bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Review of electrochemical and optical biosensors for testosterone measurement
Authors: Nikkhah Maryam , Karami Sajedeh , Khatami Seyyed Hossein , Taheri‐Anganeh Mortaza , Savardashtaki Amir , Mahmoodzadeh Amir , Shabaninejad Zahra , Vakili Omid , Mousavi Pegah , Ghanizadeh Gerayeli Farhad , Behrouj Hamid , Ghasemi Hassan , Movahedpour Ahmad
Published: April 2022

Testosterone is an anabolic steroid and a major sex hormone in males. It plays vital roles, including developing the testis, penis, and prostate, increasing muscle and bone, and sperm production. In both men and women, testosterone levels should be in normal ranges. Besides, testosterone and its analogs are major global contributors to doping in sport. Due to the importance of testosterone testing, novel, accurate biosensors have been developed. This review summarizes the various methods for testosterone measurement. Also, recent optical and electrochemical approaches for the detection of testosterone and its analogs have been discussed.
Gestational purple grape juice consumption does not change fetal ductus arteriosus constriction in Wistar rats
Authors: Proença Isabel Cristina Teixeira , Miri Malena Rostirola , Marinho Jéssica Pereira , Bock Patrícia Martins , de Abreu Tamires Marques , Pinto Milene Santana , Blembeel Amanda Stolzenberg , Ferreira Aimée Souto , Andrades Michael , da Rosa Araújo Alex Sander , Funchal Cláudia , Pochmann Daniela , Dani Caroline
Published: April 2022

Grape juice consumption may influence the early occurrence of ductal constriction during pregnancy, since the consumption of foods rich in polyphenols can be linked to the premature constriction of the ductus arteriosus. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of purple grape juice consumption during gestation on fetal ductus arteriosus closure, prostaglandin levels, and oxidative stress markers in Wistar rats. We divided 18 pregnant rats into four groups: a control group (C), a single‐dose grape juice group (SDGJ), a two‐dose grape juice group (TDGJ) of 7 μl/g body weight per day, and an indomethacin group (I). Blood was collected on gestational day (GD) 0, 14, and 20. Prostaglandin levels were measured, and the livers and hearts were removed from the mothers and fetuses for oxidative stress analysis; histology of the fetal ductus arteriosus was performed. Prostaglandin levels (pg/ml) at GD 20 were (C:1462.10 ± 314.61); (SDGJ:987.66 ± 86.25); (TDGJ:1290.00 ± 221.57), and (I:584.75 ± 46.77). Fetal ductus arteriosus closure occurred only in the indomethacin group. Lipid peroxidation evaluated through thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (nmol/mg protein) in maternal livers was lower in the grape juice groups (C: 4.11 ± 0.76 nmol/mg protein), (SDGJ: 2.34 ± 0.36), (TDGJ: 1.52 ± 0.18), and (I: 4.20 ± 0.76). Sulfhydryls (nmol/mg protein) were lower in the TDGJ group (C:763.59 ± 61.38 nmol/mg protein), (SDGJ:978.88 ± 158.81), (TDGJ:385.32 ± 86.78), and (I:727.72 ± 49.12). Also, superoxide dismutase activity (USOD/mg protein) was higher in fetal hearts in this group: (C:5.29 ± 0.33), (SDGJ:4.48 ± 0.47), (TDGJ:7.35 ± 0.43), and (I:6.00 ± 0.18). We conclude that grape juice consumption in pregnancy does not induce ductus arteriosus closure in the fetus and presented potential antioxidant effects.
Mammalian D‐cysteine: A novel regulator of neural progenitor cell proliferation
Authors: Roychaudhuri Robin , Snyder Solomon H.
Published: April 2022

D‐amino acids are being recognized as functionally important molecules in mammals. We recently identified endogenous D‐cysteine in mammalian brain. D‐cysteine is present in neonatal brain in substantial amounts (mM) and decreases with postnatal development. D‐cysteine binds to MARCKS and a host of proteins implicated in cell division and neurodevelopmental disorders. D‐cysteine decreases phosphorylation of MARCKS in neural progenitor cells (NPCs) affecting its translocation. D‐cysteine controls NPC proliferation by inhibiting AKT signaling. Exogenous D‐cysteine inhibits AKT phosphorylation at Thr 308 and Ser 473 in NPCs. D‐cysteine treatment of NPCs led to 50% reduction in phosphorylation of Foxo1 at Ser 256 and Foxo3a at Ser 253. We hypothesize that in the developing brain endogenous D‐cysteine is as a physiologic regulator of NPC proliferation by inhibiting AKT signaling mediated by Foxo1 and Foxo3a. Endogenous D‐cysteine may regulate mammalian neurodevelopment with roles in schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease (AD).
An encapsulated fibrin‐based bioartificial tissue construct with integrated macrovessels, microchannels, and capillary tubes
Authors: Helms Florian , Zippusch Sarah , Theilen Jonathan , Haverich Axel , Wilhelmi Mathias , Böer Ulrike
Published: April 2022

Facilitating sufficient nutrient and oxygen supply in large‐scale bioartificial constructs is a critical step in organ bioengineering. Immediate perfusion not only depends on a dense capillary network, but also requires integrated large‐diameter vessels that allow vascular anastomoses during implantation. These requirements set high demands for matrix generation as well as for in vitro cultivation techniques and remain mostly unsolved challenges up until today. Additionally, bioartificial constructs must have sufficient biomechanical stability to withstand mechanical stresses during and after implantation. We developed a bioartificial tissue construct with a fibrin matrix containing human umbilical vein endothelial cells and adipose tissue‐derived stem cells facilitating capillary‐like network formation. This core matrix was surrounded by a dense acellular fibrin capsule providing biomechanical stability. Two fibrin‐based macrovessels were integrated on each side of the construct and interconnected via four 1.2 mm thick microchannels penetrating the cellularized core matrix. After 4 days of perfusion in a custom‐built bioreactor, homogeneous capillary‐like network formation throughout the core matrix was observed. The fibrin capsule stabilized the core matrix and facilitated the generation of a self‐supporting construct. Thus, the encapsulated fibrin tissue construct could provide a universal prevascularized matrix for seeding with different cell types in various tissue engineering approaches.
A digital intervention using virtual reality helmets to reduce dental anxiety of children under local anesthesia and primary teeth extraction: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Du Qin , Ma Xinru , Wang Shasha , Zhou Shiyu , Luo Chunmei , Tian Kun , Fei Wei , Liu Xianghong
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Behavior management of children during dental treatment is an important but challenging issue. As a new technique, VR has been applied in pediatric dental anxiety. But there is no final conclusion whether VR reduces children's dental anxiety.

Methods

The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of a digital intervention using virtual reality (VR) helmets on dental anxiety, pain perception, and behavior triggered for children, as well as occurrence of simulator sickness in local anesthesia and primary teeth extraction. A total of 128 children, who needed primary teeth extraction under local anesthesia, were randomly allocated into two groups: use VR helmets and traditional behavior guidance procedures (control). Modified Child Fear Survey Schedule Dental Subscale (CFSS‐DS), Wong‐Baker FACES Pain Scale, Houpt Scale, and Simulator sickness questionnaire (SSQ) were used to assess children's dental anxiety, pain perception, and behavior triggered and occurrence of simulator sickness.

Results

CFSS‐DS score in the VR group was significantly decreased after dental treatment (34.58±6.90 before operation and 32.32±15.58 after operation, p = .02). The score of Wong Baker Scale in the VR group (3.47±0.76) was significantly lower than that in the control group (5.56±1.13, p = .015). There was no significant difference in the Houpt Behavior Scale score and the SSQ score between the VR group and the control group (p = .35, p = .305).

Conclusion

The use of VR helmets in primary teeth extraction can significantly reduce dental anxiety and pain perception in children without occurrence of simulator sickness.
Assessment of the texture and digestion properties of a high amylose content rice cultivar under various water‐to‐rice ratios
Authors: Hu Liqin , Cao Jialin , Zhang Mingyu , Liu Yu , Xiao Zhengwu , Iqbal Anas , Huang Min
Published: April 2022

Background and Objectives

Increasing the water‐to‐rice (W/R) ratio can alleviate the hardness of cooked rice with high amylose content. However, whether it affects starch digestibility remains unknown. To determine the effect of the W/R ratio during cooking on starch digestion and texture properties, three W/R ratios, that is, 1.2, 1.6, and 2.0, two cultivars with different amylose contents: Zhenguiai (ZGA, 26.8 g/100 g) and Yuzhenxiang (YZX, 17.2 g/100 g) were evaluated.

Findings

Our results showed that the different W/R ratios had no significant effect on the glucose production rate (GPR) of the ZGA and YZX cultivars. However, when the W/R ratio increased from 1.2 to 2.0, the hardness and chewiness of ZGA decreased by 33.5% and 42.0%, respectively. The hardness and chewiness of ZGA were quite close to YZX under the 2.0 W/R ratio. In addition, the GPR of ZGA was 48% lower than that of YZX under the same cooking condition.

Conclusions

The hard texture of the high amylose content cultivar can be maximally adjusted without affecting digestion properties by increasing the W/R ratio in the range of 1.2–2.0.

Significance and Novelty

Diabetic patients will not have to endure the hard texture of high‐amylose rice. Rice producers can recommend more than one W/R ratio for consumers.
Binding of VIVO2+, VIVOL, VIVOL2 and VVO2L Moieties to Proteins: X‐ray/Theoretical Characterization and Biological Implications
Authors: Santos Marino F. A. , Sciortino Giuseppe , Correia Isabel , Fernandes Andreia C. P. , Santos‐Silva Teresa , Pisanu Federico , Garribba Eugenio , Costa Pessoa João
Published: April 2022

Vanadium compounds have frequently been proposed as therapeutics, but their application has been hampered by the lack of information on the different V‐containing species that may form and how these interact with blood and cell proteins, and with enzymes. Herein, we report several resolved crystal structures of lysozyme with bound VIVO2+ and VIVOL2+, where L=2,2’‐bipyridine or 1,10‐phenanthroline (phen), and of trypsin with VIVO(picolinato)2 and VVO2(phen)+ moieties. Computational studies complete the refinement and shed light on the relevant role of hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonds, and microsolvation in stabilizating the structure. Noteworthy is that the trypsin−VVO2(phen) and trypsin−VIVO(OH)(phen) adducts correspond to similar energies, thus suggesting a possible interconversion under physiological/biological conditions. The obtained data support the relevance of hydrolysis of VIV and VV complexes in the several types of binding established with proteins and the formation of different adducts that might contribute to their pharmacological action, and significantly widen our knowledge of vanadium–protein interactions.
Evaluation of Pharmacokinetics and Safety With Bioequivalence of Anastrozole in Healthy Chinese Volunteers: Bioequivalence Study Findings
Authors: Wang Ying , Wang Tongtong , Fang Han , Huang Hui , Fang Lijuan , Zhang XuanGuo
Published: April 2022

Anastrozole is a third‐generation aromatase inhibitor that exerts potent anti–breast cancer effects. This trial aimed to explore the pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety with bioequivalence of orally administered anastrozole provided by 2 sponsors in healthy volunteers.Two separate open‐label, randomized, single‐dose, crossover‐design studies consisting of a fasting study (n = 23) and a fed study (n = 23, 1 participant withdrew before taking medication) were conducted. In each study, healthy volunteers were randomized to receive the test product (Haizheng Pharmaceutical Group) followed by the reference drug (AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP), or vice versa. Each study subject received a 1‐mg anastrozole tablet with a 21‐day washout. The plasma concentrations of anastrozole were measured with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, and PK parameters were determined by noncompartmental analysis. Forty‐six healthy female volunteers were enrolled. For patients enrolled in the fasting study, the mean age was 55.0 years, mean weight was 57.1 kg, mean body mass index was 23.6 kg/m2, and mean height was 155.5 cm. For patients enrolled in the fed study, the mean age was 54.2 years, mean weight was 55.9 kg, mean body mass index was 23.9 kg/m2, and mean height was 152.8 cm. All PK end points met the predefined criteria for PK equivalence. In fasting subjects, the median maximum plasma concentration was 23.4 and 22.6 at 1 hour for test and reference formulations, respectively. The maximum plasma concentration in fed subjects was 18.7 and 18.5 at 4 hours for test and reference formulations, respectively. Both fasting and fed studies achieved plausible bioequivalence. Anastrozole was well tolerated and exhibited a favorable safety profile at the prescribed doses. The severity of observed adverse events assessed according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version CTCAE4.03) was mild, and some of the adverse events were not caused by anastrozole. Furthermore, the results of our study under fasting and fed conditions demonstrated bioequivalence of the test and reference products.
Contextualized Drug–Drug Interaction Management Improves Clinical Utility Compared With Basic Drug–Drug Interaction Management in Hospitalized Patients
Authors: Wasylewicz Arthur T.M. , van de Burgt Britt W.M. , Manten Thomas , Kerskes Marieke , Compagner Wilma N. , Korsten Erik H.M. , Egberts Toine C.G. , Grouls Rene J.E.
Published: April 2022

Drug–drug interactions (DDIs) frequently trigger adverse drug events or reduced efficacy. Most DDI alerts, however, are overridden because of irrelevance for the specific patient. Basic DDI clinical decision support (CDS) systems offer limited possibilities for decreasing the number of irrelevant DDI alerts without missing relevant ones. Computerized decision tree rules were designed to context‐dependently suppress irrelevant DDI alerts. A crossover study was performed to compare the clinical utility of contextualized and basic DDI management in hospitalized patients. First, a basic DDI‐CDS system was used in clinical practice while contextualized DDI alerts were collected in the background. Next, this process was reversed. All medication orders (MOs) from hospitalized patients with at least one DDI alert were included. The following outcome measures were used to assess clinical utility: positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), number of pharmacy interventions (PIs)/1,000 MOs, and the median time spent on DDI management/1,000 MOs. During the basic DDI management phase 1,919 MOs/day were included, triggering 220 DDI alerts/1,000 MOs; showing 57 basic DDI alerts/1,000 MOs to pharmacy staff; PPV was 2.8% with 1.6 PIs/1,000 MOs costing 37.2 minutes/1,000 MOs. No DDIs were missed by the contextualized CDS system (NPV 100%). During the contextualized DDI management phase 1,853 MOs/day were included, triggering 244 basic DDI alerts/1,000 MOs, showing 9.6 contextualized DDIs/1,000 MOs to pharmacy staff; PPV was 41.4% (P < 0.01), with 4.0 PIs/1,000 MOs (P < 0.01) and 13.7 minutes/1,000 MOs. The clinical utility of contextualized DDI management exceeds that of basic DDI management.
Isolated seven‐level inverter for grid‐connected power systems with predictive control method
Authors: Ortatepe Zafer
Published: April 2022

A novel isolated 7‐level (7L) multi‐level inverter (MLI) topology for grid‐connected medium and high voltage power applications is presented in this paper. The topology consists of two isolated transformers with different winding ratio and four switches connected to a single‐phase grid. This topology provides a great advantage over conventional MLIs by reducing passive and active components to allowing a 7L output voltage. Moreover, model predictive control (MPC) method is implemented to 7L‐MLI to generate gate signals of switches and ensure capacitor voltage balancing and grid connection. Performance of proposed topology has been confirmed by in‐depth analysis under simulation and laboratory setup with existing studies. Experimental results of a 1.5 kW 220 Vrms prototype are presented to support the simulation results. The prototype shows that the harmonic results match the limits of the IEC 61000‐3‐2 standard and show a better performance for grid connection and capacitor voltage balancing than conventional ones.
Humoral immunity against SARS‐CoV‐2 variants including omicron in solid organ transplant recipients after three doses of a COVID‐19 mRNA vaccine
Authors: Saharia Kapil K , Husson Jennifer S , Niederhaus Silke V , Iraguha Thierry , Avila Stephanie V , Yoo Youngchae J , Hardy Nancy M , Fan Xiaoxuan , Omili Destiny , Crane Alice , Carrier Amber , Xie Wen Y , Vander Mause Erica , Hankey Kim , Bauman Sherri , Lesho Patricia , Mannuel Heather D , Ahuja Ashish , Mathew Minu , Avruch James , Baddley John , Goloubeva Olga , Shetty Kirti , Dahiya Saurabh , Rapoport Aaron P , Luetkens Tim , Atanackovic Djordje
Published: April 2022

Objectives

Solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR) receiving post‐transplant immunosuppression show increased COVID‐19‐related mortality. It is unclear whether an additional dose of COVID‐19 vaccines can overcome the reduced immune responsiveness against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) variants.

Methods

We analysed humoral immune responses against SARS‐CoV‐2 and its variants in 53 SOTR receiving SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccination.

Results

Following the initial vaccination series, 60.3% of SOTR showed no measurable neutralisation and only 18.9% demonstrated neutralising activity of > 90%. More intensive immunosuppression, antimetabolites in particular, negatively impacted antiviral immunity. While absolute IgG levels were lower in SOTR than controls, antibody titres against microbial recall antigens were higher. By contrast, SOTR showed reduced vaccine‐induced IgG/IgA antibody titres against SARS‐CoV‐2 and its delta variants and fewer linear B‐cell epitopes, indicating reduced B‐cell diversity. Importantly, a third vaccine dose led to an increase in anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 antibody titres and neutralising activity across alpha, beta and delta variants and to the induction of anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 CD4+ T cells in a subgroup of patients analysed. By contrast, we observed significantly lower antibody titres after the third dose with the omicron variant compared to the ancestral SARS‐CoV‐2 and the improvement in neutralising activity was much less pronounced than for all the other variants.

Conclusion

Only a small subgroup of solid organ transplant recipients is able to generate functional antibodies after an initial vaccine series; however, an additional vaccine dose resulted in dramatically improved antibody responses against all SARS‐CoV‐2 variants except omicron where antibody responses and neutralising activity remained suboptimal.
Longitudinal study of infants receiving extra motor stimulation, full‐term control infants, and infants born preterm: High‐density EEG analyses of cortical activity in response to visual motion
Authors: Borge Blystad Julie , van der Meer Audrey L. H.
Published: April 2022

Electroencephalography was used to investigate the effects of extrastimulation and preterm birth on the development of visual motion perception during early infancy. Infants receiving extra motor stimulation in the form of baby swimming, a traditionally raised control group, and preterm born infants were presented with an optic flow pattern simulating forward and reversed self‐motion and unstructured random visual motion before and after they achieved self‐produced locomotion. Extrastimulated infants started crawling earlier and displayed significantly shorter N2 latencies in response to visual motion than their full‐term and preterm peers. Preterm infants could not differentiate between visual motion conditions, nor did they significantly decrease their latencies with age and locomotor experience. Differences in induced activities were also observed with desynchronized theta‐band activity in all infants, but with more mature synchronized alpha–beta band activity only in extrastimulated infants after they had become mobile. Compared with the other infants, preterm infants showed more widespread desynchronized oscillatory activities at lower frequencies at the age of 1 year (corrected for prematurity). The overall advanced performance of extrastimulated infants was attributed to their enriched motor stimulation. The poorer responses in the preterm infants could be related to impairment of the dorsal visual stream that is specialized in the processing of visual motion.
Calibration problems with the ASTM E108 fire test
Authors: Babrauskas Vytenis , Mowrer Frederick
Published: April 2022

Results obtained from two accredited laboratories that regularly conduct ASTM E108 fire tests showed serious discrepancies. The source of the problem was identified to be errors in the ASTM E108 standard instructions for calibration of the fire test apparatus. The standard requires that the apparatus calibration achieve three criteria—two quantitative and one qualitative criteria. The quantitative calibration criteria include measurement of a specified wind speed across the calibration deck surface and measurement of a specified flame temperature at the leading edge of the calibration deck. The qualitative criterion is the specification of a required flame shape above the calibration deck surface that is determined by observation rather than measurement. From an engineering control standpoint, this problem has only two independent variables (air flow rate and fuel flow rate), so there can be no more than two control points, but the standard specifies three (air flow rate, flame temperature, and flame size). This is an example of an over‐constrained problem where a unique solution cannot be obtained, which satisfies all the constraints. It is suggested that the test standard be revised to eliminate this conflict. It is further suggested that the ASTM E108 calibration procedure be revised to control the burner heat release rate instead of controlling the flame temperature and flame size.
Modeling credit risk with a multi‐stage hybrid model: An alternative statistical approach
Authors: Uddin Mohammad Shamsu , Chi Guotai , Al Janabi Mazin A. M. , Habib Tabassum , Yuan Kunpeng
Published: April 2022

This paper examines the impact of hybridizations on the classification performances of sophisticated machine learning classifiers such as gradient boosting (GB, TreeNet®) and random forest (RF) using multi‐stage hybrid models. The empirical findings confirm that, overall, hybrid model GB (X*Di;ŶDi, LR), which consists of TreeNet® combined with logistic regression along with a new dependent variable, offers significantly superior accuracy compared to the baselines and other hybrid classifiers. However, the performances of hybrid classifiers are not consistent across all types of datasets. For low‐dimensional data, the constructed models consistently outperform the base classifiers; however, on high dimensional data, the classification outcomes provide little evidence of improvement and in certain cases, they underperform the baseline models. These findings have relevance for the analysis of high‐ and low‐dimensional credit risk, small and medium enterprises, agricultural credits, and so on. Furthermore, the example credit risk scenario and its outcomes provide an alternative path for hybrid and machine learning approaches to be applied to more general applications in accounting and finance fields.
Suicide mortality among the elderly population in Italy: A nationwide cohort study on gender differences in sociodemographic risk factors, method of suicide, and associated comorbidity
Authors: Grande Enrico , Vichi Monica , Alicandro Gianfranco , Marchetti Stefano , Frova Luisa , Pompili Maurizio
Published: April 2022

Objectives

This study aimed at investigating gender differences in the relationship between sociodemographic factors and suicide mortality, as well as in the method used for suicide and the presence of comorbidities in an older population in Italy.

Methods/Design

We conducted a historical cohort study based on individual record linkage across the 15th Italian Population Census, the Italian Population Register, and the National Register of Causes of Death. Suicides among people aged 75 years or older from 2012 to 2017 were analyzed. Crude mortality rates were computed, and cause‐specific mortality rate ratios were estimated using negative binomial regression models. Chi‐square tests were used to evaluate significant gender differences in suicide methods and comorbidities associated with suicide.

Results

The study included 9,686,698 individuals (41% men, 59% women). Compared to living alone, living with children or partners reduced suicide mortality, especially among men. Having high or medium educational levels was associated with lower mortality than low educational levels among men. Foreign citizens had lower mortality among men, but not among women. Living in urban areas was associated with lower suicide rates in men and higher rates in women. Methods of suicide significantly differed by gender: leading methods were hanging, strangulation, and suffocation in men, and falling from height in women. Mental comorbidity was significantly more frequent among women, especially at ages 75–84 years.

Conclusions

We believe that our findings might help to promote public health strategies taking gender differences in old age into account to improve social support and quality of life of older men and women.
The effects of Uber diffusion on the mental health of drivers
Authors: Apouey Bénédicte , Stabile Mark
Published: April 2022

While the spread of digital technologies and the growth of associated atypical forms of work are attracting increasing attention, little is known about the impact of these new forms of work on psychological well‐being. This paper examines the effect of Uber diffusion on the mental health of drivers, taking advantage of the rollout of Uber across UK regions. We match individual‐level information on health and sociodemographic characteristics from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (Understanding Society) between 2009 and 2019 with data on the diffusion of Uber across the country. We first show that Uber diffusion is positively associated with mental health, as measured by the General Health Questionnaire, in the population group of self‐employed drivers. We argue that this positive correlation captures a selection effect (of comparatively healthier individuals into the category of self‐employed drivers after Uber entry) and the omission of unobserved factors, rather than a causal effect. Indeed, we do not observe any improvement in mental health for workers who were already self‐employed drivers before Uber entry. In parallel with this, among individuals who remained salaried drivers over time, our results suggest there may be a decline in mental health after Uber's introduction, probably because they feel the competition from Uber drivers.
Tuning the Phase Structure of ZnTiO3 Support to Promote the Catalytic Activity of Pd/ZnTiO3 Catalyst for the CO Oxidative Coupling to Dimethyl Oxalate
Authors: Liu Geng‐Wei , Pan Peng‐Bin , Zhang Xin , Huang Yuan‐Yuan , Liu Peng , Qin Ye‐Yan , Yao Yuan‐Gen
Published: April 2022

Zinc titanate (ZnTiO3) has recently been applied in various areas for its unique properties. Herein, through tuning the phase structures of ZnTiO3 support, we synthesized two different Pd‐based catalysts for CO oxidative coupling to DMO and further investigated their structure‐activity relationships for the first time. The results indicated that the strong metal‐support interaction between the cubic phase ZnTiO3 and Pd species leads to an enriched Pd electronic density and promotes the bridged CO adsorption. As a result, the as‐synthesized catalyst with cubic phase ZnTiO3 performed a turnover frequency (TOF) of 339.3 min−1, which was much higher than the hexagonal one (226.3 min−1).
A place‐based evaluation of a healthy homes initiative
Authors: McKay Kate , Eggleton Kyle
Published: April 2022

Issue addressed

Limited qualitative evaluations of healthy homes initiatives exist in the literature and even fewer look past physical health benefits to wider health outcomes. A qualitative evaluation of Manawa Ora, a healthy homes initiative implemented by a Māori health provider in Northland, New Zealand, was conducted to ascertain the wider health benefits a healthy homes initiative.

Methods

Participants of Manawa Ora were recruited; their experiences were analysed through qualitative semi‐structured interviews.

Results

Two main themes emerged from the semi‐structured interviews. “Becoming active actors” pertains to improved health, both physical and mental, following the program. It also describes the way participants have redirected their focus from their illness to broader, more purposeful activity. “From a simple space to a place with meaning” highlights the way Manawa Ora improved the home environment by creating a “place” that holds meaning.

Conclusions

Healthy homes initiatives can improve physical health as well as wider health outcomes. Through the provision of beds, bedding, insulation and heating, Manawa Ora has created a “therapeutic place” out of the home that promotes healing and well‐being.

So what

Greater focus on connections to place in public health initiatives may bring about wider health gains.
Representation of diversity within written patient cases: Exploring the presence of a “hidden curriculum”
Authors: Wilby Kyle John , Cox Dianne , Whelan Anne Marie , Arya Vibhuti , Framp Heidi , Mansour Susan
Published: April 2022

Background

There are urgent calls to dismantle systemic racism and discrimination in pharmacy education and practice. It is recommended that educational programs critically review learning materials for occurrences of stigmatization that may reinforce population biases and stereotypes. Previous studies, as well as premises from race and queer theories, suggest that written cases that do not appropriately include or acknowledge patient diversity may promote a “hidden curriculum” that may foster implicit biases in student healthcare professionals.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to explore the existence of a “hidden curriculum” within case‐based learning materials by determining the extent to which underrepresented populations were represented in case descriptions and how representation occurred within groups.

Methods

This was a qualitative content analysis of written patient cases (n = 76) used throughout the problem‐based learning curriculum at the College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada). Proportions were calculated for each variable identified to represent the categories of interest (race, gender, sexual orientation, relationship status, and presence of disabilities). Quantified data were analyzed and themes were identified to represent each category assessed.

Results

Data across all categories were mostly “undefined.” The most defined variables within each category were: white (race, 17.1%), female (gender, 53.9%), heterosexual (sexual orientation, 35.2%), married (relationship status, 29.6%), and wheelchair (disability, 1.3%). Defined variables were representative of dominant cultural groups with little representation of underrepresented populations. Themes identified were undifferentiated (race), binary (gender), heteronormative (sexual orientation), traditional (relationship status), and absent (disabilities).

Conclusion

Findings support the notion that there may be a “hidden curriculum” reinforcing biases and stereotypes due to the undefined nature of the cases. Educators should prioritize inclusion of diversity within cases as part of a coordinated plan, in order to ensure representation is appropriate and well‐distributed across the curriculum.
Microvascular development in the rat arteriovenous loop model in vivo—A step by step intravital microscopy analysis
Authors: Vaghela Ravikumar , Arkudas Andreas , Gage Daniel , Körner Carolin , von Hörsten Stephan , Salehi Sahar , Horch Raymund E. , Hessenauer Maximilian
Published: April 2022

The arteriovenous (AV) loop model is a key technique to solve one of the major problems of tissue engineering—providing adequate vascular support for a tissue construct of significant size. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of vascularization and factors influencing the generation of new tissue in the AV loop are still poorly understood. We previously established a novel intravital microscopy approach to study these events. In this study, we implanted our observation chamber filled with two types of hydrogels such as fibrin and methacrylate gelatin (GelMA) and performed intravital microscopy (IVM) on days 7, 14, and 21. Initial microvessel formation was observed in GelMA on day 14, while the vessel network showed clear indicators of network rearrangement and maturation on day 21. No visible microvessels were observed in fibrin. The chambers were explanted on day 21. Histological examination revealed higher numbers of microvessels in GelMA compared to fibrin, while the AV loop was thrombosed in all fibrin constructs, possibly due to matrix degradation. GelMA proved to be an ideal matrix for IVM studies in the AV loop model due to its slow degradation and transparency. This IVM model can be employed as a novel tool for live and thus faster comprehension of crucial events in the tissue regeneration process, which can improve tissue engineering application.
Global public awareness of Castleman disease and TAFRO syndrome between 2015 and 2021: A Google Trends analysis
Authors: Nishimura Yoshito , Nishimura Midori Filiz , Fajgenbaum David C. , van Rhee Frits , Sato Yasuharu , Otsuka Fumio
Published: April 2022

Castleman disease (CD) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder with multiple subtypes. Thrombocytopenia, anasarca, fever, reticulin fibrosis or renal insufficiency, and organomegaly (TAFRO) syndrome can occur in the context of CD. The study evaluated worldwide public awareness of CD and TAFRO syndrome using Google Trends data between 2015 and 2021. Our results showed that global public interest steadily grew until late 2019, at a small but significant rate of 1.1% per month from the 1st to 57th month (1/2015–9/2019). The increase coincided with a peak in the United States and Japan, but the search volume decreased at a rate of 1.3% per month after that time. No clear trend changes were noted throughout the study period with the search term “TAFRO.” However, the search volume significantly increased during the time period at a rate of 4.8% (confidence interval [CI]: 2.8, 6.8) and 4.7% (CI: 2.7, 6.8) per month in Japan and worldwide, respectively. There was an insufficient search volume for “TAFRO” in the United States to perform the analysis. Most searches on “TAFRO” stemmed from Japan, suggesting considerable geographical disparity in the awareness of TAFRO syndrome. Further efforts are crucial to raise the awareness of CD and TAFRO syndrome among physicians and the general public, primarily in non‐USA and Japanese countries.
Self‐sieving DNA over superhydrophobic surfaces: A Raman spectroscopy study
Authors: Marini Monica , Torre Bruno , Allione Marco , Limongi Tania , Legittimo Francesca , Giugni Andrea , Ricciardi Carlo , Pirri Candido Fabrizio , di Fabrizio Enzo
Published: April 2022

The Raman spectra of DNA fibers were studied before and after suspension over superhydrophobic surface (SHS). At the end of the dehydration process of a droplet of nucleic acids solution over SHS, two structural areas appear: (i) a thicker droplet residual spot and (ii) a thinner free‐standing, self‐oriented DNA extended fibers region. For specimens deposited on reference samples (CaF2 slides), buffer contribution overrides the total Raman spectrum, while for free‐standing λDNA, biological signature comes out readily with no interference. Our spectroscopy results confirm that a mechanical sieving effect occurs spontaneously during λDNA suspension process over superhydrophobic devices. Tailored designed devices and sample preparation separate small non‐interacted molecules from the bundles and remove, concentrating, the non‐suspended material in a defined area of the SHS. At the end of the process, helices retain only the ions that effectively have interacted with the DNA strand in solution, while all the other compounds were sieved away from the areas of interest. The self‐sieving effect herein shown will provide a step forward for biomaterials studies as it allows the characterization of dilutions otherwise not detectable. The samples, autonomously purified, retain the effective interaction with environmental stresses free from any other misleading contribution allowing for characterization in optimal condition.
Exploiting plasmonic enhancement with light‐emitting diode excitation in surface‐enhanced Raman scattering
Authors: Wasserroth Sören , Gordeev Georgy , Juergensen Sabrina , Kusch Patryk
Published: April 2022

Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a well‐established technique that enables the detection of very low molecular concentrations down to single molecules. Typical applications of SERS are the consistent identification of various samples used in chemistry, biology, and physics among others. In contrast to common SERS setups, where lasers are used as excitation source, we exploit SERS to perform Raman spectroscopy with a light‐emitting diode (LED). We demonstrate the applicability of our approach on four different Raman reporters. We unambiguously distinguish two similar designer molecules 4‐nitrothiophenol (p‐NTP) and 5,5‐dithio‐bis‐(2‐nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) that are often used in SERS experiments. Additionally, we probe Rhodamine 6G that is used in many different applications and carbon nanotubes as a one‐dimensional solid state nanosystem. The LED excited surface‐enhanced Raman spectra reproduce the characteristic Raman modes of the different samples. We compare the LED spectra to Raman spectra excited with a laser at the same wavelength. We envision the combination of LED sources with SERS substrates in the next generation of handheld devices and low‐cost Raman setups.
A chromatographic method to monitor fructan catabolism in two cool‐season grasses fermented by mixed bovine ruminal microbiota
Authors: Kagan Isabelle A. , Harlow Brittany E. , Flythe Michael D.
Published: April 2022

BACKGROUND

Cool‐season grasses contain fructans (fructose‐based polymers), whose monomers are linked by β‐2,6 or β‐1,2 bonds. Fructans in the rumen are hydrolysed to fructose by bacterial enzymes, but little is known about the kinetics of fructan catabolism in the rumen. A chromatographic method, using high‐performance anion‐exchange chromatography (HPAEC) with pulsed amperometric detection, was developed to monitor changes in fructan profiles during the in vitro fermentation of timothy (Phleum pratense L.) and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) by mixed rumen microbes. Sterile suspensions of freeze‐dried and milled tissue in minimal media were inoculated with washed rumen microbial cells under anaerobic conditions, and aliquots of the incubations were profiled 0, 2, and 5 h post‐inoculation.

RESULTS

Timothy and cocksfoot differed in initial concentrations of glucose and sucrose, and in the amounts remaining 2 h post‐inoculation (p < 0.01). The grasses also differed in initial concentrations of short‐chain fructan, and in concentrations present 2 h post‐inoculation (p = 0.01). Timothy and cocksfoot also differed in amounts of long‐chain fructans remaining 2 and 5 h post‐inoculation (p = 0.03), and in the maximum degree of polymerisation after 2 h (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Over the first 2 h, long‐chain fructans in cocksfoot decreased while short‐chain fructans increased. In timothy, concentrations of short‐chain fructans doubled, and the degree of polymerisation decreased by 15%. The results support a model of degradation of the longest fructan chains and conversion into shorter ones.
An electrophoretic e‐paper device with stretchable, washable, and rewritable functions
Authors: Qiu Zhiguang , Zhu Simu , Lu Hao , Gu Yifan , Wu Ziyi , Zhang Gaofan , Deng Shaozhi , Yang Bo‐Ru
Published: April 2022

A self‐cracking structure is introduced to construct a stretchable electrophoretic e‐paper display device. Unlike the conventional sandwich structure, the proposed device directly forms electrodes upon the display layer without laminating an extra layer. This structure avoids layer‐to‐layer mismatch under the long‐term loading cycles and exhibits high stretchability and robustness. A prototype is demonstrated to simultaneously have stretchable, washable, and rewritable features, which provides a new paradigm for future wearable electronics.
The acute physiological response of polar bears to helicopter capture
Authors: Whiteman John P. , Harlow Henry J. , Durner George M. , Regehr Eric V. , Amstrup Steven C. , Pagano Anthony M. , Ben‐David Merav
Published: April 2022

Many wildlife species are live captured, sampled, and released; for polar bears (Ursus maritimus) capture often requires chemical immobilization via helicopter darting. Polar bears reduce their activity for approximately 4 days after capture, likely reflecting stress recovery. To better understand this stress, we quantified polar bear activity (via collar‐mounted accelerometers) and body temperature (via loggers in the body core [Tabd] and periphery [Tper]) during 2–6 months of natural behavior, and during helicopter recapture and immobilization. Recapture induced bouts of peak activity higher than those that occurred during natural behavior for 2 of 5 bears, greater peak Tper for 3 of 6 bears, and greater peak Tabd for 1 of 6 bears. High body temperature (>39.0°C) occurred in Tper for 3 of 6 individuals during recapture and 6 of 6 individuals during natural behavior, and in Tabd for 2 of 6 individuals during recapture and 3 of 6 individuals during natural behavior. Measurements of Tabd and Tper correlated with rectal temperatures measured after immobilization, supporting the use of rectal temperatures for monitoring bear response to capture. Using a larger dataset (n = 66 captures), modeling of blood biochemistry revealed that maximum ambient temperature during recapture was associated with a stress leukogram (7–26% decline in percent lymphocytes, 12–21% increase in percent neutrophils) and maximum duration of helicopter operations had a similar but smaller effect. We conclude that polar bear activity and body temperature during helicopter capture are similar to that which occurs during the most intense events of natural behavior; high body temperature, especially in warm capture conditions, is a key concern; additional study of stress leukograms in polar bears is needed; and additional data collection regarding capture operations would be useful.
The impact of stress factors on riparian and drawdown zones degradation around dams and reservoirs
Authors: Arif Muhammad , Jie Zheng , Tahir Muhammad , Xin Hu , Changxiao Li
Published: April 2022

There is currently a lack of evidence about changes in the health of riparian and drawdown zones under different land‐use patterns within mega‐reservoirs, below and around dams. Scientific evidence for the quantitative effects of stress indicators is vague and varies significantly among reservoirs and dams worldwide. In this study, we used a field‐based approach to evaluate riparian and drawdown zones health changes—influenced by pressure indicators—across 274 transects from three land‐use areas (rural, rural–urban transitional, and urban) in the Three Gorges Dam Reservoir (TGDR) in China during 2019. Multivariate statistical techniques were applied to test for riparian and drawdown zones (termed riparian zones in this paper) changes under these variant land‐use patterns. Our results showed that 13 pressure indicators significantly influenced 27 health indicators (including parameters for habitat, plant cover, regeneration, erosion, and exotics) of the riparian zones from the three land‐use areas differently. Our results also showed that parameters for plant cover, erosion, and exotics were major contributors within the selected riparian health indicators, whereas land‐use designs, farming systems, and pollutant activity variables were the pressure indicators with the strongest impact. Pearson correlation (with r ranging from −0.731 to 0.989) showed that urban transects exhibited the strongest comparative interaction, whereas rural–urban transitional transects formed the weakest association. Furthermore, the agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis revealed similarities between rural and rural–urban transitional sites while confirming substantial dissimilarity in urban locations. These comprehensive and relevant results provide essential information for reservoir administrators to implement functional changes suited to TGDR land‐use scenarios.
Identifying a suitable revegetation method for soil organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus sequestration: A 16‐year in situ experiment on abandoned farmland in a semiarid area of the Loess Plateau, China
Authors: Song Xin , Fang Chao , Lal Rattan , Yuan Zi‐Qiang , Ke Wen‐Bin , Huang Fu‐Qiang , Wei Yong‐Xian , Li Feng‐Min , Sardans Jordi , Penuelas Josep
Published: April 2022

Legume pasture species have been widely used to re‐establish vegetation cover and control soil erosion in semiarid degraded ecosystems. Nevertheless, the long‐term effects of revegetation on aboveground biomass (AB) and the soil properties under different topographies remain unclear. We conducted a 16‐year in situ experiment to evaluate soil properties and biomass dynamics under fallow, sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), in northeast‐facing, southeast‐facing, and horizontal landscapes from 2003 to 2018. After 16 years of revegetation, soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total nitrogen (TN), soil total phosphorus (TP) concentrations were higher in alfalfa fields in the northeast‐ and southeast‐facing landscapes and greater in sweet clover fields in the horizontal landscape alongside soil profiles. In the 0–20 cm, the SOC, TN, and TP concentrations in alfalfa fields increased at rates of 0.322, 0.034, and 0.010 g kg−1 yr−1 in the northeast‐facing landscape and at rates of 0.189, 0.022, and 0.011 g kg−1 yr−1 in the southeast‐facing landscape. The SOC, TN, and TP concentrations in sweet clover fields increased at rates of 0.129, 0.023, and 0.009 g kg−1 yr−1 in the horizontal. Alfalfa introduction is recommended for northeast‐facing landscapes whereas alfalfa and fallow are recommended in southeast‐facing landscapes, introduce sweet clover is recommended in a horizontal landscape to improve the soil nutrient concentrations at mid‐long time. These results suggest that topography influences vegetation restoration by affecting plant growth and soil nutrient and should be considered during the revegetation process to ensure revegetation success and sustainable land use.