bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison between D‐dimer levels in diabetic and non‐diabetic positive COVID‐19 adult patients: A hospital‐based study
Authors: Hashim Ibrahim Elbashir Ibrahim , Kamal Ali Mohamed Hala , Adam Essa Mohammed Elmujtba , Seri Ahmed
Published: May 2022

Background

Diabetes is one of the most common associated comorbidity with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2) pneumonia patients.

Coagulation disorders with D‐dimer levels are increased in both diseases. This study aimed to compare the levels of D‐dimer in DM and non‐DM patients with coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) and correlate it with the disease severity.

Methods

This is a cross‐sectional hospital‐based study. It was conducted at royal care hospital, isolation COVID‐19 Centre in 2021. The study included 130 patients with COVID‐19 who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Data were collected through a structured datasheet. The disease was diagnosed by a nasal swab polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Participants were divided into diabetics and non‐diabetics depending on the history from the datasheet. The data were analysed with Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) version 23.

Results

The study showed that 73.1% of the participants were males and 26.9% were females. The most frequent age group was >65 years. The percentages of diabetics and non‐diabetics, among the study participants, were found to be 41.5% and 58.5%, respectively. Moreover, 52.3% were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). This study revealed that D‐dimer was higher compared with diabetes mellitus. The diabetics were associated with higher levels of D‐dimer compared to non‐diabetics. Regarding the correlation between the level of D‐dimer and severity of COVID‐19, it was found that there is a significant association, as the ICU patients were associated with higher levels of D‐dimer in comparison with non‐ICU patients.

Conclusion

This study concluded that there is a significant association between the high D‐dimer level and severity of COVID‐19 among diabetic patients.
Redox Non‐Innocence of ortho‐Benzoquinone Dioximate Dianion in Ligand Exchange on Ruthenium
Authors: Harada Takuya , Ando Shinji , Kuwata Shigeki
Published: May 2022

A ruthenium complex bearing an o‐benzoquinone dioximate dianion was isolated, and its ligand‐based redox chemistry was clarified. The reaction of [Cp*RuCl2(NO)] (Cp*=η5‐C5Me5) with o‐benzoquinone dioxime (LredH2) in the presence of a base afforded a dioximato ruthenium complex [Cp*Ru(NO)(Lred)] (1). Upon treatment with an iodonium salt, 1 underwent two‐electron oxidation of Lred along with ligand exchange to give the o‐dinitrosobenzene (Lox) iodido complex [Cp*RuI(Lox)] (2). 1H NMR, IR, X‐ray analyses, and DFT calculations revealed that the Lred ligand in 1 was oxidized and aromatized during the ligand substitution. The Lox ligand in 2 was reduced by benzensulfohydroxamic acid with the aid of a base, leading to regeneration of the Lred nitrosyl complex 1. The non‐innocence of Lred/ox in the ligand exchange would lead to level the energy profile of redox processes including catalysis.
Synthesis of Immucillins BCX‐1777 and BCX‐4430 from a Common Precursor
Authors: Krishnakumar K. A. , Lankalapalli Ravi S.
Published: May 2022

A convergent route for the synthesis of BCX‐1777 and BCX‐4430 from a Boc‐protected 2‐pyrrolidinone, derived from 2,3,5‐tri‐O‐benzyl‐d‐ribonolactone, and a dihalogenated pyrrolopyrimidine as the key starting materials is reported. A chemoselective cross‐coupling was achieved from the two key starting materials in 79 % yield. Luche reduction and mesylation resulted in the stereoselective formation of an advanced intermediate in 77 % yield over two steps, which served as a precursor for synthesizing BCX‐1777 and BCX‐4430 in 38 % (over 10 steps) and 32 % (over 11 steps) overall yields, respectively, from 2,3,5‐tri‐O‐benzyl‐d‐ribonolactone.
Parametric studies on solidification of phase change material inside a cylindrical container toward achieving optimal energy efficiency
Authors: Raj Kaiwalya , Vellaichamy Pandiyarajan , Ramalingam Velraj , Chaturvedi Meenakshi
Published: May 2022

Fifty percentage of the energy consumption inside any building is utilized for space cooling purposes. Energy storage through phase change material (PCM) is a viable option to fulfill the cooling energy requirements. The PCM is usually stored inside multiple containers/packets. However, the PCM's low thermal conductivity is a fundamental problem that delays the solidification time and can be accelerated through the nanoparticle addition and higher heat transfer fluid (HTF) flow rate. The recent advancement in nanoparticles opens an opportunity to enhance the heat transfer characteristics of the PCM. Therefore, a detailed parametric analysis is carried out for the PCM inside a cylindrical container to analyze the impact of thermal conductivity (“k”) enhancement through nanoparticle addition and the external surface heat transfer coefficient (“h”) on the solidification time reduction of the Water and RT21 PCM. It is concluded from the results that while utilizing gaseous HTF, it is better to increase the surface “h” rather than increasing the “k” of the PCM. On the other hand, for liquid HTF, “k” value played a significant role in solidification time reduction than increasing the “h” value. A considerate amount of solidification time reduction is possible through nanoenhanced RT21 and water PCM. This study will help the researchers/engineers design an energy efficient storage material toward achieving sustainability.
Acute Toxicity of Major Geochemical Ions to Fathead Minnows (Pimephales Promelas): Part A—Observed Relationships for Individual Salts and Salt Mixtures
Authors: Erickson Russell J. , Mount David R. , Highland Terry L. , Hockett J. Russell , Hoff Dale J. , Jenson Correne T. , Norberg-King Teresa J. , Forsman Brandy
Published: May 2022

The results of a series of experiments on the acute toxicity of major geochemical ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl−, SO42−, HCO3−/CO32−) to fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) are reported. Tests of individual major ion salts in various dilution waters demonstrated that the toxicities of Na, Mg, and K salts decrease as the overall ion content of the dilution water increases. For Na and Mg salts, this is attributable to Ca content as previously reported for Ceriodaphnia dubia. For K salts, the cause is unclear, but it is not due to Na as reported for C. dubia. In an unregulated test at high pH (9.3), NaHCO3 was also found to be twice as toxic compared to when the pH was reduced to 8.4. Experiments with binary salt mixtures indicated the existence of multiple independent mechanisms of action. These include K-specific toxicity and Ca/Mg-specific toxicity previously reported for C. dubia, but also apparent toxicities related to SO4 and to high pH/alkalinity in CO3/HCO3-dominated exposures. Previous work with C. dubia also suggested a general ion toxicity involving all ions that was correlated with osmolarity. For fathead minnow, similar correlations were observed, but multiple mechanisms were indicated. At higher Ca, this general toxicity could be attributable to osmotic effects, but at lower Ca, osmolarity may be more a covariate than a cause, with this toxicity being related to a combined effect of ions other than via osmolarity. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:2078–2094. © 2022 SETAC. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
Exposure to Contaminated River Water is Associated with Early Hatching and Dysregulation of Gene Expression in Early Life Stages of the Endangered Copper Redhorse (Moxostoma hubbsi)
Authors: Marchand H. , Barst B. D. , Boulanger E. , Vachon N. , Houde M. , Xia J. , Liu P. , Ewald J. D. , Bayen S. , Liu L. , Head J. A.
Published: May 2022

The copper redhorse (Moxostoma hubbsi) is an endangered fish that spawns exclusively in the Richelieu River (Quebec, Canada). Tributaries of the Richelieu are contaminated with high levels of current-use pesticides, which may impact early–life stage (ELS) copper redhorse and other native fishes. We assessed the effects of exposure to contaminated river water on ELS copper redhorse and river redhorse (Moxostoma carinatum), a related fish that shares the copper redhorse's spawning grounds and nursery habitat. A riverside flow-through system was used to expose copper and river redhorse embryos (1000 each) to Richelieu River water or laboratory water as a control. Fish were maintained until 14 days posthatch, and water samples were taken daily for chemical analysis. Following a heavy rain event, concentrations of two neonicotinoid pesticides, clothianidin and thiamethoxam, exceeded water quality guidelines for aquatic life (20 ng/L). Using nontargeted screening, we tentatively identified an additional 24 pharmaceutical and personal care products and 23 pesticides in river water. Effects of river water on ELS fish were observed in both species, but the copper redhorse appeared to be more sensitive. Fish exposed to river water hatched 10.7 (copper redhorse) and 2.4 (river redhorse) cumulative degree days earlier than controls. Copper redhorse survival was significantly lower in river water (73 ± 16%) compared to laboratory water (93 ± 3%), whereas river redhorse survival was similar between treatments (84 ± 6% and 89 ± 4%, respectively). Sequencing of copper redhorse larvae RNA revealed 18 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) following 14 days of exposure to river water. Eight up-regulated DEGs were linked to immune function and injury response, and seven down-regulated DEGs were involved with digestion and nutrient absorption. The present study provided valuable data on the effects of ELS exposure to a real-world mixture of contaminants in two fish species of concern. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1950–1966. © 2022 SETAC
Environmental Hazard of Anticancer Drugs: State of the Art and Future Perspective for Marine Organisms
Authors: Ribeiro Fabianne , Costa-Lotufo Leticia , Loureiro Susana , Pavlaki Maria D.
Published: May 2022

Pharmaceutical compounds represent a class of emerging contaminants present in the environment. Their intense (and increasing) use in human and veterinary medicine leads to their discharge, mainly via human excretion, into wastewater treatment plants where their removal is inefficient. A specific class of pharmaceuticals used to fight cancer, known as antineoplastic or anticancer drugs, has gained increased attention regarding their possible environmental hazard due to their pharmacological properties, which include the nonselective targeting of DNA replication mechanisms and cell division processes, potentially inducing cell apoptosis. To date, there is limited information concerning the effects of anticancer drugs and/or their metabolites in species inhabiting freshwater environments, let alone marine and estuarine compartments. In the present review, we aimed to assemble information regarding the impact that anticancer drugs have on biological traits of marine species, to identify gaps in the current environmental hazard assessment, and to make recommendations to promote an efficient environmental hazard assessment of anticancer drugs in the marine environment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1793–1807. © 2022 SETAC
Welcoming Migration Stories and Silence in the English Classroom
Authors: Kelly Laura Beth , Ascuitto Susana
Published: May 2022

This discussion describes a collaboration between a high school for recently arrived immigrant and refugee youth and a local college. Across 6 weeks, college tutors read a wordless graphic novel, The Arrival (Tan, 2007), with newcomer students to support oral English language development, to develop interpretations, and to invite personal connections. This discussion addresses tensions and lessons learned from welcoming newcomer students to share sensitive personal stories, such as their migration stories, in English classes.
Enhancement of Impaired MRSA-Infected Fracture Healing by Combinatorial Antibiotics and Modulation of Sustained Inflammation
Authors: Yu Kristin E , Kwon Hyuk-Kwon , Dussik Christopher M , Cahill Sean V , Back Jungho , Alder Kareme D , Lee Francis Y
Published: May 2022

Fracture healing is impaired in the setting of infection, which begets protracted inflammation. The most problematic causative agent of musculoskeletal infection is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We hypothesized that modulation of excessive inflammation combined with cell-penetrating antibiotic treatments facilitates fracture healing in a murine MRSA-infected femoral fracture model. Sterile and MRSA-contaminated open transverse femoral osteotomies were induced in 10-week-old male C57BL/6 mice and fixed via intramedullary nailing. In the initial therapeutic cohort, empty, vancomycin (V), rifampin (R), vancomycin-rifampin (VR), or vancomycin-rifampin-trametinib (VRT) hydrogels were applied to the fracture site intraoperatively. Rifampin was included because of its ability to penetrate eukaryotic cells to target intracellular bacteria. Unbiased screening demonstrated ERK activation was upregulated in the setting of MRSA infection. As such, the FDA-approved mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)1-pERK1/2 inhibitor trametinib was evaluated as an adjunctive therapeutic agent to selectively mitigate excessive inflammation after infected fracture. Two additional cohorts were created mimicking immediate and delayed postoperative antibiotic administration. Systemic vancomycin or VR was administered for 2 weeks, followed by 2 weeks of VRT hydrogel or oral trametinib therapy. Hematologic, histological, and cytokine analyses were performed using serum and tissue isolates obtained at distinct postoperative intervals. Radiography and micro-computed tomography (μCT) were employed to assess fracture healing. Pro-inflammatory cytokine levels remained elevated in MRSA-infected mice with antibiotic treatment alone, but increasingly normalized with trametinib therapy. Impaired callus formation and malunion were consistently observed in the MRSA-infected groups and was partially salvaged with systemic antibiotic treatment alone. Mice that received VR alongside adjuvant MEK1-pERK1/2 inhibition displayed the greatest restoration of bone and osseous union. A combinatorial approach involving adjuvant cell-penetrating antibiotic treatments alongside mitigation of excessive inflammation enhanced healing of infected fractures. © 2022 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
Effectiveness of TF‐CBT with sex trafficking victims in a secure post‐adjudication facility
Authors: Schmidt Claudia , Lenz A. Stephen , Oliver Marvarene
Published: May 2022

This study evaluated the course and degree of treatment effect for trauma‐focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF‐CBT) for decreasing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among adjudicated girls who are victims of domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST). We also aimed to understand the perceptions of the treatment while recovering from trauma symptoms and the lived experience of DMST victims engaging in TF‐CBT while living in the post‐adjudication facility. Participants were three adolescents who self‐identified as Hispanic. Results of a mixed‐method research design with multiple baselines indicated TF‐CBT was efficacious with two out of three of the girls in reducing PTSD symptoms. Qualitative data yielded five themes depicting the concurrent phases of treatment experience: protest, suppression, brokenness, stability, and breakthrough. All three girls gave voice to their experience participating in treatment and their experience engaging in treatment while living in a secure post‐adjudication juvenile facility. Implications for use of TF‐CBT with victims of DMST are provided.
Clinical application of metagenomic next‐generation sequencing technology in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary infection pathogens: A prospective single‐center study of 138 patients
Authors: Li Na , Ma Xiaolong , Zhou Jiaqi , Deng Jingjing , Gu Chao , Fei Chunyuan , Cao Linfeng , Zhang Qi , Tao Feng
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Rapid and accurate pathogen identification is essential for the treatment of pneumonia. Metagenomic next‐generation sequencing (mNGS) is a newly developed technology to obtain microbial nucleic acid sequence information quickly, efficiently, and without bias.

Methods

We performed shotgun metagenomic next‐generation sequencing (mNGS) of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) for pathogen identification in pneumonia in a prospective study with 138 patients from a single center. We compared the results of mNGS with standard methods including culture, staining, and targeted PCR and evaluated the clinical applicability of mNGS.

Results

Most of the patients (128/138, 92.75%) were cured or improved. One patient (1/138, 0.72%) died because of acute gastrointestinal bleeding, and 9 patients (9/138, 6.52%) showed no improvement. mNGS identified more bacteria (53 versus 27), fewer fungi (8 versus 31), and more viruses (16 versus 1) than standard methods. In total, treatment in 34 out of 138 cases (24.64%) was adjusted and optimized because of mNGS results. Positive mNGS results contributed to a definitive diagnosis in 23 cases (16.67%), which helped guide treatment decision by either adjusting the antibiotics without de‐escalation or continuing the empirical treatment. mNGS also confirmed no active infection in 11 cases (7.97%) allowed for antibiotic de‐escalation.

Conclusion

This prospective clinical study evaluated the clinical utility of mNGS for the diagnosis of pneumonia and showed that mNGS of BALF provides valuable information for effective treatment.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy endows CD9 with prognostic value that differs between tumor and stromal areas in patients with pancreatic cancer
Authors: Han Xuan , Zhang Wu‐Hu , Gao He‐Li , Li Tian‐Jiao , Xu Hua‐Xiang , Li Hao , Li Peng‐Cheng , Wang Xu , Yu Xian‐Jun , Wang Wen‐Quan , Liu Liang
Published: May 2022

Background

The selective pressure imposed by chemotherapy creates a barrier to tumor eradication and an opportunity for metastasis and recurrence. As a newly discovered stemness marker of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the impact of CD9 on tumor progression and patient's prognosis remain controversial.

Methods

A total of 179 and 211 PDAC patients who underwent surgical resection with or without neoadjuvant chemotherapy, respectively, were recruited for immunohistochemical analyses of CD9 expression in both tumor and stromal areas prior to statistical analyses to determine the prognostic impact and predictive accuracy of CD9.

Results

The relationship between CD9 and prognostic indicators was not significant in the non‐neoadjuvant group. Nevertheless, CD9 expression in both tumor (T‐CD9) and stromal areas (S‐CD9) was significantly correlated with the clinicopathological features in the neoadjuvant group. High levels of T‐CD9 were significantly associated with worse OS (p = 0.005) and RFS (p = 0.007), while positive S‐CD9 showed the opposite results (OS: p = 0.024; RFS: p = 0.008). Cox regression analyses identified CD9 in both areas as an independent prognostic factor. The T&S‐CD9 risk‐level system was used to stratify patients with different survival levels. The combination of T&S‐CD9 risk level and TNM stage were accurate predictors of OS (C‐index: 0.676; AIC: 512.51) and RFS (C‐index: 0.680; AIC: 519.53). The calibration curve of the nomogram composed of the combined parameters showed excellent predictive consistency for 1‐year RFS. These results were verified using a validation cohort.

Conclusion

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy endows CD9 with a significant prognostic value that differs between tumor and stromal areas in patients with pancreatic cancer.
SIRT6 mediates multidimensional modulation to maintain organism homeostasis
Authors: Yang Yueying , Zhu Man , Liang Jing , Wang Hui , Sun Dejuan , Li Hua , Chen Lixia
Published: May 2022

As a member of the silent information regulators (sirtuins) family, SIRT6 can regulate a variety of biological processes, including DNA repair, glucose and lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and lifespan, and so forth. SIRT6 maintains organism homeostasis in a variety of phenotypes by mediating epigenetic regulation and posttranslational modification of functional proteins. In this review, we outline the structural basis of SIRT6 enzyme activity and its mechanism of maintaining organism homeostasis in a variety of phenotypes, with an emphasis on the upstream that regulates SIRT6 expression and the downstream substrates. And how SIRT6 achieves multidimensional coordination to maintain organism homeostasis and even extend lifespan. We try to understand the regulatory mechanism of SIRT6 in different phenotypes from the perspective of protein interaction.
Lithium Pharmacokinetics in the Perinatal Patient With Bipolar Disorder
Authors: Clark Crystal T. , Newmark Rebecca L. , Wisner Katherine L. , Stika Catherine , Avram Michael J.
Published: May 2022

The pharmacokinetics of lithium, the gold standard for the treatment of bipolar disorder, are well described in nonpregnant patients. Because lithium is commonly prescribed to women of childbearing age, more data are essential to characterize lithium pharmacokinetics during the perinatal period. Lithium is primarily eliminated by the kidney. As a result, shifts in lithium elimination clearance parallel pregnancy‐related changes in glomerular filtration rate. Lithium's narrow therapeutic window increases the risk for therapeutic failure and toxicity when lithium elimination clearance is altered. To characterize the pharmacokinetics of lithium in pregnancy and postpartum, 3 women treated with lithium for bipolar disorder completed serial blood sampling protocols during each trimester of pregnancy and at least once postpartum. The trajectory of lithium elimination clearance, creatinine clearance, and serum lithium concentrations were determined. Manic, depressive, and anxiety symptoms were also assessed at each study visit. Compared to the nonpregnant state, lithium elimination clearance increased an average of 63.5% by the third trimester. Lithium elimination clearance was inversely related to changes in serum lithium concentration. Mood symptoms worsened with declines in serum lithium concentration. Lithium elimination clearance returned to baseline at 4 to 9 weeks postpartum. To maintain lithium effectiveness during pregnancy and prevent toxicity postpartum, lithium therapeutic drug monitoring and dose adjustments are warranted.
Optimization of imidacloprid photocatalytic degradation under UVA‐LED irradiation conditions
Authors: Duplančić Marina , Liber Kristina , Zelić Ivana Elizabeta , Kosar Vanja , Tomašić Vesna
Published: May 2022

BACKGROUND

This research deals with the photocatalytic degradation of the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid. The reaction was carried out using a flat‐plate photoreactor in recirculated batch mode over an immobilized layer of a nitrogen‐doped TiO2 photocatalyst. The characterization of the prepared photocatalyst was performed using various instrumental techniques. The irradiation sources used were UV 365 nm high‐power light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) with various powers (20 and 30 W) and irradiation intensities. The radiation intensities were changed by adjusting the voltage supplied to the UVA‐LED radiation source. Design of experiments was used to evaluate the influence of three selected variables, namely initial concentration of imidacloprid solution, pH and UVA‐LED irradiance, on the photodegradation efficiency.

RESULTS

Doping the photocatalyst with nitrogen using urea as the nitrogen source leads to a decrease in the bandgap, Eg, compared to the characteristic values obtained for a commercial unmodified TiO2‐P25 photocatalyst (2.92 ± 0.021 versus 3.38 ± 0.015 eV). Analysis of the results using the Design‐Expert software package showed that irradiance was the most significant factor in the process studied.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment of TiO2 with urea is more efficient method of TiO2 modification than nitrogen plasma pretreatment which resulted in a smaller decrease in Eg. The statistical parameters of the model equation obtained from analysis of variance confirmed the satisfactory fit of the proposed reduced cubic model to the experimental data. The results of kinetic analysis showed that the photocatalytic degradation of imidacloprid can be described by pseudo‐first‐order kinetics. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Evaluation of enterovirus nucleic acids detection method based on ultra‐fast real‐time fluorescence RT‐PCR technology—A pilot study
Authors: Gao Xiujie , Hao Jindou , Yu Lin , Cao Yan , Liang Jianfang , Han Juan , Zou Rong , Zhou Xike , Liu Peihui
Published: May 2022

The outbreak of COVID‐19 epidemic has enabled the establishment and application of various rapid detection methods. It is particularly important to establish a fast and accurate detection method for enterovirus, which will be beneficial for clinical diagnosis, epidemic prevention and control, and timely traceability. Through establishing an ultra‐fast reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) equipment, this study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the testing method of enterovirus nucleic acids based on ultra‐fast real‐time fluorescence RT‐PCR technology. A total of 61 cases were sampled, which were then transported and preserved. After the nucleic acid extraction, the nucleic acids of the same sample were tested with the enterovirus nucleic acid detection kit produced by Guangzhou Da An Gene Company and the ultra‐fast RT‐PCR equipment system established in this study. ABI7500Fast and Ahram biosystems S1 fast equipment were used for amplification detection. If the sample had an S‐shaped amplification curve in the FAM channel and the Ct value ≤40.00, the result was positive. The sensitivity, precision, and accuracy of the detection method were then verified. This study established a novel testing method to achieve enterovirus nucleic acid detection within 24 min. The sensitivity detection limit of the method was 1.0 × 102 copies/ml. The coefficients of variation for repeated detection of the high, medium, and low concentration samples were 2.644%, 1.674%, and 4.281%, respectively, with good detection repeatability. In addition, a total of 29 cases were positive by the ultra‐fast RT‐PCR detection method in 61 suspected samples, which was consistent with the conventional fluorescent RT‐PCR method. The established rapid detection method can greatly shorten the time for providing a detection report, which may greatly improve the efficiency of diagnosis and treatment.
Revisiting where to apply preimplant mapping to improve P‐wave sensing of insertable cardiac monitors
Authors: Kasai Yuhei , Kasai Jungo , Sahashi Syuichi , Shakya Sandeep , Kuji Hiroki , Hayakawa Naoki , Miyaji Kotaro , Kanda Junji
Published: May 2022

Background

Insertable cardiac monitors (ICMs) are used for long‐term cardiac rhythm monitoring. They have proven useful in diagnosing arrhythmias. They are conventionally inserted at the 4th intercostal space without preimplant mapping.

Method

We develop a new method, VisP, that finds an optimal insertion position by applying the lightweight preimplant mapping to nine candidate positions beyond the conventional ones. We retrospectively analyze consecutive 60 patients who underwent ICM insertion (Reveal LINQ™) between April 2019 and March 2021 and compare the two groups with and without VisP.

Results

After 9 patients were excluded because of ectopic atrial rhythms or atrial fibrillation, 51 patients were analyzed. Thirty‐one patients underwent the conventional insertion (non‐mapping), whereas 20 patients underwent VisP. VisP achieved large P‐wave amplitudes while retaining the R‐wave amplitude for all patients; in contrast, P waves were not detected for 11 patients out of the 31 patients in the non‐mapping group (35%). On average, the P‐wave amplitude was 0.065 mV for VisP, compared to 0.029 mV for the non‐mapping group (p‐value< .001). The average R‐wave amplitude was 0.69 mV for VisP and 0.71 mV for non‐mapping (p‐value = .88), indicating the R‐wave difference is insignificant between the two groups. VisP selected the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd intercostal spaces for 7, 11, and 2 patients, respectively, meaning that 13 out of the 20 cases (65%) fell out of the conventional insertion location of the 4th intercostal space.

Conclusions

VisP improves the diagnostic ability of ICMs by finding an optimal position that yields reliable sensing of P waves while keeping high R‐wave sensing.
Effect of locally applied simvastatin on clinical attachment level and alveolar bone in periodontal maintenance patients: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Killeen Amy C. , Krell Lauren E. , Bertels Mattie , Christiansen Mary M. , Anderson Laura , Hattervig Robin L. , Samson Kaeli K. , Wang Dong , Reinhardt Richard A.
Published: May 2022

Background

The purpose of this double‐masked, randomized, controlled trial was to determine if the local application of simvastatin (SIM), combined with minimally invasive papilla reflection and root planing (PR/RP), is effective in improving clinical attachment level (CAL), probing depth (PD) reduction, and increasing interproximal bone height (IBH) in persistent 6–9 mm periodontal pockets in patients receiving periodontal maintenance therapy (PMT).

Methods

Fifty patients with Stage III, Grade B periodontitis presenting with a 6–9 mm interproximal PD with a history of bleeding on probing (BOP) were included in the study. Experimental [PR/RP+SIM/methylcellulose (MCL); n = 27] and control (PR/RP+MCL; n = 23) therapies were randomly assigned. Root surfaces were accessed via reflection of interproximal papillae, followed by RP assisted with endoscope evaluation, acid etching, and SIM/MCL or MCL application. CAL, PD, BOP, plaque presence, and IBH (using standardized vertical bitewing radiographs) were evaluated at baseline and 12 months. Measurements were compared by group and time using Chi‐square, Wilcoxon rank‐sum, and t‐tests.

Results

Both PR/RP+SIM/MCL and PR/RP+MCL, respectively, resulted in improvements in clinical outcomes (CAL: ‐1.9 ± 0.3 mm, p < 0.0001; ‐1.0 ± 0.3 mm, p < 0.003; PD: ‐2.3 mm ± 0.3, p < 0.0001; ‐1.3 mm ± 0.3, p < 0.0001; BOP: ‐58.7%; ‐41.7%, p < 0.05) and stable IBH (‐0.2 ± 0.12, ‐0.4 ± 0.2, p = 0.22) from baseline to 12 months post‐therapy. PR/RP+SIM/MCL had more improvement in CAL (p = 0.03), PD (p = 0.007), and BOP (p = 0.047).

Conclusions

The addition of SIM/MCL to PR/RP improved CAL, PD, and BOP compared with PR/RP alone in periodontal maintenance patients.
Pulse‐Echo Technique to Compensate for Laminate Membrane Transmission Loss in Phantom‐Based Ultrasonic Attenuation Coefficient Measurements
Authors: Nagabhushana Karthik , Wang Qiuyu , Han Aiguo
Published: May 2022

Objectives

Accurately measuring the attenuation coefficient (AC) of reference phantoms is critical in clinical applications of quantitative ultrasound. Phantom AC measurement requires proper compensation of membrane transmission loss. Conventional methods require separate membrane samples to obtain membrane transmission loss. Unfortunately, separate membrane samples are often unavailable. A pulse‐echo approach is proposed herein to compensate for membrane transmission loss without requiring separate membrane samples.

Methods

The proposed method consists of the following steps. First, the insertion loss, caused by phantom attenuation and membrane transmission loss, is measured. Second, the membrane reflection coefficient is measured. Third, the unknown acoustic parameters of the membrane and phantom material are estimated by fitting theoretical reflection coefficient to the measured one. Finally, the fitted parameters are used to estimate membrane transmission loss and phantom AC. The proposed method was validated through k‐Wave simulations and phantom experiments. Experimental AC measurements were repeated on 5 distinct phantoms by 2 operators to assess the repeatability and reproducibility of the proposed method. Five transducers were used to cover a broad bandwidth (0.7–16 MHz).

Results

The acquired AC in the simulations had a maximum error of 0.06 dB/cm‐MHz for simulated phantom AC values ranging from 0.5 to 1 dB/cm‐MHz. The acquired AC in the experiments had a maximum error of 0.045 dB/cm‐MHz for phantom AC values ranging from 0.28 to 1.48 dB/cm‐MHz. Good repeatability and cross‐operator reproducibility were observed with a mean coefficient of variation below 0.054.

Conclusion

The proposed method simplifies phantom AC measurement while providing satisfactory accuracy and precision.
Competencies in an electronic trial master file used in clinical trials
Authors: Wisawapaisarn Oraya , Yodmongkol Pitipong
Published: May 2022

This study is an action research that combined theories and practices through change and reflection in a problematic situation in a real organization. A pilot research in an organizational case in Thailand indicated critical gaps in enterprise content management (ECM), called an electronic trial master file (eTMF), which resulted in challenges in eTMF implementation. The primary gap, in people's areas, was lack of competencies and performances. Therefore, the research objective following the gap identification was to enhance human capital that includes competencies and performances in the eTMF. The research combined the theories of human capital, the Fifth Discipline: shared vision, competency‐based management, and practices in real organizations. A focus group and quantitative analysis approach were applied in this research. The research participants comprised 25 employees: the country manager, experts, the assistant, and users of the eTMF. The results presented the competencies in which user participation was critical for establishing the appropriate competencies to support the achievement of the performance. The competencies in the eTMF consisted of 3 dimensions comprising knowledge, skills, and attributes, with 11 competencies concerning the components in ECM and the specific organizational ECM context. This research contributed to the workplace, pharmaceutical industry, and academics by providing approaches to enhance human capital in ECM in case people were the primary area. The research contributed to the gap identification that guided the ways to improve performance in an ECM. In addition, this research proposed human capital management concepts by providing approaches to enhance human capital during the ECM adoption phase.
Dual benefits of polyacrylamide and other soil amendments: Mitigation of soil nutrient depletion and improvement of use‐efficiency in midland agro‐ecology, Ethiopia
Authors: Mulualem Temesgen , Adgo Enyew , Meshesha Derege Tsegaye , Tsunekawa Atsushi , Haregeweyn Nigussie , Tsubo Mitsuru , Kebede Birhanu , Ebabu Kindiye , Berihun Mulatu Liyew , Wubet Anteneh , Fekadu Genetu , Demissie Simeneh , Masunaga Tsugiyuki
Published: May 2022

Polyacrylamide (PAM) mitigates soil nutrient depletion and increases nutrient utilization; however, the effect of PAM combined with other amendments have not been tested much under field condition. The objective of our study was, therefore, to identify the best combination of amendments that can improve soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) balances while maximizing utilization efficiency and profitability under teff cultivation. A field experiment was carried out for 2 years in the midland agroecology of Ethiopia. A total of 24 experimental plots were designed using RCBD with three replications. The treatments were PAM (40 kg ha−1), biochar (B = 8 t ha−1), lime (L = 4 t ha−1), gypsum (G = 5 t ha−1), PAM+B, PAM+L, PAM+G, and a control. N and P inflows from atmospheric deposition, biological fixation, and fertilizers; and outflows by water erosion, leaching, gaseous emissions, and harvested products were monitored in all plots via NUTrient MONitoring approach. Results showed that all the applied soil amendments improved nutrient balances (8–134%) compared with the control. Of the measured outflows, harvested products (43–60%) and water erosion (14–31%) were the major contributors to N depletion, followed by leaching (15–23%) and gaseous emissions (11–13%). Among the soil amendments, PAM+L appreciably reduced P loss from water erosion (61%); and N losses from erosion, leaching, and emissions by 55, 10, and 3%, respectively; and increased N use efficiency by 31% compared with the control. Moreover, PAM+L provided a net benefit much higher compared with others. Thus, application of PAM+L would be an effective strategy for sustainable agriculture, especially in acidic and degraded dryland areas.
‘Mother knows best’: Maternal oviposition effects of a range‐expanding insect herbivore degrade coastal wetlands by targeting juvenile foundation plant species
Authors: Ning Zhonghua , Chen Cong , Cui Baoshan , Zhang Yihui , Xie Tian , Wang Qing , Zhu Zhenchang , Bai Junhong , Bouma Tjeerd J.
Published: May 2022

Species range expansion induced by climate change and human activities threaten native populations and communities across the biosphere. Insect herbivores, important consumers of plants, are known to expand or contract their range under global change, with potential consequences to the newly reached environment. The selection of oviposition sites by herbivorous insects could notably impact offspring performance. However, the role of such effects in impacting the receiving ecosystem has been rarely explored. Here, we provide the first evidence showing that a terrestrial range‐expanding phytophagous wood‐borer moth (Zeuzera leuconotum Butler) heavily attacked the saplings of a foundation plant species tamarisk (Tamarix chinensis) in salt marshes. Long‐term field surveys and laboratory behaviour experiments revealed that the oviposition preference of adult females was beneficial to their larval performance. The preference to oviposit on young branches of the new host plants, which were often softer and contained enough nutrients for larval development, indicates that females could still make the right choice on novel host‐plants. This finding supports the ‘mother knows best’ hypothesis that female insects will evolve to oviposit on hosts on which their offspring fare best. Consequently, the survival of host‐plant saplings decreased dramatically under this top‐down control, revealing that herbivory of this range‐expanding insect has a profound negative impact on the recruitment and succession of coastal foundation species, thereby potentially leading to saltmarsh degradation. These findings highlight the importance of the maternal oviposition effects in range‐expanding insects and how these populations can establish using novel host‐plants and threaten coastal wetlands.
Disease surveillance by artificial intelligence links eelgrass wasting disease to ocean warming across latitudes
Authors: Aoki Lillian R. , Rappazzo Brendan , Beatty Deanna S. , Domke Lia K. , Eckert Ginny L. , Eisenlord Morgan E. , Graham Olivia J. , Harper Leah , Hawthorne Timothy L. , Hessing‐Lewis Margot , Hovel Kevin A. , Monteith Zachary L. , Mueller Ryan S. , Olson Angeleen M. , Prentice Carolyn , Stachowicz John J. , Tomas Fiona , Yang Bo , Duffy J. Emmett , Gomes Carla , Harvell C. Drew
Published: May 2022

Ocean warming endangers coastal ecosystems through increased risk of infectious disease, yet detection, surveillance, and forecasting of marine diseases remain limited. Eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows provide essential coastal habitat and are vulnerable to a temperature‐sensitive wasting disease caused by the protist Labyrinthula zosterae. We assessed wasting disease sensitivity to warming temperatures across a 3500 km study range by combining long‐term satellite remote sensing of ocean temperature with field surveys from 32 meadows along the Pacific coast of North America in 2019. Between 11% and 99% of plants were infected in individual meadows, with up to 35% of plant tissue damaged. Disease prevalence was 3× higher in locations with warm temperature anomalies in summer, indicating that the risk of wasting disease will increase with climate warming throughout the geographic range for eelgrass. Large‐scale surveys were made possible for the first time by the Eelgrass Lesion Image Segmentation Application, an artificial intelligence (AI) system that quantifies eelgrass wasting disease 5000× faster and with comparable accuracy to a human expert. This study highlights the value of AI in marine biological observing specifically for detecting widespread climate‐driven disease outbreaks.
A Precisely Designed Composite Actuator with Directionally Fast Actuation, Non‐Contact Operation, and Obstacle‐Penetrating Triggering Ability Using Aligned Nanofibers and Alternating Magnetic Field
Authors: Shao Dongyan , Song Wenjing , Qin Xiaohong , Wang Rongwu , Liu Li
Published: May 2022

An alternating magnetic field (AMF)‐induced electrospun fibrous composite actuator with functions of directionally fast actuation, non‐contact operation, and obstacle‐penetrating triggering is demonstrated in this paper for the first time. The porous structure of the electrospun fibrous mat and the built‐in heat source of Fe3O4 particles enable the actuator to have a curvature exceeding 0.4 mm−1 in only 6 s, and similar motions can be triggered even when the composite actuator is covered by a piece of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) mat. By changing the angle between the fiber orientation and long axis of the poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐co‐4‐acryloyloxybenzophenone) P(NIPAM‐ABP) fibrous mat, the direction of the actuator movement can be precisely controlled. With either a low loading amount of 5 wt% Fe3O4 particles in TPU or a low AFM of 0.5 kA m−1, it is difficult to initiate actuation, but an actuator with 10 or 15 wt% Fe3O4 particles in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) in a 2.0 or 3.8 kA m−1 AFM can trigger the actuation effectively.
Decoupled pyramid correlation network for liver tumor segmentation from CT images
Authors: Zhang Yao , Yang Jiawei , Liu Yang , Tian Jiang , Wang Siyun , Zhong Cheng , Shi Zhongchao , Zhang Yang , He Zhiqiang
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Automated liver tumor segmentation from computed tomography (CT) images is a necessary prerequisite in the interventions of hepatic abnormalities and surgery planning. However, accurate liver tumor segmentation remains challenging due to the large variability of tumor sizes and inhomogeneous texture. Recent advances based on fully convolutional network (FCN) for medical image segmentation drew on the success of learning discriminative pyramid features. In this paper, we propose a decoupled pyramid correlation network (DPC‐Net) that exploits attention mechanisms to fully leverage both low‐ and high‐level features embedded in FCN to segment liver tumor.

Methods

We first design a powerful pyramid feature encoder (PFE) to extract multilevel features from input images. Then we decouple the characteristics of features concerning spatial dimension (i.e., height, width, depth) and semantic dimension (i.e., channel). On top of that, we present two types of attention modules, spatial correlation (SpaCor) and semantic correlation (SemCor) modules, to recursively measure the correlation of multilevel features. The former selectively emphasizes global semantic information in low‐level features with the guidance of high‐level ones. The latter adaptively enhance spatial details in high‐level features with the guidance of low‐level ones.

Results

We evaluate the DPC‐Net on MICCAI 2017 LiTS Liver Tumor Segmentation (LiTS) challenge data set. Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and average symmetric surface distance (ASSD) are employed for evaluation. The proposed method obtains a DSC of 76.4% and an ASSD of 0.838 mm for liver tumor segmentation, outperforming the state‐of‐the‐art methods. It also achieves a competitive result with a DSC of 96.0% and an ASSD of 1.636 mm for liver segmentation.

Conclusions

The experimental results show promising performance of DPC‐Net for liver and tumor segmentation from CT images. Furthermore, the proposed SemCor and SpaCor can effectively model the multilevel correlation from both semantic and spatial dimensions. The proposed attention modules are lightweight and can be easily extended to other multilevel methods in an end‐to‐end manner.
A novel method to measure sensory nerve conduction of the posterior antebrachial cutaneous nerve
Authors: Hemmi Shoji , Kurokawa Katsumi , Nagai Taiji , Asano Akio , Murakami Tatsufumi , Mihara Masahito , Sunada Yoshihide
Published: May 2022

Introduction/Aims

Posterior antebrachial cutaneous (PABC) nerve conduction studies could be useful for distinguishing PABC neuropathy from C7 radiculopathy. In the conventional method using an antidromic method, the sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) is sometimes followed by a large volume‐conducted motor potential. In this report we describe a reliable nerve conduction study using an orthodromic method for recording SNAPs of the PABC nerve.

Methods

Thirty‐six healthy volunteers participated in this study. PABC SNAPs were recorded by placing a surface‐active electrode 2 cm anterior to the lateral epicondyle. The PABC nerve was stimulated 10 cm distal to the active recording electrode along a line from the recording point to the mid‐dorsum of the wrist, midway between the radial and ulnar styloid processes. We also performed PABC nerve conduction studies using an antidromic method and compared the findings.

Results

PABC SNAPs were recorded bilaterally from all subjects. The mean peak‐to‐peak amplitude for SNAPs was 13.4 ± 4.8 μV. Mean maximum conduction velocity was 62.7 ± 3.9 m/s and mean negative peak conduction velocity was 51.2 ± 2.6 m/s. The mean side‐to‐side difference in amplitude was 22.1 ± 16.0%. The mean amplitude of SNAPs obtained by our method was 48.9% higher than that of SNAPs obtained by the conventional method (13.4 vs 9.0 μV; P < .001). In contrast to the conventional method, our method enabled SNAPs to be recorded without a volume‐conducted motor potential.

Discussion

The higher mean amplitude of SNAPs with our method enables them to be obtained easily.
Hybrid effect of nanoparticles presence on low‐velocity impact resistance in sandwich panels
Authors: Emamieh Hamid Reza , Yarmohammad Tooski Mehdi , Jabbari Mohsen , Khorshidvand Ahmad Reza
Published: May 2022

Considering the massive employment of sandwich panels in multifarious applications, numerous research studies have been conducted on their impact resistance enhancement, one of which, is via simultaneous nanoparticles incorporation including various amounts of silica nanoparticles, clay nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in to sandwich panels, composed of two glass fiber epoxy composite face sheet and polyvinyl chloride core to render them reinforced. The research objective is to experimentally scrutinize the behavior of nano reinforced sandwich panels under low‐velocity impact test conducted at different energy levels. The damaged areas of the panels were investigated via scanning electron microscopy, the result of which demonstrated that the impact resistance of the sandwich panel can be improved by the integration of nanoparticles. The incorporation of 0.3% of CNT, 1% of nano clay, and 3% of nano silica enhanced maximum contact force by 18.6%, compared to the unreinforced equivalent. Increasing the weight fraction of both CNTs and silica nanoparticles, made contribution to sandwich panels impact resistance increase. The presence of nano clay up to 1 wt% improved the maximum contact force; however, the integration of it into matrix more than 1 wt% led to the reduction of maximum contact force, thus weakened the impact resistance of sandwich panel.