>0.05) than F. exasperata leaf powder. The 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate value was higher (P<0.05) in Fiscus exasperata leaf powder than F. carica and F. thonningii. However, the value of vitamin c was higher (P<0.05) in Ficus carica, compared to the rest F. species.

Conclusion: This study reveals that the leaf powder of F. carica, F. exasperata, and F. thonningii contains a significant number of minerals and phytochemicals with high antioxidant activity and could be employed as a natural feed supplement in animal nutrition.
Eating Habits of Elderly in Aceh-Indonesia and the Associated Demographic Factors
Authors: Anwar Sufyan , Duana Maiza , Marniati .
Published: August 2021

Aims: The study aims to prove the correlation between demographic factors and the eating habits of the elderly in Aceh, Indonesia.

Study Design:  A cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in Aceh Barat district, Aceh province-Indonesia between June and October 2019.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was carried out by involving the elderly (age of 60 years or above) in 483 participants. Bivariate analysis was conducted through a chi-square test using SPSS version 21 to answer the research hypothesis.

Results: Four hundred and eighty three (483) elderly people with mean age of 69.76 years were enrolled, of these, 68.9% were women and 58.2% were unemployed. Fifty-nine percent of respondents live in rural areas and 64.39% had good eating habits. Finding unveiled that age had a significant correlation with eating habits (P=0,05), gender did not correlate with eating habits (P>0,05). Occupation correlated with eating habits (P=0.05), and area of residence correlated with eating habits (P=0,05)..

Conclusion: The study concluded that younger age (60-69 years old), employed, and living in urban areas positively contribute to establishing healthy eating habits in the elderly in Aceh. Furthermore, it is necessary to conduct intervention studies in the occupation variable as a modifiable variable.
Abdominal Tuberculosis – A Resemblance to Peritoneal Carcinomatosis
Authors: Wismayer Richard
Published: August 2021

Introduction: Tuberculosis remains a global public health concern. Abdominal tuberculosis is an atypical presentation and since it is extrapulmonary it may delay the diagnosis and treatment of this condition. The case report describes a typical presentation of abdominal tuberculosis and highlights the difficulties which are encountered in the diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis.

Presentation of case: A 56 year old gentleman admitted to hospital with a 1 week history of generalised abdominal pain associated with abdominal distention and vomiting. The chest-X-ray was unremarkable and the abdominal X-ray revealed air-fluid levels. Laboratory investigations revealed a high white cell count at 14,000µl. At laparotomy, multiple small whitish deposits in the greater omentum and on the bowel with a frozen abdomen was found. Biopsy of these whitish deposits showed histology of giant Langhans multinucleated cells with acid-fast bacilli and necrosis and a granulomatous inflammatory process. Anti-tuberculosis treatment was initiated using a combination of antibiotics and he made an uneventful recovery.

Discussion: The clinical abdominal TB presentations include acute, subacute or chronic disease. The chest-X-ray of our patient showed no evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis however this is not surprising as less than half of patients with abdominal TB have pulmonary tuberculosis. Ultrasound findings in abdominal TB include thickening of the wall of the ileum, caecum and colon and associated ascites. When malignancy cannot be ruled out with certainty then laparotomy is recommended with biopsy of any peritoneal lesions, omental lesions and a lymph node biopsy.

Conclusions: Judicious use of diagnostic procedures and a high index of suspicion may help in the timely diagnosis and treatment of abdominal tuberculosis. Biopsy of peritoneal/omental lesions and of a mesneteric lymph node is advisable to distinguish abdominal tuberculosis from peritoneal carcinomatosis.
Zanjabeel (Zingiber officinale Roscoe.): An Evidence-Based Review of Anti-nociceptive, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Properties
Authors: Khan Fatima , Nayab Mohd , Ansari Abdul Nasir
Published: August 2021

Ginger has been appreciated for over 2500-3000 years in many parts of the world due to its numerous scientific properties. The ginger plant (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) belongs to the Zingiberaceae family. It is a known food and flavoring ingredient reputed for its wide range of medicinal properties that have been widely used in Chinese, Ayurvedic, and Unāni Tibb worldwide, since antiquity. Ginger has long been used to cure a variety of ailments, including diarrhea, stomach discomfort, indigestion, and nausea. It is a versatile herb with phenomenal phytotherapeutic and medicinal properties. Active ingredients available in ginger such as 6-gingerol, 6-shogaol, 6-paradol, and zingerone are responsible for upgrading enzyme actions and balancing circulation through rejuvenating the body with physical re-strengthening. Gingerols, the key phenolic plant secondary metabolites responsible for its distinct flavor and health benefits, are found in the rhizome of ginger Extensive study has been undertaken over the last two decades to uncover bioactive ingredients and the therapeutic potential of ginger. This review considers ginger's chemical composition and the most recent study findings on its possible health advantages, such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties due to its phytochemistry. Overall, clinical trials are needed to confirm these prospective various health advantages of ginger in human subjects and the most efficacious dosage, based on the current body of scientific literature.
Effects of Solvents and Extraction Methods on Naringenin, LC-MS Based Quantitative Studies and Major Metabolite of Cochlospermum gossypium
Authors: Rajendra Y. , Sunitha K.
Published: August 2021

Aim: The present study was aimed to investigate “Effects of Solvents and Extraction Methods on Naringenin, LC-MS Based Quantitative Studies and major Metabolite of Cochlospermum Gossypium”.

Study Design: LC-MS based Quantification Studies.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, GITAM Institute of Pharmacy, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh between April 2019 and July 2020.

Methodology: Rapid and Quantitative efficient extraction methods were used by using soxhlet and Ultrasound mediated extraction techniques for a range of polar solvents and Isolation of Naringenin by gradient elution technique, In the present study Naringenin was isolated in abundance (1%) by repetitive chromatographic purifications of the ethyl acetate extract of the bark part of C.gossypium. In view of high therapeutic potential, detailed HPLC based quantitative studies was carried out on C. gossypium bark, which contains significant levels of Naringenin.

Results: The chromatographic separation was performed on the stationary phase, based on different retention mechanisms due to hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions between compounds and stationary phase. In total, 24 different polar extracts were generated by soxhlet and ultrasound extraction methods from the two bark samples which were collected from Jaipur town (Telangana state) and Trichur town (Kerala state).

Conclusion: The highest Naringenin content (0.59%) was found in the methanol + chloroform (1:1) extract (E8) generated by direct Soxhlet extraction of C.gossypium bark collected from Jaipur (Telangana state).Naringenin was isolated from a non-citrus plant for first time from Cochlospermum gosspyium and more significantly it is isolated in large quantity. It was obtained in 99.9% purity as shown by LCMS.
Injectable Hydrogel with NIR Light‐Responsive, Dual‐Mode PTH Release for Osteoregeneration in Osteoporosis
Authors: Kuang Lijun , Huang Jinghuan , Liu Yutong , Li Xiaolin , Yuan Yuan , Liu Changsheng
Published: August 2021

Effective treatments to overcome osteoblast/osteoclast imbalance are the key to achieving desirable bone regeneration for osteoporosis patients. When used for local bone repair, parathyroid hormone (PTH) often leads to either excessive osteoclasts under continuous exposure or insufficient osteoclasts with pulsatile release of PTH. Herein, an injectable multifunctional in situ‐generated calcium phosphate nanoparticle (ICPN)‐coordinated poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate‐co‐2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (DHCP) hydrogel loaded with PTH for near‐infrared (NIR)‐stimulated release is developed to achieve bone regeneration in an ovariectomized (OVX) model. Photothermal‐responsive poly(N‐acryloyl glycinamide‐co‐acrylamide) PNAm‐indocyanine green ICG‐PTH microspheres (PIP MSs) endow a dual‐mode release system with a sustained release at low concentrations, a pulse release of PTH, and in situ pore formation properties. The PIP MS‐encapsulated DHCP hydrogel (DHCP‐10PIP/d) is injected into the bone defects of OVX rats. Under NIR irradiation, the localized photothermal effects trigger on‐demand PTH release and in situ micropores formation through the gel–sol transition of PIP MSs, and the repeated treatment is harmless to the bioactivity of PTH. This platform can enhance osteoblast and osteoclast activity at the same time both in vitro and in vivo and repair the cranial defects of OVX rats successfully. Overall, this work provides a promising strategy for PTH delivery to repair osteoporotic bone defects.
Advanced Atomically Dispersed Metal–Nitrogen–Carbon Catalysts Toward Cathodic Oxygen Reduction in PEM Fuel Cells
Authors: Deng Yijie , Luo Junming , Chi Bin , Tang Haibo , Li Jing , Qiao Xiaochang , Shen Yijun , Yang Yingjie , Jia Chunman , Rao Peng , Liao Shijun , Tian Xinlong
Published: August 2021

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are a highly efficient hydrogen energy conversion technology, which shows great potential in mitigating carbon emissions and the energy crisis. Currently, to accelerate the kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) required for PEMFCs, extensive utilization of expensive and rare platinum‐based catalysts are required at the cathodic side, impeding their large‐scale commercialization. In response to this issue, atomically dispersed metal–nitrogen–carbon (M–N–C) catalysts with cost‐effectiveness, encouraging activity, and unique advantages (e.g., homogeneous activity sites, high atom efficiency, and intrinsic activity) have been widely investigated. Considerable progress in this domain has been witnessed in the past decade. Herein, a comprehensive summary of recent development in atomically dispersed M–N–C catalysts for the ORR under acidic conditions and of their application in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of PEM fuel cells, are presented. The ORR mechanisms, composition, and operating principles of PEMFCs are introduced. Thereafter, atomically dispersed M–N–C catalysts towards improved acidic ORR and MEA performance is summarized in detail, and improvement strategies for MEA performance and stability are systematically analyzed. Finally, remaining challenges and significant research directions for design and development of high‐performance atomically dispersed M–N–C catalysts and MEA are discussed.
Metal/Oxide Heterojunction Boosts Fuel Cell Cathode Reaction at Low Temperatures
Authors: Jeong SeongWoo , Wang Ning , Kitano Sho , Habazaki Hiroki , Aoki Yoshitaka
Published: August 2021

Among several types of low‐temperature solid oxide fuel cells, hydrogen‐permeable metal‐supported fuel cells (HMFCs) are devices that can achieve outputs of approximately 1.0 W cm−2 at 400 °C. This work clarifies the mechanism for promoting the cathode reaction on proton‐conducting ceramics at such low temperatures. Combined numerical and electrochemical analyses demonstrate that blocking minor oxide ion conduction at metal/oxide heterojunctions promotes proton transfer at the cathode/electrolyte interfaces, thereby enhancing the turnover frequency of the cathode reaction at the triple‐phase boundary. The electrolyte membrane in HMFCs is forced to gain extra protons to compensate for the charge of oxide ions that accumulate because of the blocking, resulting in an increment of the proton concentration gradients near the cathode/electrolyte interfaces so as to eject the excess amount of proton. The interfacial proton concentration gradient increases and thus the cathode polarization resistance of HMFCs decrease with the cell bias. An HMFC with a highly oxygen‐deficient BaZr0.5Sc0.5O3−δ electrolyte accumulates a large amount of oxide ions, thereby developing large concentration gradients. Thus, it achieves a cathode reaction resistance of 0.54 Ω cm2 at 400 °C with conventional cathode materials, La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3−δ. These findings demonstrate that HMFCs can efficiently utilize overpotential.
COVID‐19 Response Unites Perioperative Teams at a Recently Merged Health Care System
Authors: Larkin Brenda G. , Mahal‐van‐Brenk Cindy
Published: August 2021

Advocate Aurora Health, located in the north‐central United States, is the result of a merger between two large health care organizations in April 2018. The health care system comprises 26 hospitals, offers more than 500 sites of care, and employs 75,000 team members. This article discusses the effects that coronavirus disease 2019 had on the perioperative services departments while directors and site leaders were still managing the complexities of the merger. Included are strategies used to address the challenges created by the pandemic, special considerations based on level‐of‐care capacity, the effect that the hold on elective surgeries had on staffing assignments, the reactivation process when elective surgery resumed, and the importance of keeping the perioperative team members informed and safe. It also illustrates how facing the challenges caused by the pandemic helped to solidify the merger of the two health care organizations.
Modelling and control in drinking water treatment plants: A case study using time‐varying feedforward control
Authors: Tan Chee Keong , Chai Chuan Wei , Hussain Mohd Azlan
Published: August 2021

We used real plant data obtained from a water treatment plant in Peninsular Malaysia to develop a model to predict fluoride concentration in treated water. We validated the model with real plant data and demonstrated that the model yields good prediction, with mean absolute percentage error close to 10% or less. The validated model was then used to design an internal model control (IMC) tuned feedback controller, combined with a time‐varying feedforward control approach by exploiting the predictable and repetitive pattern of the inlet water flow rate. Simulation studies using random and real disturbance data show that the proposed control has successfully prevented over fluoridation in treated water. The validated model, due to its simplicity, is suitable for future online implementation. It can also be readily applied to model‐based control approaches (e.g., model predictive control) in future studies.
Hydromorphological rehabilitation improves channel morphology, instream biotopes, and macroinvertebrate communities, and thus enhances the conservation of an urban river
Authors: Al‐Zankana Ahmed Faraj Ali , Smallwood Lisa S. , Matheson Tom , Harper David M.
Published: August 2021

Many river rehabilitation projects have been criticized for failing to meet their goals or for being insufficiently monitored. There is, therefore, an urgent need to develop robust approaches for assessing treatment efficacy and thus guide the increasing investment in rehabilitation.

Instream biotopes (formerly called ‘functional habitats’ or ‘mesohabitats’ by different authors) and their macroinvertebrate assemblages were used to assess the effectiveness of entire‐channel hydromorphological rehabilitation of a 1.8‐km stretch of a lowland stream through the town of Market Harborough, Leicestershire, UK.

The project successfully enhanced the physical diversity, measured in the rehabilitated reach as the coefficients of variability for channel water depth and width, wet surface area, number of instream biotopes, and biotope diversity.

The project also enhanced the biodiversity conservation value, measured as macroinvertebrate total density, total biomass, richness, diversity, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) richness, EPT diversity, EPT count%, and EPT biomass%, all of which significantly increased following rehabilitation. Chironomidae count% and biomass% significantly decreased following rehabilitation. Rehabilitation was also successful in significantly increasing macroinvertebrate shredder, scraper, and filter‐feeder group density.

Changes in the macroinvertebrate community metrics in the rehabilitated reach were related significantly to changes in the percentages of cover of instream biotopes and increases in biotope diversity in the rehabilitated reach.

Macroinvertebrate structural and functional metrics can provide quantitative data for assessing reach‐level rehabilitation outcomes, if samples are collected in a pre‐defined sampling protocol stratified at the instream biotope level.

The practical implications of this work are that the design of rehabilitation projects, if based upon the recreation of biotope heterogeneity, will succeed in improving biological value and restoring the area to near naturalness if a suitable upstream source of macroinvertebrates for natural recolonization is available. The study shows that the concept of biotopes has an important role to play in river conservation management.
Automated Flowsheet Synthesis Using Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning: Proof of Concept
Authors: Göttl Quirin , Tönges Yannic , Grimm Dominik G. , Burger Jakob
Published: August 2021

Recently we showed that reinforcement learning can be used to automatically generate process flowsheets without heuristics or prior knowledge. For this purpose, SynGameZero, a novel two‐player game has been developed. In this work we extend SynGameZero by structuring the agent's actions in several hierarchy levels, which improves the approach in terms of scalability and allows the consideration of more sophisticated flowsheet problems. We successfully demonstrate the usability of our novel framework for the fully automated synthesis of an ethyl tert‐butyl ether process.
Atroposelective sp3 C—H Coupling for Kinetic Resolution of Thioanilide Atropisomers
Authors: Jiang Hua‐Jie , Geng Rui‐Long , Wei Jia‐Hui , Gong Liu‐Zhu
Published: August 2021

Main observation and conclusion

A highly efficient kinetic resolution of racemic thioanilide atropisomers via C(sp3)−H arylation has been achieved by a hybrid palladium catalyst bearing an anionic chiral CoIII‐complex and a phosphoramidite ligand, leading to both enantioenriched atropisomeric arylation thioanilides (up to 99% ee) and N‐Me atropisomeric thioanilides (up to 99% ee), simultaneously. The remained enantioenriched substrates can be arylated again by using an achiral anionic ligand to give the enantiomer with the opposite configuration.
Frontline treatment patterns and outcomes among older adults with acute myeloid leukemia: A population‐based analysis in the modern era
Authors: Kennedy Vanessa E. , Keegan Theresa H. M. , Li Qian , Maguire Frances B. , Muffly Lori S.
Published: August 2021

Background

Traditionally, conventional induction chemotherapy has been the primary frontline treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML); however, older adults are often poor chemotherapy candidates. Recently, several nonconventional frontline AML regimens, including hypomethylating agents, the BCL‐2 inhibitor venetoclax, and targeted therapies, have emerged, and they may offer new options for older adults. This study was aimed at describing treatment patterns and outcomes of older adult AML in a modern population‐based cohort.

Methods

This study evaluated patients aged ≥60 years with a first primary diagnosis of AML (2014‐2017) in the California Cancer Registry linked to inpatient hospitalizations. Multivariable regression examined factors associated with the frontline treatment regimen and survival.

Results

In all, 3068 patients were included; 36% received frontline therapy with a conventional chemotherapy backbone, 42% received nonconventional therapy, and 22% received no treatment. The use of nonconventional therapy increased over time from 38% of patients in 2014 to 47% in 2017 (P < .001). In multivariable analyses, receipt of treatment was associated with an age younger than 80 years, fewer than 2 comorbidities, and care at a National Cancer Institute–designated cancer center (NCI‐CC). Compared with conventional chemotherapy, nonconventional therapy was associated with Black race/ethnicity, public health insurance, fewer hospital admissions, and fewer inpatient days. Receiving frontline therapy at an NCI‐CC was independently associated with superior overall survival.

Conclusions

Using a population‐based approach, this study has demonstrated that patterns of care for frontline AML treatment in older adults are changing, with increasing use of nonconventional therapies. A significant proportion of older adults remain untreated. At the population level, there remain opportunities to increase therapy access for older adults with AML.
Super‐Resolution Fluorescence Microscopy Methods for Assessing Mouse Biology
Authors: Valli Jessica , Sanderson Jeremy
Published: August 2021

Super‐resolution (diffraction unlimited) microscopy was developed 15 years ago; the developers were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in recognition of their work in 2014. Super‐resolution microscopy is increasingly being applied to diverse scientific fields, from single molecules to cell organelles, viruses, bacteria, plants, and animals, especially the mammalian model organism Mus musculus. In this review, we explain how super‐resolution microscopy, along with fluorescence microscopy from which it grew, has aided the renaissance of the light microscope. We cover experiment planning and specimen preparation and explain structured illumination microscopy, super‐resolution radial fluctuations, stimulated emission depletion microscopy, single‐molecule localization microscopy, and super‐resolution imaging by pixel reassignment. The final section of this review discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each super‐resolution technique and how to choose the best approach for your research. © 2021 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Evaluation of environmental factors affecting the genetic diversity, genetic structure, and the potential distribution of Rhododendron aureum Georgi under changing climate
Authors: Zhao Wei , Wang Xiaolong , Li Lin , Li Jiangnan , Yin Hang , Zhao Ying , Chen Xia
Published: August 2021

Understanding genetic variation and structure, adaptive genetic variation, and its relationship with environmental factors is of great significance to understand how plants adapt to climate change and design effective conservation and management strategies. The objective of this study was to (I) investigate the genetic diversity and structure by AFLP markers in 36 populations of R. aureum from northeast China, (Ⅱ) reveal the relative contribution of geographical and environmental impacts on the distribution and genetic differentiation of R. aureum, (Ⅲ) identify outlier loci under selection and evaluate the association between outlier loci and environmental factors, and (Ⅳ) exactly calculate the development trend of population of R. aureum, as it is confronted with severe climate change and to provide information for designing effective conservation and management strategies. We found high genetic variation (I = 0.584) and differentiation among populations (ΦST = 0.703) and moderate levels of genetic diversity within populations of R. aureum. A significant relationship between genetic distance and environmental distance was identified, which suggested that the differentiation of different populations was caused by environmental factors. Using BayeScan and Dfdist, 42 outlier loci are identified and most of the outlier loci are associated with climate or relief factors, suggesting that these loci are linked to genes that are involved in the adaptability of R. aureum to the environment. Species distribution models (SDMs) showed that climate warming will cause a significant reduction in suitable areas for R. aureum, especially under the RCP 85 scenario. Our results help to understand the potential response of R. aureum to climatic changes and provide new perspectives for R. aureum resource management and conservation strategies.
Bioinspiration as a method of problem‐based STEM education: A case study with a class structured around the COVID‐19 crisis
Authors: Snell‐Rood Emilie C. , Smirnoff Dimitri , Cantrell Hunter , Chapman Kaila , Kirscht Elizabeth , Stretch Elizabeth
Published: August 2021

Bioinspiration is a promising lens for biology instruction as it allows the instructor to focus on current issues, such as the COVID‐19 pandemic. From social distancing to oxygen stress, organisms have been tackling pandemic‐related problems for millions of years. What can we learn from such diverse adaptations in our own applications? This review uses a seminar course on the COVID‐19 crisis to illustrate bioinspiration as an approach to teaching biology content. At the start of the class, students mind‐mapped the entire problem; this range of subproblems was used to structure the biology content throughout the entire class. Students came to individual classes with a brainstormed list of biological systems that could serve as inspiration for a particular problem (e.g., absorptive leaves in response to the problem of toilet paper shortages). After exploration of relevant biology content, discussion returned to the focal problem. Students dug deeper into the literature in a group project on mask design and biological systems relevant to filtration and transparency. This class structure was an engaging way for students to learn principles from ecology, evolution, behavior, and physiology. Challenges with this course design revolved around the interdisciplinary and creative nature of the structure; for instance, the knowledge of the participants was often stretched by engineering details. While the present class was focused on the COVID‐19 crisis, a course structured through a bioinspired approach can be applied to other focal problems, or subject areas, giving instructors a powerful method to deliver interdisciplinary content in an integrated and inquiry‐driven way.
Guest‐Induced Transformations in Metal‐Organic Cages
Authors: Percástegui Edmundo G.
Published: August 2021

Stimuli‐responsive structural transformations are common in artificial coordination assemblies and can help expand the engineering of programmable functional materials. In particular, chemical guests have proven to act as stimuli and signals inducing structural interconversions in Metal‐Organic Cages (MOCs). In addition to cages, other related classes of coordination assemblies can express structural reorganization upon chemical binding to produce new MOC constructs, many of which do not form otherwise, and exhibit properties and functions not available before the transformation. This review highlights recent examples of such a class of guest‐induced transformations. The connection between changes and host–guest interactions is examined for both neutral and anionic guests, pointing out that in‐situ formed molecular cargoes may also exert conversions. Cases of mixtures of MOCs that redistribute upon encapsulation of complementary species are also featured. This review thus aims to provide an update and new methodological insights into guest‐responsive MOCs for enhancing their design and applications.
Synthesis of 1‐Tri(di)fluoromethyl 1,4‐Diketones Enabled by Radical Brook Rearrangement
Authors: Zhu Zhihong , Chen Xiang , Liu Shanshan , Zhang Jianjun , Shen Xiao
Published: August 2021

Herein, we disclose the first and simple one‐pot‐two‐step process to the synthesis of 1‐difluoromethyl 1,4‐diketones, through Mn‐catalyzed radical Brook rearrangement. The methodology is also amenable to the synthesis of 1‐trifluoromethyl 1,4‐diketones. The products are efficiently converted to fluoroalkyl substituted furans, thiophenes, pyrroles and pyridazines, which are important structural motifs in natural products and pharmaceuticals.
Performance assessment of a desalination system integrated with ground heat exchanger for hydrogen and fresh water production
Authors: Hürdoğan Ertaç , Kara Osman
Published: August 2021

Ground heat exchangers, which enable the utilization of shallow geothermal energy, have been widely used in recent years in order to improve the performance of systems. In the present study, theoretical performance of a humidification–dehumidification desalination system integrated with a ground heat exchanger in order to increase the productivity of the system was investigated. The system employed photovoltaic–thermal panels and polymer electrolyte membranes to meet the electrical and thermal energy requirement as well as producing hydrogen, respectively. The present study examined the impact of each parameter, namely solar radiation, soil temperature, and mass flow rate on the gained output rate, thermal efficiency of the photovoltaic‐thermal panel, the amount of fresh water, and hydrogen production. The results revealed that the solar radiation, soil temperature, and the mass flow rate ratio had a significant impact on the performance of the system, and that the capacity of hydrogen and fresh water production, and the gained output ratio of the system were in the range of 0.08–0.16 kg/h, 2–16 kg/h, and 0.1–0.5, respectively.
Accessing a high‐voltage nonaqueous hybrid flow battery with a sodium‐methylphenothiazine chemistry and a sodium‐ion solid electrolyte
Authors: Yu Xingwen , Manthiram Arumugam
Published: August 2021

The development of redox flow batteries (RFBs) with nonaqueous electrolytes offers the possibility of accessing a high cell‐operation voltage (no restrain of hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution potentials) and a low operation temperature (can be operated below the freezing point of water). Therefore, nonaqueous RFBs have recently garnered increasing attention. However, the cross‐mixing of liquid electrode/electrolyte materials has been plaguing the progress of the nonaqueous RFBs. Herein, we present a crossover‐free, high voltage nonaqueous hybrid flow battery (HFB) with a novel sodium‐methylphenothiazine (MPT) chemistry and a single‐ion solid‐electrolyte separator. The Na‐MPT redox couple delivers a high voltage of ~2.6 V when the cell was operated at a medium current density. A NASICON‐type solid electrolyte membrane (Na3Zr2Si2PO12) could circumvent the crossover of the liquids between the positive and negative electrodes, and meanwhile could maintain a single‐ion (Na+‐ion) conduction between the two electrodes to sustain the electrochemical reactions. Under such an electrochemical mechanism, the nonaqueous Na‐MPT HFB shows remarkable cycling performance.
Therapeutic Underuse and Delay in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Prevalence, Associated Factors, and Clinical Impact
Authors: Govalan Rajalakshmi , Luu Michael , Lauzon Marie , Kosari Kambiz , Ahn Joseph C. , Rich Nicole E , Nissen Nicholas , Roberts Lewis R. , Singal Amit G. , Yang Ju Dong
Published: August 2021

Prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) could be affected by lack of or delayed therapy. We aimed to characterize the prevalence, correlates, and clinical impact of therapeutic underuse and delay in patients with HCC. Patients with HCC diagnosed between 2010 and 2017 were analyzed from the United States National Cancer Database. Logistic regression analysis identified factors associated with no and delayed (>90 days after diagnosis) HCC treatment. Cox proportional hazards regression with landmark analysis assessed the association between therapeutic delay and overall survival (OS), accounting for immortal time bias. Of 116,299 patients with HCC, 24.2% received no treatment and 18.4% of treated patients had delayed treatment. Older age, Black, Hispanic, lower socioeconomic status, earlier year of diagnosis, treatment at nonacademic centers, Northeast region, increased medical comorbidity, worse liver dysfunction, and higher tumor burden were associated with no treatment. Among treated patients, younger age, Hispanic, Black, treatment at academic centers, West region, earlier tumor stage, and receipt of noncurative treatment were associated with treatment delays. In multivariable Cox regression with a landmark of 150 days, patients with and without treatment delays had similar OS (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98‐1.04) with a median survival of 33.7 vs. 32.1 months, respectively. However, therapeutic delay was associated with worse OS in patients who had tumor, nodes, and metastases (TNM) stage 1 (aHR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01‐1.11) or received curative treatment (aHR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.05‐1.18). Conclusion: One‐fourth of patients with HCC receive no therapy and one‐fifth of treated patients experience treatment delays. Both were associated with demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical characteristics of patients as well as facility type and region. The association between therapeutic delay and survival was stage and treatment dependent.
Short‐Term Safety of Repeated Acetaminophen Use in Patients With Compensated Cirrhosis
Authors: McGill Mitchell R. , James Laura P. , McCullough Sandra S. , Moran Jeffery H. , Mathews Samuel E. , Peterson Eric C. , Fleming Davis P. , Tripod Morgan E. , Vazquez Joel H. , Kennon‐McGill Stefanie , Spencer Horace J. , Dranoff Jonathan A.
Published: August 2021

Current guidelines recommend restricting acetaminophen (APAP) use in patients with cirrhosis, but evidence to support that recommendation is lacking. Prior studies focused on pharmacokinetics (PK) of APAP in cirrhosis but did not rigorously examine clinical outcomes, sensitive biomarkers of liver damage, or serum APAP‐protein adducts, which are a specific marker of toxic bioactivation. Hence, the goal of this pilot study was to test the effects of regularly scheduled APAP dosing in a well‐defined compensated cirrhosis group compared to control subjects without cirrhosis, using the abovementioned outcomes. After a 2‐week washout, 12 subjects with and 12 subjects without cirrhosis received 650 mg APAP twice per day (1.3 g/day) for 4 days, followed by 650 mg on the morning of day 5. Patients were assessed in‐person at study initiation (day 1) and on days 3 and 5. APAP‐protein adducts and both conventional (alanine aminotransferase) and sensitive (glutamate dehydrogenase [GLDH], full‐length keratin 18 [K18], and total high‐mobility group box 1 protein) biomarkers of liver injury were measured in serum on the mornings of days 1, 3, and 5, with detailed PK analysis of APAP, metabolites, and APAP‐protein adducts throughout day 5. No subject experienced adverse clinical outcomes. GLDH and K18 were significantly different at baseline but did not change in either group during APAP administration. In contrast, clearance of APAP‐protein adducts was dramatically delayed in the cirrhosis group. Minor differences for other APAP metabolites were also detected. Conclusion: Short‐term administration of low‐dose APAP (650 mg twice per day, <1 week) is likely safe in patients with compensated cirrhosis. These data provide a foundation for future studies to test higher doses, longer treatment, and subjects who are decompensated, especially in light of the remarkably delayed adduct clearance in subjects with cirrhosis.
Effects of mining activities on the distribution, controlling factors, and sources of metals in soils from the Xikuangshan South Mine, Hunan Province
Authors: Xie Qing , Ren Bozhi , Hursthouse Andrew , Shi Xiyang
Published: August 2021

In this study, we analyzed 53 topsoil samples from the Xikuangshan South Mine in Hunan Province to investigate the distribution characteristics of pH and the concentrations of selected metals to determine the controlling factors and identify their sources. Kriging interpolation, correlation analysis, principal component analysis, the index of the geoaccumulation index, and Hakanson's potential ecological risk were applied. The results show that the mean values of Pb, As, Cd, and Sb in the study area were larger than the background value of mountain soil in Hunan Province, and only the average Cr concentration was slightly lower than the background value. The spatial distributions of pH and five metals in the soil were very different, indicating that pH had no significant effect on the distribution of the metals. The wind, rivers, and land-use patterns in different regions of the study area may be the main reasons for their distribution patterns. The correlation component and principal component analysis revealed that Pb showed positive correlations with Cr and Cd, respectively, and Sb-As and Cr-Cd showed strong paired correlations. The cumulative proportion of the first two components accounted for 70.516% of the total variance, which suggests that mining activities are a major source of As and Sb, whereas Pb, Cr, and Cd were derived from natural and anthropogenic sources. The geoaccumulation index revealed that the major pollutants in the soils were mainly Cd, followed by Sb and As. The soils in the study area were moderately contaminated with Pb and lightly polluted by Cr. The ecological hazards of each metal in descending order were Cd > Sb > As > Pb > Cr. The index of the comprehensive potential ecological risk for metals indicated that the Xikuangshan South Mine is at or above a moderate ecological risk level, with an extremely strong potential for ecological risks posed by Cd and Sb. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:748–756. © 2021 SETAC

KEY POINTS

The mean values of Pb, As, Cd and Sb in the Xikuangshan South Mine are over the background value of mountain soil in Hunan Province, only the average Cr content is slightly lower than the background value. pH had no significant effect on the spatial distribution of metals, the wind, rivers and land use patterns in different regions may be the main reasons for their distinguishing distribution patterns. The cumulative proportion of the first two components suggest mining activities were the major sources for As and Sb, natural and anthropogenic sources for Pb, Cr and Cd. The index of comprehensive potential ecological risk for metals indicated that the Xikuangshan South Mine was at or above the level of moderate ecological risk, with an extremely strong potential for the ecological risks pose by Cd and Sb.
Li4Ti5O12 spinel anode: Fundamentals and advances in rechargeable batteries
Authors: Zhang Hao , Yang Yang , Xu Hong , Wang Li , Lu Xia , He Xiangming
Published: August 2021

The Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) spinel material, ranking at the second large market share after graphite, is a promising anode material for lithium‐ion batteries due to its good cycle stability, rate capability, and safety with both conventional and low‐temperature electrolytes. However, several critical challenges, such as the low capacity and gassing issue, hindered the wide applications of LTO anode. Recent progress indicated that the LTO performances are possible to be further improved by novel strategies, such as heterogeneous phase control, surface engineering, or overlithiation. To rethink and develop advanced LTO anodes, this review intensively associates the performances and modification strategies with the electronics/crystal structures. From a thermodynamic/kinetic point of view, we summarized the data obtained from recently developed characterization techniques, and the results of electrochemical performances and fundamental structures of LTO to potentially address several key challenges and issues toward advanced LTO anodes. As a result, light is shed on the future research direction of the LTO anodes.

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