bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flucytosine‐based prodrug activation by cold physical plasma
Authors: Ahmadi Mohsen , Potlitz Felix , Link Andreas , von Woedtke Thomas , Nasri Zahra , Wende Kristian
Published: May 2022

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to trigger drug release from arylboronate‐containing ROS‐responsive prodrugs. In cancer cells, elevated levels of ROS can be exploited for the selective activation of prodrugs via Baeyer–Villiger type oxidation rearrangement sequences. Here, we report a proof of concept to demonstrate that these cascades can as well be initiated by cold physical plasma (CPP). An analog of a recently reported fluorouracil prodrug based on the less toxic drug 5‐fluorocytosine (5‐FC) was synthesized with a view to laboratory safety reasons and used as a model compound to prove our hypothesis that CPP is suitable as a trigger for the prodrug activation. Although the envisioned oxidation and rearrangement with successive loss of boronic acid species could be achieved by plasma treatment, the anticipated spontaneous liberation of 5‐FC was inefficient in the model case. However, the obtained results suggest that custom‐tailored CPP‐responsive prodrugs might become an evolving research field.
Observing Electrocatalytic Processes via In Situ Electrochemical Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Latest Advances
Authors: Zheng Weiran , Lee Lawrence Yoon Suk
Published: May 2022

Electrocatalysis is the foundation of many techniques currently used to address environmental and energy problems. Therefore, understanding the electrocatalytic processes is essential to guide the rational design of electrocatalysts. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), developed in the 1980s, remains one of the few techniques that allow surface imaging at the atomic level, making it incredibly useful in electrocatalytic research. In this review, we introduced the basic concept and latest applications of the STM technique for in situ studies of electrocatalytic processes, particularly its capability in active site identification, species adsorption/desorption analysis, surface reconstruction imaging, and electrocatalyst dissolution detection, as well as its advantages and limitations.
Cobalt Doped in Zn‐MOF‐5 Nanoparticles to Regulate Tumor Microenvironment for Tumor Chemo/Chemodynamic Therapy
Authors: Gong Yishu , Leng Junke , Guo Zhaoming , Ji Peijun , Qi Xiuyu , Meng Yulan , Song Xue‐Zhi , Tan Zhenquan
Published: May 2022

Metal‐organic frameworks are often used as a chemotherapeutic drug carrier due to their diverse metal sites and good acid degradation ability. Herein Co‐doped Zn‐MOF‐5 nanoparticles with a high Co doping rate of 60% were synthesized for chemo‐chemodynamic synergistic therapy of tumor. Co ions can mediate chemodynamic therapy through Fenton‐like reaction and regulate the tumor microenvironment by consuming the reduced glutathione. The CoZn‐MOF‐5 shows high drug loading capacity with doxorubicin loading rate of 72.8%. The CoZn‐MOF‐5@PEG@DOX nanodrugs has a strong killing effect on 4T1 cancer cells, suggesting the chemo‐chemodynamic synergistic effect on tumor therapy.
Design, analysis, set‐up fabrication, control, and a novel analytical approach of a levitation prototype for a symmetric shaped object
Authors: Kundu Janardan
Published: May 2022

This paper highlights the design, electromagnetic analysis, system modelling, set‐up fabrication, and finally control of an attraction type lab developed levitation prototype. The objectives of this work are parameters' evaluation, for example, force, inductance, and current‐air‐gap characteristics using a novel analytical model, electromagnetic results, and practical experiments. The FE model has been built using standard packages. A novel permeance function‐based approach is developed for the analytical evaluation of parameters. These are verified by actual experiments too with excellent correlation between the sets of results. Agreement between analytical and practical values also show that the modelling is perfect and reliable which further leads to accurate design, fabrication, and implementation of the controller. A simple but reliable controller has been designed, analyzed, and implemented. The performances have been significantly improved. Finally, the steel object has been successfully and steadily levitated in robust condition.
Ultrathin Magnesium Metal Anode – An Essential Component for High‐Energy‐Density Magnesium Battery Materialization
Authors: Mandai Toshihiko , Somekawa Hidetoshi
Published: May 2022

The practical loading, i. e., thickness, of metal anodes predominates the practical energy density of batteries that incorporate elemental metals as anode active materials. Despite its significance for achieving high‐energy‐density rechargeable magnesium batteries (RMBs), the application of ultrathin magnesium foils remains a challenge because of the brittleness and unworkability of magnesium. This work provides a critical component of a geometric size applicable to laminate‐type cells of dimensions 42×32 mm2 or larger. Ultrathin magnesium foil without cracked edges can be fabricated by controlling the initial microstructure. Furthermore, the rolling temperature determines the resulting microstructure and thus the electrochemical properties. The optimal sample, a warm‐rolled magnesium foil, exhibited excellent electrochemical characteristics owing to its favorable microstructure, which facilitated a homogeneous distribution of reaction sites. Battery performance using such ultrathin magnesium anodes was investigated with MgMn2O4 and α‐MnO2 cathodes. Considering the weights of both the cathodes and anodes, the gravimetric energy density of primitive [α‐MnO2 || pMg] cells was estimated to be 72 Wh kgelectrode−1.
A Guide to Low‐Valent Titanocene Complexes as Tunable Single‐Electron Transfer Catalysts for Applications in Organic Chemistry
Authors: Hilche Tobias , Younas Sara L. , Gansäuer Andreas , Streuff Jan
Published: May 2022

Low‐valent titanocene catalysts are a versatile tool for organic synthesis. They promote inter‐ and intramolecular reactions ranging from homolytic bond cleavages to reductive umpolung reactions to additions and cyclizations in single electron steps. These reactions heavily depend on the redox potential of an in situ formed titanium(III) center, which can be adjusted by the choice of appropriate ligands. We herein review various chiral and achiral ligand‐modified titanocene catalysts and their reduction potentials Ep/2 obtained via cyclic voltammetry. The latter are found to correlate with the Hammett parameters σp of the cyclopentadienyl substituents and to the pKa values of the corresponding acids of the Ti−X ligands. For selected examples, we further discuss how the adjustment of the redox properties through modifications of the titanocene ligands can lead to greatly improved reaction outcomes in titanium(III) catalyzed single‐electron transfer reactions.
A novel approach to QoS‐aware resource allocation in NOMA cellular HetNets using multi‐layer optimization
Authors: Mirzaei Abbas
Published: May 2022

The dense deployment of small cells is a key feature of the next‐generation cellular networks aimed at providing the necessary capacity increase. But in such networks the problem of green networking will be of great importance, because the uncontrolled installation of too many cells may increase operational costs and emit more carbon dioxide. Nowadays, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) offer an efficient approach to improve the quality, data rate, and meet the demanding performance requirements of applications in ultra‐dense cellular networks. This article proposes a dynamic optimization model which minimizes the overall energy consumption of UAV cellular networks in addition to guarantying the essential coverage and capacity. The proposed model optimizes user association and power utility to meet users' QoS requirements with the highest level of energy efficiency (EE). For this purpose, the surplus energy pattern of UAVs is first mathematically formulated and then applied to calculate its ruin probability. In fact, the ruin probability denotes the vulnerability of a UAV when it runs out of energy. The ruin probability is used in the next step to efficiently connect every user to the UAVs. Also, power allocation is implemented for the applications to achieve the optimal value of the accessible network's data rate through the water‐filling method. This model also performs coded routing in the multi‐hop backhauls to efficiently use the existing infrastructure of the cooperative networks for coding dual‐hop transmissions. The simulation results exhibit considerable network throughput and EE increase by 42% and 30%, respectively, for the proposed ruin‐based energy‐efficient approach in comparison with the conventional signal‐to‐interference/noise ratio‐based schemes.
Assessing Cell Competition in Human Pluripotent Stem Cell (hPSC) Cultures
Authors: Price Christopher J. , Barbaric Ivana
Published: May 2022

Cell‐cell interactions are required for development and homeostasis in multicellular organisms from insects to mammals. A critical process governed by these interactions is cell competition, which functions throughout development to control tissue composition by eliminating cells that possess a lower fitness status than their neighbors. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are a key biological tool in modeling human development and offer further potential as a source of clinically relevant cell populations for regenerative medicine applications. Recently, cell competition has been demonstrated in hPSC cultures and during induced pluripotent stem cell reprogramming. In turn, these findings suggest that hPSCs can be used as a tool to study and model cell‐cell interactions during different stages of development and disease. Here, we provide a panel of protocols optimized for hPSCs to investigate the potential role that cell competition may have in determining the fate and composition of cell populations during culture. The protocols entail assessment of the competitive phenotype and the mode through which cell competition may lead to elimination of less‐fit cells from mosaic cultures with fitter counterparts. © 2022 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Electroporation of hPSCs to establish a fluorescent reference cell line

Support Protocol 1: Single‐cell dissociation of hPSCs

Support Protocol 2: Single‐cell cloning of fluorescently labeled hPSCs

Basic Protocol 2: Separate culture and co‐culture proliferation assays

Basic Protocol 3: Assessing levels of apoptosis in hPSC cultures using flow cytometry

Basic Protocol 4: Transwell assay

Support Protocol 3: Immunohistochemistry and image quantification of cleaved caspase‐3

Basic Protocol 5: Cell confrontation assay

Basic Protocol 6: Cell compression assay

Basic Protocol 7: Time‐lapse imaging to assess mechanical extrusion
Integration of mark–recapture and acoustic detections for unbiased population estimation in animal communities
Authors: Jarrett Crinan , Haydon Daniel T. , Morales Juan M. , Ferreira Diogo F. , Forzi Francis Alemanji , Welch Andreanna J. , Powell Luke L. , Matthiopoulos Jason
Published: May 2022

Abundance estimation methods that combine several types of data are becoming increasingly common because they yield more accurate and precise parameter estimates and predictions than are possible from a single data source. These beneficial effects result from increasing sample size (through data pooling) and complementarity between different data types. Here, we test whether integrating mark–recapture data with passive acoustic detections into a joint likelihood improves estimates of population size in a multi‐guild community. We compared the integrated model to a mark–recapture‐only model using simulated data first and then using a data set of mist‐net captures and acoustic recordings from an Afrotropical agroforest bird community. The integrated model with simulated data improved accuracy and precision of estimated population size and detection parameters. When applied to field data, the integrated model was able to produce, for each bird guild, ecologically plausible estimates of population size and detection parameters, with more precision compared with the mark–recapture model. Overall, our results show that adding acoustic data to mark–recapture analyses improves estimates of population size. With the increasing availability of acoustic recording devices, this data collection technique could readily be added to routine field protocols, leading to a cost‐efficient improvement of traditional mark–recapture population estimation.
Effects of fluid slippage on pressure‐driven electrokinetic energy conversion in conical nanochannels
Authors: Qian Fang , Guo Panpan , Zhang Wenyao , Wang Qiuwang , Zhao Cunlu
Published: May 2022

The effects of fluid slippage on the pressure‐driven electrokinetic energy conversion in conical nanochannels are systematically investigated in this paper. We present a multiphysical model that couples the Planck–Nernst–Poisson equations and the Navier–Stokes equation with a Navier slip condition to fulfill this purpose. We systematically look into the variation of various performance indicators of electrokinetic energy conversion, for example, streaming current, streaming potential, generation power, energy conversion efficiency, regulation parameter, and enchantment ratio, with the conicity of nanochannels and the slip length for two pressure differences of the same magnitude but opposite directions. Particularly, enhancement ratios related to streaming current, streaming potential, generation power, and energy conversion efficiency are defined to comprehensively measure the enhancement of the performance of electrokinetic energy conversion due to the slip length. The results demonstrate that a combination of large slip length and small conicity enhances the electrokinetic energy conversion performance significantly. Furthermore, the fluid slippage‐induced enhancement of the electrokinetic energy conversion in the backward pressure difference mode is stronger than that in the forward pressure difference mode. Our results provide design and operation guidelines for pressure‐driven electrokinetic energy conversion devices.
Using the Daphnia magna Transcriptome to Distinguish Water Source: Wetland and Stormwater Case Studies
Authors: Jankowski Mark D. , Fairbairn David J. , Baller Joshua A. , Westerhoff Benjamin M. , Schoenfuss Heiko L.
Published: May 2022

A major challenge in ecotoxicology is accurately and sufficiently measuring chemical exposures and biological effects given the presence of complex and dynamic contaminant mixtures in surface waters. It is impractical to quantify all chemicals in such matrices over space and time, and even if it were practical, concomitant biological effects would not be elucidated. Our study examined the performance of the Daphnia magna transcriptome to detect distinct responses across three water sources in Minnesota: laboratory (well) waters, wetland waters, and storm waters. Pyriproxyfen was included as a gene expression and male neonate production positive control to examine whether gene expression resulting from exposure to this well-studied juvenoid hormone analog can be detected in complex matrices. Laboratory-reared (<24 h) D. magna were exposed to a water source and/or pyriproxyfen for 16 days to monitor phenotypic changes or 96 h to examine gene expression responses using Illumina HiSeq 2500 (10 million reads per library, 50-bp paired end [2 × 50]). The results indicated that a unique gene expression profile was produced for each water source. At 119 ng/L pyriproxyfen (~25% effect concentration) for male neonate production, as expected, the Doublesex1 gene was up-regulated. In descending order, gene expression patterns were most discernable with respect to pyriproxyfen exposure status, season of stormwater sample collection, and wetland quality, as indicated by the index of biological integrity. However, the biological implications of the affected genes were not broadly clear given limited genome resources for invertebrates. Our study provides support for the utility of short-term whole-organism transcriptomic testing in D. magna to discern sample type, but highlights the need for further work on invertebrate genomics. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:2107–2123. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
Learning under social versus nonsocial uncertainty: A meta‐analytic approach
Authors: Martinez‐Saito Mario , Gorina Elena
Published: May 2022

Much of the uncertainty that clouds our understanding of the world springs from the covert values and intentions held by other people. Thus, it is plausible that specialized mechanisms that compute learning signals under uncertainty of exclusively social origin operate in the brain. To test this hypothesis, we scoured academic databases for neuroimaging studies involving learning under uncertainty, and performed a meta‐analysis of brain activation maps that compared learning in the face of social versus nonsocial uncertainty. Although most of the brain activations associated with learning error signals were shared between social and nonsocial conditions, we found some evidence for functional segregation of error signals of exclusively social origin during learning in limited regions of ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and insula. This suggests that most behavioral adaptations to navigate social environments are reused from frontal and subcortical areas processing generic value representation and learning, but that a specialized circuitry might have evolved in prefrontal regions to deal with social context representation and strategic action.
Baseline cluster of differentiation 22 fluorescent intensity correlates with patient outcome after Inotuzumab Ozogamicin treatment
Authors: Sartor Chiara , Arpinati Mario , Chirumbolo Gabriella , Dozza Luca , Cristiano Gianluca , Nanni Jacopo , Marconi Giovanni , Robustelli Valentina , Vigliotta Ilaria , Parisi Sarah , Terragna Carolina , Testoni Nicoletta , Paolini Stefania , Martinelli Giovanni , Curti Antonio , Cavo Michele , Papayannidis Cristina
Published: May 2022

Antigen‐directed target therapy for B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B‐ALL) is now the standard of care for relapsed/refractory (R/R) disease. A comprehensive determination of the target itself is mandatory to aid physician's choice. We determined baseline Cluster of differentiation 22 (CD22) expression percentage and fluorescent intensity on lymphoblasts of 30 patients with R/R B‐ALL treated with anti‐CD22 immunoconjugate drug Inotuzumab Ozogamicin (INO) and analyzed the impact of both parameters on patient outcome. Most patients (24/30, 80%) had a high leukemic blast CD22‐positivity defined as ≥90%. We did not observe a benefit in terms of complete remission, overall survival (OS) and duration of response (DoR) for patients with CD22 ≥ 90% versus CD22 < 90%. Concerning CD22‐FI quartile analysis we appreciated a trend for superior response rates in higher quartiles (Q2‐Q4) compared to Q1 and a significant benefit in terms of OS and DoR for patients with higher CD22‐FI. INO demonstrates to be effective also in patients with lower CD22 expression, but therapeutical benefits are more evident in patients with higher CD22‐FI. The evaluation of both CD22 percentage and CD22‐FI of the leukemic blast may help physicians in therapeutic choices for R/R B‐ALL patients when multiple treatment options are available, although no CD22 expression threshold can currently be identified below which INO should be considered not effective.
A machine learning approach to water quality forecasts and sensor network expansion: Case study in the Wabash River Basin, United States
Authors: Balson Tyler , Ward Adam S.
Published: May 2022

Midwestern cities require forecasts of surface nitrate loads to bring additional treatment processes online or activate alternative water supplies. Concurrently, networks of nitrate monitoring stations are being deployed in river basins, co‐locating water quality observations with established stream gauges. However, tools to evaluate the future value of expanded networks to improve water quality forecasts remains challenging. Here, we construct a synthetic data set of stream discharge and nitrate for the Wabash River Basin—one of the United States’ most nutrient polluted basins—using the established Agro‐IBIS and THMB models. Synthetic data enables rapid, unbiased and low‐cost assessment of potential sensor placements to support management objectives, such as near‐term forecasting. Using the synthetic data, we established baseline 1‐day forecasts for surface water nitrate at 12 cities in the basin using support vector machine regression (SVMR; RMSE 0.48–3.3 ppm). Next, we used the SVMRs to evaluate the improvement in forecast performance associated with deployment of additional nitrate sensors. We identified the optimal sensor placement to improve forecasts at each city, and the relative value of sensors at each candidate location. Finally, we assessed the co‐benefit realized by other cities when a sensor is deployed to optimize a forecast at one city, finding significant positive externalities in all cases. Ultimately, our study explores the potential for machine learning to make near‐term predictions and critically evaluate the improvement realized by expanding a monitoring network. While we use nitrate pollution in the Wabash River Basin as a case study, this approach could be readily applied to any problem where the future value of sensors and network design are being evaluated.
Generation of Self‐Assembled Structures Composed of Amphipathic, Charged Tripeptides for Intracellular Delivery of Pro‐Apoptotic Chemotherapeutics
Authors: Sivagnanam Subramaniyam , Das Kiran , Sivakadatcham Vijay , Mahata Tarun , Basak Madhuri , Pan Ieshita , Stewart Adele , Maity Biswanath , Das Priyadip
Published: May 2022

Chemotherapeutic drugs remain the most efficacious treatment options for a many human cancers. However, the inability to deliver these drugs directly to cancerous cells often results in dose limiting and sometimes life‐threatening adverse effects. Rather than developing new chemical moieties, researchers have begun focusing on the development of drug carriers, which are specifically designed to shuttle chemotherapeutics into malignant cells while sparing healthy cells. Charged nanoparticles have emerged as effective delivery platforms for several xenobiotic classes including anticancer agents, oligonucleotides and antibodies. Notably, peptide‐based self‐assembled nanostructures are of particular interest due to their biocompatibility, high drug loading capacity, and potential for customization for cell‐specific targeting. We synthesized and studied the self‐assembling properties of two charged, cell penetrating tri‐peptides: H2N−Arg−Leu−Phe−OMe (S1) with Arg as cationic amino acid and Boc−Phe−Leu−Glu−OH (S2) with Glu as negatively charged amino acid. The fibrils and spherical self‐assembled structures formed by S1 and S2, respectively, can encapsulate the chemotherapeutic drug Doxorubicin and facilitate intracellular drug delivery via endocytosis. Furthermore, S1‐ and S2‐encapsulated Doxorubicin (Dox‐S1, Dox‐S2), like the unencapsulated drug, induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, activated the ATM/p53 signaling cascades, and triggered apoptosis in cancer cells. Thus, while the surface charge of molecular building blocks used to generate supramolecular assemblies influences the morphology of generated nanostructures, both cationic and anionic peptide‐based assemblies are capable of functioning as drug delivery vehicles.
Minimizing freshwater usage for quality improvement of saline soils in semi‐arid regions
Authors: Asadi Kapourchal Safoora , Homaee Mehdi
Published: May 2022

Water supply and its proper management play a significant role in establishing an optimal water policy in semi‐arid regions. Also, soil plays a key role in earth as an environmental interface. However, soil salinity is usually a large‐scale problem, which adversely affects the environment resulting in many environmental difficulties. The practice of leaching is the inevitable method for improving saline soils. However, due to the diminishing trend of available freshwater resources, as well as the necessity of allocating good quality water for many ecological and environmental demands, leaching must be optimized towards using a minimum amount of water. This study aimed to (i) quantify the optimal water required for efficient salt leaching and (ii) derive a simple practical model for estimating leaching requirements. A large area of 33 000 ha with extreme salinity was selected and two field plot‐scale leaching experiments were conducted. Different mathematical schemes were derived. The derived logarithmic model provided better performance. Results indicated that one pore volume of water is sufficient to leach out 85% of salts from the soil profile of the studied areas. Applying this quantity of water will sustain and secure the environment from the main environmental problems resulting from soil salinization.
Development of a simple and flexible enzyme‐based platform for the colorimetric detection of multiple biomarkers in non‐conventional biofluids
Authors: Ornelas‐González Alonso , González‐González Mirna , Rito‐Palomares Marco
Published: May 2022

Background

Enzyme‐based colorimetric systems are inexpensive, simple, adaptable and sensitive methods that allow specific quantification of a substrate. In the clinical field, their use has been the basis for the development of equipment and devices that today are key for disease detection. The objective of this project was to demonstrate the flexibility of a previously developed multi‐enzyme system for colorimetric glucose quantification by adapting and optimizing it for the detection and quantification of other clinically relevant biomolecules, such as galactose, uric acid and 1,5‐anhydroglucitol in buffer conditions.

Results

The obtained calibration curves for galactose, uric acid and 1,5‐anhydroglucitol show remarkable linearity (R2 ≥ 0.997), precision (CV ≤ 2.38%) and sensitivity with detection and quantification limits of 3.96 and 12.01 μmol L−1; 0.16 and 0.48 μmol L−1; and 0.08 and 0.25 μmol L−1, respectively. In addition, it was found that the three systems are capable of quantifying different concentrations of their respective substrate, showing low variability (CV < 3.3%) and notable recovery percentages (99.21–103.39%).

Conclusions

The results obtained with the three optimized enzyme‐based colorimetric systems demonstrate the platform flexibility by modifying parameters such as pH buffer, incubation time, enzyme and concentration of the reducing agent under buffer conditions. All results together demonstrate the great potential of this multi‐enzyme platform for the quantification of various substrates in non‐conventional biofluids. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Responding to emerging oral healthcare needs with CARE: Design of the CARE curriculum model
Authors: Wolcott Michael D. , Shazib Muhammad , Cromartie Jazmin , Cain Kevin W. , De Rossi Scott S.
Published: May 2022

The release of the National Institutes of Health report, Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges, in 2022 identified a pressing concern about oral healthcare and that “the job is far from finished.” The High Point University Workman School of Dental Medicine utilized this report as inspiration to facilitate the design of the Clinician‐Advocate‐Researcher‐Entrepreneur Curriculum. The aspiration was to create a novel curriculum and experiential model to prepare learners for the future of dental medicine, including addressing these public oral healthcare needs. This article describes how we conducted this process in three steps: defining the curriculum philosophy, outcomes, and structure. We present this example for those interested in curriculum design and modifications. Our goal is to encourage educators to explore opportunities to enhance dental education as a critical component of the complex system that impacts oral healthcare broadly.
Engineering graduate students’ mental health: A scoping literature review
Authors: Bork Sarah Jane , Mondisa Joi‐Lynn
Published: May 2022

Background

Mental health issues reported among college‐aged individuals have increased. Prevalence of these issues has an established impact on students' personal, professional, and academic outcomes. Graduate students experience unique stressors that impact their mental health. In particular, engineering graduate students have lower help‐seeking tendencies, which can impact the severity and length of their mental health problems.

Purpose

We investigate the literature concerning engineering graduate students' mental health, focusing on academic outcomes, mental health measures, and mental health findings, to highlight gaps in current literature and the need for further research.

Scope/Method

Five research databases, EBSCO: CINAHL, EBSCO: PsycINFO, ProQuest: ERIC, PubMed, and Scopus, were searched in a scoping literature review. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied during the screening process. Peer‐reviewed publications (i.e., articles and conference papers) were identified and coded for study focus, keywords, participants and institution(s), journal discipline, study type, methods used, and work referenced, in addition to academic outcomes, mental health measures, and mental health findings.

Results

Nineteen of the 4,826 unique studies identified were included in the review. Ten academic outcomes and 13 mental health measures were discussed. Mental health findings were grouped into five themes: social support and sense of belonging; student–advisor relationship; cultural barriers faced by international students; gender and racial stereotypes; and generalized findings.

Conclusions

Research on engineering graduate students' mental health is limited. Given that mental health has direct ties to students' well‐being and ultimately their success, engineering education researchers should focus on studying students' experiences, sharing these findings, and communicating best practices for all stakeholders.
Development of photoluminescent artificial nacre‐like nanocomposite from polyester resin and graphene oxide
Authors: Hameed Ahmed , Snari Razan M. , Alaysuy Omaymah , Alluhaybi Ahmad A. , Alhasani Mona , Abumelha Hana M. , El‐Metwaly Nashwa M.
Published: May 2022

Long‐lasting phosphorescent nacre‐like material was simply prepared from a nanocomposite of inorganic and organic materials. Low molecular weight unsaturated polyester (PET), graphene oxide (GO), and nanoparticles of rare‐earth activated aluminate pigment were used in the preparation process of an organic/inorganic hybrid nanocomposite. Using methylethylketone peroxide (MEKP) as a hardener, we were able to develop a fluid solution that hardens within minutes at room temperature. Covalent and hydrogen bonds were introduced between the polyester resin and graphene oxide nanosheets. The interface interactions of those bonds resulted in toughness, excellent tensile strength, and high durability. The produced nacre substrates demonstrated long‐persistent and reversible luminescence. The excitation of the produced nacre substrates at 365 nm resulted in a 524 nm emission. After being exposed to UV light, the photoluminescent nacre substrates became green. The increased superhydrophobic activity of the produced nacre substrates was achieved without affecting their physico‐mechanical properties.

Highlights

Colorless photoluminescent smart nacre‐like nanocomposites were prepared.

Graphene oxide and polyester were mixed with phosphor nanoparticles at 25°C.

Photostable long‐persistent phosphorescence lighting was observed in the dark.

Photochromic change to green emission was detected under ultraviolet light.

The nacre‐like composites exhibit improved hardness and hydrophobicity.
Opioid and benzodiazepine prescribing after COVID‐19 hospitalization
Authors: Delaney Lia D. , Bicket Mark C. , Hu Hsou Mei , O'Malley Megan , McLaughlin Elizabeth , Flanders Scott A. , Vaughn Valerie M. , Waljee Jennifer F.
Published: May 2022

Opioid and benzodiazepine prescribing after COVID‐19 hospitalization is not well understood. We aimed to characterize opioid and benzodiazepine prescribing among naïve patients hospitalized for COVID and to identify the risk factors associated with a new prescription at discharge. In this retrospective study of patients across 39 Michigan hospitals from March to November 2020, we identified 857 opioid‐ and benzodiazepine‐naïve patients admitted with COVID‐19 not requiring mechanical ventilation. Of these, 22% received opioids, 13% received benzodiazepines, and 6% received both during the hospitalization. At discharge, 8% received an opioid prescription, and 3% received a benzodiazepine prescription. After multivariable adjustment, receipt of an opioid or benzodiazepine prescription at discharge was associated with the length of inpatient opioid or benzodiazepine exposure. These findings suggest that hospitalization represents a risk of opioid or benzodiazepine initiation among naïve patients, and judicious prescribing should be considered to prevent opioid‐related harms.
A homozygous splice variant in ATP5PO, disrupts mitochondrial complex V function and causes Leigh syndrome in two unrelated families
Authors: Ganapathi Mythily , Friocourt Gaelle , Gueguen Naig , Friederich Marisa W. , Le Gac Gerald , Okur Volkan , Loaëc Nadège , Ludwig Thomas , Ka Chandran , Tanji Kurenai , Marcorelles Pascale , Theodorou Evangelos , Lignelli‐Dipple Angela , Voisset Cécile , Walker Melissa A. , Briere Lauren C. , Bourhis Amélie , Blondel Marc , LeDuc Charles , Hagen Jacob , Cooper Cathleen , Muraresku Colleen , Ferec Claude , Garenne Armelle , Lelez‐Soquet Servane , Rogers Cassandra A. , Shen Yufeng , Strode Dana K. , Bizargity Peyman , Iglesias Alejandro , Goldstein Amy , High Frances A. , Network Undiagnosed Diseases , Sweetser David A. , Ganetzky Rebecca , Van Hove Johan L. K. , Procaccio Vincent , Le Marechal Cedric , Chung Wendy K.
Published: May 2022

Mitochondrial complex V plays an important role in oxidative phosphorylation by catalyzing the generation of ATP. Most complex V subunits are nuclear encoded and not yet associated with recognized Mendelian disorders. Using exome sequencing, we identified a rare homozygous splice variant (c.87+3A>G) in ATP5PO, the complex V subunit which encodes the oligomycin sensitivity conferring protein, in three individuals from two unrelated families, with clinical suspicion of a mitochondrial disorder. These individuals had a similar, severe infantile and often lethal multi‐systemic disorder that included hypotonia, developmental delay, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, progressive epileptic encephalopathy, progressive cerebral atrophy, and white matter abnormalities on brain MRI consistent with Leigh syndrome. cDNA studies showed a predominant shortened transcript with skipping of exon 2 and low levels of the normal full‐length transcript. Fibroblasts from the affected individuals demonstrated decreased ATP5PO protein, defective assembly of complex V with markedly reduced amounts of peripheral stalk proteins, and complex V hydrolytic activity. Further, expression of human ATP5PO cDNA without exon 2 (hATP5PO‐∆ex2) in yeast cells deleted for yATP5 (ATP5PO homolog) was unable to rescue growth on media which requires oxidative phosphorylation when compared to the wild type construct (hATP5PO‐WT), indicating that exon 2 deletion leads to a non‐functional protein. Collectively, our findings support the pathogenicity of the ATP5PO c.87+3A>G variant, which significantly reduces but does not eliminate complex V activity. These data along with the recent report of an affected individual with ATP5PO variants, add to the evidence that rare biallelic variants in ATP5PO result in defective complex V assembly, function and are associated with Leigh syndrome.
Future changes in extreme precipitation in central Asia with 1.5–4°C global warming based on Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 simulations
Authors: Zhang Jintao , Wang Fang
Published: May 2022

Quantifying future precipitation changes in central Asia (CA), one of the largest semiarid‐to‐arid regions in the world, is increasingly attracting attention. Extreme precipitation changes in CA have been studied based on global climate models (GCMs) in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP). However, quantitative information regarding projected changes in extreme precipitation in CA under the 1.5–4°C global warming scenario is lacking; the potential advantages of the latest‐generation GCMs (i.e., CMIP6) in characterizing precipitation in CA have not been investigated. Thus, in this study, we evaluated the models' overall performance in reproducing the spatiotemporal pattern of four extreme precipitation indices and further performed an observationally constrained projection of changes in extreme precipitation indices for 1.5–4°C global warming based on a weighted multimodel ensemble. Regarding homologous models, CMIP6 models exhibited limited improvement relative to their earlier versions in CMIP5. We project that extreme precipitation indices in CA will increase approximately linearly as global warming increases, except for the consecutive dry days (CDD) index. The changes in precipitation intensity and accumulation exhibit robust consistency between models, whereas the signal of CDD changes is masked by the noise produced by intermodel uncertainties. The changes in the average annual accumulated and maximum 1‐day precipitation relative to the reference period (1981–2010) in CA are 12.0 and 14.2% at 3°C global warming (similar to late‐century warming projected based on current mitigation policies), respectively. Moreover, we demonstrate the advantage of the weighted scheme over the traditional unweighted scheme for multimodel ensemble projection.
Impact on local sustainability of the northward expansion of human activities into protected areas in northern Tibet
Authors: Fan Jie , Liang Bo , Liu Hanchu , Wang Yafei , Zhao Yannan , Zhang Haipeng , Liu Baoyin , Chen Dong
Published: May 2022

The negative marginal effect of spatial expansion of human activities on the ecology is increasing, which could easily lead to unsustainable development. However, the reasons for the expansion process and the combined impact on the ecosystem health of protected areas and the sustainable livelihoods of local residents are still vaguely known. Northern Tibet has important ecological service functions such as water conservation, windbreak and sand fixation, and plateau biodiversity, and is an ecological security barrier on a global scale. Based on multi‐source data, this study describes the changing process of the boundary of human activities in northern Tibet. By establishing a sustainable living equilibrium model, using spatial analysis and the transformation measurement method, the causes of human activities encroaching on protected areas and their impact on ecology and pastoralist livelihoods are explored. The results showed that the boundary of grazing moved 118.7 km northward to the Qiangtang Protected Area from 1980 to 2015, resulting in the theoretical livestock carrying capacity of grasslands decreased by 5.4%, the overgrazing worsened by 6.8%, and the living standard of pastoralists widened with that of the whole Country. The factors leading to the expansion include population increase and consumption demand, increases in wildlife, lake expansion and grassland degeneration. The pastoralists' excessive dependence on animal husbandry is the main reason, contributing to more than 65% of the northward expansion. The feasible way to change this local unsustainable development is to make rational use of the ecological tourism function and service value of the protected areas.
Numerical simulation and experimental investigation on tribological performance of SiC surface with squamous groove micro texture
Authors: Na Zhang , Zhentao Li , Muming Hao , Yancong Liu , Baojie Ren , Wang Zengli
Published: May 2022

To improve the tribological characteristics of the face seal, the squamous groove micro textures with different area proportion and the circular dimple micro texture were designed and manufactured. The disc‐disc friction and wear experiments and numerical simulation were carried out in oil lubrication. The pressure distribution, friction coefficient, fluid temperature and wear morphology are investigated. The study show that the friction coefficients of the micro textured and untextured samples decline with the increase of load, but first increase and then decrease with the rise of rotational speed. Micro textured samples could decline the friction coefficient effectively, and the asymmetric structure in the lubricant inflow and outflow region of the squamous groove micro texture makes it have better tribological performance. In addition, the micro texture can increase heat dissipation area, reduce heat production and collect wear debris, which could modify the lubricant temperature and wear morphology effectively.
Preclinical dosimetry in proton minibeam radiation therapy: Robustness analysis and guidelines
Authors: Ortiz Ramon , De Marzi Ludovic , Prezado Yolanda
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Proton minibeam radiation therapy (pMBRT) is a new radiotherapy approach that has shown a significant increase in the therapeutic window in glioma‐bearing rats compared to conventional proton therapy. The dosimetry of pMBRT is challenging and error prone due to the submillimetric beamlet sizes used. The aim of this study was to perform a robustness analysis on the setup parameters utilized in current preclinical trials and provide guidelines for reproducible dosimetry. The results of this work are intended to guide upcoming implementations of pMBRT worldwide, as well as pave the way for future clinical implementations.

Methods

Monte Carlo simulations and experimental data were used to evaluate the impact of variations in setup parameters and uncertainties in collimator specifications on lateral pMBRT dose distributions. The value of each parameter was modified individually to evaluate their effect on dose distributions. Experimental dosimetry was performed by means of high‐resolution detectors, that is, radiochromic films, the IBA Razor and the Microdiamond detector. New guidelines were proposed to optimize the experimental setup in pMBRT studies and perform reproducible dosimetry.

Results

The sensitivity of dose distributions to uncertainties and variations in setup parameters was quantified. Quantities that define pMBRT lateral profiles (i.e., the peak‐to‐valley dose ratio [PVDR], peak and valley doses, and peak width) are significantly influenced by small‐scale fluctuations in several of those parameters. The setup implemented at the Orsay proton therapy center for pMBRT irradiation was optimized to increase PVDRs and peak symmetry. In addition, we proposed guidelines to perform accurate and reproducible dosimetry in preclinical studies.

Conclusions

This study revealed the importance of adopting guidelines and protocols tailored to the distinct dose delivery method and dose distributions in pMBRT. This new methodology leads to reproducible dosimetry, which is imperative in preclinical trials. The results and guidelines presented in this manuscript can ease the initiation of pMBRT investigations in other centers.
Gadolinium‐based contrast agent attenuation does not impact PET quantification in simultaneous dynamic contrast enhanced breast PET/MR
Authors: Allen Timothy J. , Henze Bancroft Leah C. , Kumar Manoj , Bradshaw Tyler J. , Strigel Roberta M. , McMillan Alan B. , Fowler Amy M.
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Simultaneous PET/MR imaging involves injection of a radiopharmaceutical and often also includes administration of a gadolinium‐based contrast agent (GBCA). Phantom model studies indicate that attenuation of annihilation photons by GBCAs does not bias quantification metrics of PET radiopharmaceutical uptake. However, a direct comparison of attenuation‐corrected PET values before and after administration of GBCA has not been performed in patients imaged with simultaneous dynamic PET/MR. The purpose of this study was to investigate the attenuating effect of GBCAs on standardized uptake value (SUV) quantification of 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in invasive breast cancer and normal tissues using simultaneous PET/MR.

Methods

The study included 13 women with newly diagnosed invasive breast cancer imaged using simultaneous dedicated prone breast PET/MR with FDG. PET data collection and two‐point Dixon‐based MR attenuation correction sequences began simultaneously before the administration of GBCA to avoid a potential impact of GBCA on the attenuation correction map. A standard clinical dose of GBCA was intravenously administered for the dynamic contrast enhanced MR sequences obtained during the simultaneous PET data acquisition. PET data were dynamically reconstructed into 60 frames of 30 s each. Three timing windows were chosen consisting of a single frame (30 s), two frames (60 s), or four frames (120 s) immediately before and after contrast administration. SUVmax and SUVmean of the biopsy‐proven breast malignancy, fibroglandular tissue of the contralateral normal breast, descending aorta, and liver were calculated prior to and following GBCA administration. Percent change in the SUV metrics were calculated to test for a statistically significant, non‐zero percent change using Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests.

Results

No statistical change in SUVmax or SUVmean was found for the breast malignancies or normal anatomical regions during the timing windows before and after GBCA administration.

Conclusions

GBCAs do not significantly impact the results of PET quantification by means of additional attenuation. However, GBCAs may still affect quantification by affecting MR acquisitions used for MR‐based attenuation correction which this study did not address. Corrections to account for attenuation due to clinical concentrations of GBCAs are not necessary in simultaneous PET/MR examinations when MR‐based attenuation correction sequences are performed prior to GBCA administration.
Effects of Counter Anion Type on Melt Rheological Properties of Hyperbranched Polyethylene Ionomers Containing Covalently Bound Quaternary Ammonium Cations
Authors: Chen Mei , Jiang Binbo , Wang Jingdai , Yang Yongrong , Ye Zhibin
Published: May 2022

The paper investigates the effects of counter anions of varying sizes including BF4–, PF6–, SbF6–, and Tf2N– on the rheological properties of a range of hyperbranched polyethylene ionomers containing covalently bound quaternary ammonium cations. While the choice of counter anions has no significant effect on thermal properties, distinct effects on rheological properties have been demonstrated. With the increase of counter anion size in the order from BF4– to PF6–, SbF6–, and Tf2N–, the ionic interactions of the counter anion with the quaternary ammonium ion weaken, leading to reduced terminal relaxation time, zero‐shear viscosity, and flow activation energy. The differences in these properties are most pronounced with the ionomer having Tf2N– counter anion since it is significantly larger than the others.