bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microbiological Quality of "Soumbala", an African Locust Bean (Parkia biglobosa) Condiment Sold in the Markets of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Authors: Ollo Kambire , Abel Boli Zamblé Bi Irié , Mathurin Yao Konan , Pascale Ahipo Diane Marcelle , Rose Koffi-Nevry
Published: November 2020

Aims: Produced in an artisanal way from the fermentation of the seeds of Parkia biglobosa, “Soumbala”, is a condiment very appreciated in several African countries including Côte d'Ivoire. This study was  conducted to assess the microbiological quality and fungal profile of this condiment sold in the markets of nine communes in Abidjan.

Study Design: Food safety.

Place and Duration of Study: Soumbala's samples were collected in the markets during the month of October 2019 and analyzed at the Laboratory of Microbiology and Food Biotechnology of the Nangui Abrogoua University, Côte d'Ivoire.

Methodology: For this purpose, 27 samples of "Soumbala" were taken from the different markets and analysed. The loads of the different microorganisms (mesophilic aerobic germs, total coliforms, moulds) were determined by counting after culture in agar medium. The microbiological quality has been assessed according to Directive 2005/2073/EC. The physico-chemical composition (pH, titratable acidity, moisture content) of "Soumbala" has been determined according to standard methods. The identification of the mould strains isolated from the different samples was carried out using the identification keys.

Results: The results of the various physico-chemical parameters obtained ranged from 13.81 to 20.31%, 5.58 to 6.50 and 3.73 to 9.06 % for moisture content, pH and titratable acidity, respectively. The mesophilic aerobic germ loads of 7.21 to 7.70 log10 cfu/g determined in the analyzed samples are above the acceptability limit (6 log10 cfu/g) applied in this study. The maximum loading of total coliforms was 3.92 log10 cfu/g. All mould loads are below the acceptability limit. The mould strains isolated and identified from the identification keys belong to the genus Aspergillus.

Conclusion : A public health risk related to the consumption of "Soumbala" could exist if these moulds produced mycotoxin.
Package Reliability Performance Study of QFN Device on Different Die Attach Machines
Authors: Jr. Edwin Graycochea , Rodriguez Rennier , Gomez Frederick Ray , Bacquian Bryan Christian
Published: November 2020

The paper is focused on the reliability performance of quad-flat no-leads (QFN) package evaluated on different die attach machine platforms. Reliability tests were done to check the difference in the quality and reliability performance of the device that undergone die attach process on two different machines. Thermal cycling resulted in significant difference on the two machines, with the device processed in Machine 1 showing reliability failures while on Machine 2 it passed the 1000 thermal cycle. For future works, Machine 2 could be used for devices with critical package reliability requirement.
Community Engagement through Medical Missions
Authors:   Justice College The Leadership Center (Honduras), Seeley Charles , Canelas Yudy ,   Carolina Honduras Health Foundation (Honduras), Hook Peggy ,   Carolina Honduras Health Foundation (Honduras), Schubert Valerie ,   Foundation Casa de Luz (Honduras)
Published: November 2020

The idea for this article was planted in a conversation between the lead author and one of the co-authors in mid-2019, well before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic around the world. We began work on this article late in 2019; in hindsight, life then was much simpler given that COVID-19 has already changed the world in many ways. As a result, this article examines community engagement through medical missions in the world as it existed prior to the onslaught of COVID-19. The setting for this look into community engagement through medical missions in the country of Honduras.
Torwood Broch
Authors: Cook Murray , Cavers Graeme , Cruickshanks Gemma , Hudson Gemma , Hunter Fraser , McGibbon Fiona , Watson Fiona , Bailey Geoff , Jones Cara , Richardson Phil , Cook Gordon
Published: November 2020

This paper presents the first modern account of Torwood’s artefact assemblage and the most accurate survey of the site to date. These are combined with the results of a small-scale excavation on a newly discovered outer rampart and the publication for the first time of a reused concentric ring-marked stone and a carved face. In turn, these are combined with the results of a broader reassessment of the late prehistoric settlement in the Forth Valley. This review reveals a far greater range and variety of potentially contemporary architectural forms than previously recognised, which is argued to have arisen from conspicuous consumption in the context of local competition, which in turn was aided by the increased resources resulting from the proximity of the Roman Empire. It is further argued that Torwood may be pre-Roman in origin. The context of the concentric ring-marked stone may hint at contemporary Iron Age ritual practice, while the large proportion of local sites associated with both destruction by fire and the presence of large artefact assemblages suggests an underlying common practice regarding the closure of a site after its active use, which may share features with the destruction of souterrains in Fife and Angus.

Canmore ID 47004

Canmore ID 45379

Canmore ID 44651

Canmore ID 33350

Canmore ID 30539

Canmore ID 35451

Canmore ID 45356
La Roundele, Berwick-upon-Tweed
Authors: Kent Catherine
Published: November 2020

A late 13th-century survey of Berwick-upon-Tweed includes an entry entitled ‘la Roundele’. It has not previously been interpreted satisfactorily but this paper shows it to have been a large circular site, in a secondary use by the time of the survey, at the head of the town’s early beachside marketplace. It is argued that the site’s shape, size and ability to survive in the changing townscape means that it originated in a substantial earlier structure – such as a broch or similar complex Atlantic roundhouse. The proposition accords with what is known of the early history of the Tweed estuary and southern brochs in general. Archaeological evidence for the structure may survive beneath later buildings.

 

Canmore ID 25990
Leaf Trait Plasticity and Evolution in Different Plant Functional Types
Authors: Niinemets Ülo
Published: November 2020

Phenotypic plasticity is the potential of a genotype to form different phenotypes in contrasting environments. Phenotypic plasticity is always present among plant leaves due to modularity of design such that individual leaves can acclimate to their own environment. Plasticity differs among genotypes, populations, and species and as the result plants vary in their capacity to reach the optimum phenotype and maximise fitness under different environmental conditions. Owing to high energy and carbon costs of plasticity, being most plastic does not always guarantee the maximum fitness, and the benefit of a given plastic modification depends on the rate of environmental variability, extent of plasticity, potential reversibility, and leaf longevity. There are extensive variations in the degree of plasticity, rate of plastic changes, and reversibility of different leaf chemical, physiological, and structural leaf traits. In particular, leaf chemical and physiological traits change faster and more reversibly than structural traits. Leaf photosynthetic plasticity is often structural, determined during leaf development, and therefore, largely irreversible, especially the light‐dependent plasticity. Plant adaptability to the environment is driven by plasticity and ecotypic adaptation to environmental conditions and species from different plant functional types largely vary in the share of different adaptability components along resource availability gradients. Globally, the plastic component is expected to be greater in species from high resource habitats with higher leaf metabolic activity and leaf turnover and less in species from low resource habitats with opposite suite of leaf traits. Plant functional types with persistent leaves and low leaf metabolic activity rely primarily on high constitutive tolerance to survive adverse environmental conditions, whereas plant functional types with short leaf lifespan and high leaf metabolic activity survive adverse conditions by plastic trait modifications or avoidance (ephemerals). Future work should focus on understanding the global variation in leaf plasticity as driven by plant metabolic activity and rate of regulation of transcriptome and epigenome level changes.
Whole‐plant Hydraulics, Water Saving, and Drought Tolerance: A Triptych for Crop Resilience in a Drier World
Authors: Monnens Daniel , Sadok Walid
Published: November 2020

A global increase in atmospheric vapour pressure deficit (VPD) or ‘atmospheric drought’ is driving productivity losses across ecosystems and agrosystems. Fortunately, over the last 15 years, substantial progress has been made in developing cultivars of major crops that take advantage of increases in evaporative demand to increase yields under drought. Such progress has been achieved thanks to knowledge leveraged from plant hydraulics to identify water‐saving traits enabling increased soil moisture during the critical seed‐fill phase (i.e. a yield‐based drought‐tolerance, in opposition to plant survival). Such promising traits include enhancing crop transpiration rate sensitivity to increasing VPD or to soil drying and decreasing night‐time transpiration, especially in areas with high nocturnal VPD. Despite a surge of literature on the topic of drought‐tolerance over the same period, an integrative, organismal understanding of the processes underlying these water‐saving traits is still, surprisingly, limited. This hampers much‐needed efforts to fast‐track breeding of drought‐tolerant cultivars and to increase accuracy of models predicting vegetation response to climate change. In this article, we provide an overview of the triptych defined by whole‐plant hydraulics, water‐saving traits, and yield‐based drought‐tolerance by recruiting basic concepts in plant–water relations, crop physiology, and recent developments in plant hormonal biology and functional ecology, at scales ranging from cellular to whole‐plant levels. We discuss knowledge gaps, trade‐offs, and outline general guidelines for future, integrative research efforts.
CO2‐Based Dual‐Tone Resists for Electron Beam Lithography
Authors: Lu Xin‐Yu , Luo Hao , Wang Kai , Zhang Yao‐Yao , Zhu Xiao‐Feng , Li Dongxue , Ma Bingze , Xiong Shisheng , Nealey Paul F. , Li Qiang , Wu Guang‐Peng
Published: November 2020

The increasing global environmental and energy crisis has urgently motivated the advancement of sustainable materials. Significant effort has been focused on developing new materials to replace the fossil‐based resists in the semiconductor industry based on greener sources such as ice, dry ice, small organic molecules, and proteins. Such resist materials, however, have yet to meet the stringent requirements of high sensitivity, high resolution, reliable repeatability, and good compatibility with the current protocols. To this end, CO2‐based polycarbonates (CO2‐PCs) obtained from the copolymerization of CO2 and epoxides are demonstrated as sustainable dual‐tone (positive & negative tone) resists for electron beam lithography. By adjusting the chemical structure, developing agent, and molecular weight, the CO2‐PCs present high sensitivities to electron beam (1.3/120 µC cm−2), narrow critical dimensions (29/58 nm), and moderate line edge roughness (4.6/26.7 nm) for negative and positive resists, respectively. A deep understanding of the exposure mechanism of CO2‐PC resists is provided on the basis of the Fourier transform infrared, Raman, and electron ionization mass spectroscopy. 2D photonic crystal devices are fabricated using the negative and positive CO2‐PC resists, respectively, and both devices show distinct colors derived from their well‐defined nanostructures, indicating the great practical potential of CO2‐derived electron beam resists.
Engineering Platelet‐Rich Plasma Based Dual‐Network Hydrogel as a Bioactive Wound Dressing with Potential Clinical Translational Value
Authors: Zhang Xiang , Yao Dan , Zhao Weiyi , Zhang Rui , Yu Bingran , Ma Guiping , Li Yang , Hao Daifeng , Xu Fu‐Jian
Published: November 2020

Delayed wound healing has a profound impact on patients, healthcare, and society. Platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) gel, as a preparation for regenerative medicine, has proven to be of clinical value in various wound treatments. Nevertheless, its weak mechanical properties and consequent burst release effect have restricted its application and efficacy. Here, an engineered PRP dual‐network hydrogel (named DN gel) based on sodium alginate is constructed through a simple “one‐step” activation process. Its improved gelling property and sustained release of growth factors may be beneficial for clinical use. Evaluations in rats indicate that DN gel promote wound healing in terms of rapid re‐epithelialization, up‐regulated growth factor levels and early transitions in the wound healing and angiogenesis stages. As a proof of concept, DN gel also exhibits superior healing efficiency in a porcine wound model. These results demonstrate the great potential of transforming this hydrogel into the next generation of PRP‐based bioactive wound dressing.
Full Concentration Gradient‐Tailored Li‐Rich Layered Oxides for High‐Energy Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Wu Tianhao , Liu Xiang , Zhang Xu , Lu Yue , Wang Boya , Deng Qingsong , Yang Yubo , Wang Errui , Lyu Zhongtian , Li Yaoqian , Wang Yongtao , Lyu Yan , He Cunfu , Ren Yang , Xu Guiliang , Sun Xueliang , Amine Khalil , Yu Haijun
Published: November 2020

Lithium‐rich layered oxides (LLOs) are prospective cathode materials for next‐generation lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), but severe voltage decay and energy attenuation with cycling still hinder their practical applications. Herein, a series of full concentration gradient‐tailored agglomerated‐sphere LLOs are designed with linearly decreasing Mn and linearly increasing Ni and Co from the particle center to the surface. The gradient‐tailored LLOs exhibit noticeably reduced voltage decay, enhanced rate performance, improved cycle stability, and thermal stability. Without any material modifications or electrolyte optimizations, the gradient‐tailored LLO with medium‐slope shows the best electrochemical performance, with a very low average voltage decay of 0.8 mV per cycle as well as a capacity retention of 88.4% within 200 cycles at 200 mA g−1. These excellent findings are due to spinel structure suppression, electrochemical stress optimization, and Jahn‐Teller effect inhibition. Further investigation shows that the gradient‐tailored LLO reduces the thermal release percentage by as much as about 41% when the battery is charged to 4.4 V. This study provides an effective method to suppress the voltage decay of LLOs for further practical utilization in LIBs and also puts forward a bulk‐structure design strategy to prepare better electrode materials for different rechargeable batteries.
Elucidation of the Synergistic Effect of Dopants and Vacancies on Promoted Selectivity for CO2 Electroreduction to Formate
Authors: Li Zhongjian , Cao Ang , Zheng Qiang , Fu Yuanyuan , Wang Tingting , Arul K. Thanigal , Chen Jeng‐Lung , Yang Bin , Adli Nadia Mohd , Lei Lecheng , Dong Chung‐Li , Xiao Jianping , Wu Gang , Hou Yang
Published: November 2020

Sn‐based materials are identified as promising catalysts for the CO2 electroreduction (CO2RR) to formate (HCOO−). However, their insufficient selectivity and activity remain grand challenges. A new type of SnO2 nanosheet with simultaneous N dopants and oxygen vacancies (VO‐rich N‐SnO2 NS) for promoting CO2 conversion to HCOO− is reported. Due to the likely synergistic effect of N dopant and VO, the VO‐rich N‐SnO2 NS exhibits high catalytic selectivity featured by an HCOO− Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 83% at −0.9 V and an FE of > 90% for all C1 products (HCOO− and CO) at a wide potential range from −0.9 to −1.2 V. Low coordination Sn–N moieties are the active sites with optimal electronic and geometric structures regulated by VO and N dopants. Theoretical calculations elucidate that the reaction free energy of HCOO* protonation is decreased on the VO‐rich N‐SnO2 NS, thus enhancing HCOO− selectivity. The weakened H* adsorption energy also inhibits the hydrogen evolution reaction, a dominant side reaction during the CO2RR. Furthermore, using the catalyst as the cathode, a spontaneous Galvanic Zn‐CO2 cell and a solar‐powered electrolysis process successfully demonstrated the efficient HCOO− generation through CO2 conversion and storage.
Thin‐Metal‐Film‐Based Transparent Conductors: Material Preparation, Optical Design, and Device Applications
Authors: Zhang Cheng , Ji Chengang , Park Yong‐Bum , Guo L. Jay
Published: November 2020

Transparent conductors are essential elements in an array of optoelectronic devices. The most commonly used transparent conductor – indium tin oxide (ITO) suffers from issues including poor mechanical flexibility, rising cost, and the need for annealing to achieve high conductivity. Consequently, there has been intensive research effort in developing ITO‐free transparent conductors over the recent years. This article gives a comprehensive review on the development of an important ITO‐free transparent conductor, that is based on thin metal films. It starts with the background knowledge of material selection for thin‐metal‐film‐based transparent conductors and then surveys various techniques to fabricate high‐quality thin metal films. Then, it introduces the spectroscopic ellipsometry method for characterizing thin metal films with high accuracy, and discusses the optical design procedure for optimizing transmittance through thin‐metal‐film‐based conductors. The review also summarizes diverse applications of thin‐metal‐film‐based transparent conductors, ranging from solar cells and organic light emitting diodes, to optical spectrum filters, low‐emissivity windows, and transparent electromagnetic interference coatings.
Aerosol‐Jet‐Printed Donor‐Blocking Layer for Organic Photodiodes
Authors: Seiberlich Mervin , Strobel Noah , Ruiz‐Preciado Luis Arturo , Ruscello Marta , Lemmer Uli , Hernandez‐Sosa Gerardo
Published: November 2020

Organic photodiodes (OPDs) are optical sensors combining high performance, lightweight mechanical flexibility, and processability from solution. Their fabrication by industrial printing techniques opens a wide range of innovative applications for emerging fields in sensing and the Internet of Things. They typically consist of printed multilayers with functionalities to absorb light, to extract charges, or to reduce detection noise. However, the printing of such device architecture poses a challenge as the deposition of a material can lead to disruption of film morphology or intermixing of materials if its solvent interacts with the previously deposited layer. This work proposes a process to print multilayers from the same solvent system utilizing the aerosol‐jet technique. By fine adjustment of the aerosol properties through the tube temperature (TTube), the drying time of poly(3‐hexylthiophene‐2,5‐diyl) (P3HT) printed layers is significantly reduced. This allows its deposition onto a P3HT‐based bulk‐heterojunction (BHJ) without negatively affecting its performance. The additional printed P3HT layer, spatially extends the donor region of the BHJ, providing ideal hole extraction and simultaneous noise reduction by the blocking of injected electrons. This donor blocking layer (DBL) yields a noise reduction of two orders of magnitude in OPDs operated under −2 V reverse bias.
Asymmetric Alkoxy and Alkyl Substitution on Nonfullerene Acceptors Enabling High‐Performance Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Chen Yuzhong , Bai Fujin , Peng Zhengxing , Zhu Lei , Zhang Jianquan , Zou Xinhui , Qin Yunpeng , Kim Ha Kyung , Yuan Jun , Ma Lik‐Kuen , Zhang Jie , Yu Han , Chow Philip C. Y. , Huang Fei , Zou Yingping , Ade Harald , Liu Feng , Yan He
Published: November 2020

In this paper, a strategy of asymmetric alkyl and alkoxy substitution is applied to state‐of‐the‐art Y‐series nonfullerene acceptors (NFAs), and it achieves great performance in organic solar cell (OSC) devices. Since alkoxy groups can have a significant influence on the material properties of NFAs, alkoxy substitution is applied to the Y6 molecule in a symmetric manner. The resulting molecule (named Y6‐2O), despite showing improved open‐circuit voltage (Voc), yields extremely poor performance due to low solubility and excessive aggregation properties, a change that is due to the conformational locking effect of alkoxy groups. In contrast, asymmetric alkyl and alkoxy substitution on Y6, yields a molecule named Y6‐1O that can maintain the positive effect of Voc improvement and obtain reasonably good solubility. The resulting molecule Y6‐1O enables highly efficient nonfullerene OSCs with 17.6% efficiency and the asymmetric side‐chain strategy has the potential to be applied to other NFA‐material systems to further improve their performance.
Taking the sleep lab to the field: Biometric techniques for quantifying sleep and circadian rhythms in humans
Authors: Samson David R.
Published: November 2020

Objectives

Remarkably, the specifics of sleep along the human lineage have been slow to emerge, which is surprising given our distinct mental and behavioral capacity and the importance of sleep for individual health and cognitive performance. Largely due to difficultly of measuring sleep outside a controlled, clinical, and laboratory study in ambulatory individuals, human biologists have yet to undergo a thorough examination of sleep in ecologically diverse settings. Here, I outline the procedures and methods for generating sleep data in a broader ecological context with the goal of facilitating the integration of sleep and circadian analyses into human biology research.

Methods

I describe the steps involved in participant recruitment, screening by way of survey instruments, and sample collection. In addition to describing field use of the traditional (but invasive) equipment such as the gold‐standard application of electroencephalography (EEG), I demonstrate leading‐edge noninvasive techniques for biometric devices (ie, wrist‐worn actigraphy, ring worn arterial pulsometry) to generate sleep and circadian rhythms data.

Results

I outline best approaches to process and analyze data—including variables such as sleep duration, 24‐hour sleep time (ie, summation of night and day sleep), sleep efficiency, sleep fragmentation, and nonparametric circadian rhythms analysis to quantify circadian amplitude. Finally, I discuss comparative statistical methods that are optimized for the use of time‐series data.

Conclusions

This review serves as an introduction to the best practices for studying sleep‐wake patterns in humans—with the goal of standardizing tools for launching new human sleep biology research initiatives across the globe.
Heterozygous recurrent HNF4A variant p.Arg85Trp causes Fanconi renotubular syndrome 4 with maturity onset diabetes of the young, an autosomal dominant phenocopy of Fanconi Bickel syndrome with colobomas
Authors: Sheppard Sarah E. , Barrett Brett , Muraresku Colleen , McKnight Heather , De Leon Diva D. , Lord Katherine , Ganetzky Rebecca
Published: November 2020

Heterozygous pathogenic variants in HNF4A cause hyperinsulinism, maturity onset diabetes of the young type 1, and more rarely Fanconi renotubular syndrome. Specifically, the recurrent missense pathogenic variant c.253C>T (p.Arg85Trp) has been associated with a syndromic form of hyperinsulinism with additional features of macrosomia, renal tubular nephropathy, hypophosphatemic rickets, and liver involvement. We present an affected mother, who had been previously diagnosed clinically with the autosomal recessive Fanconi Bickel Syndrome, and her affected son. The son's presentation expands the clinical phenotype to include multiple congenital anomalies, including penile chordee with hypospadias and coloboma. This specific pathogenic variant should be considered in the differential diagnosis of Fanconi Bickel Syndrome when genetics are negative or the family history is suggestive of autosomal dominant inheritance. The inclusion of hyperinsulinism and maturity onset of the diabetes of the young changes the management of this syndrome and the recurrence risk is distinct. Additionally, this family also emphasizes the importance of genetic confirmation of clinical diagnoses, especially in adults who grew up in the premolecular era that are now coming to childbearing age. Finally, the expansion of the phenotype to include multiple congenital anomalies suggests that the full spectrum of HNF4A is likely unknown.
Transition‐Metal‐Free C−H Silylation: An Emerging Strategy
Authors: Tyagi Aparna , Yadav Naveen , Khan Jabir , Singh Sanjay , Kumar Hazra Chinmoy
Published: November 2020

Silicon‐containing molecules are of great interest with widespread applications in several research areas such as polymer chemistry, materials science, medicinal chemistry, and complex molecule synthesis. Transition‐metal‐free C−H silylation is an essential process because this process is useful in fabricating carbon‐silicon bonds which can be further transformed into a number of other compounds. Since transition‐metal‐catalyzed C−H bond silylation is a developed field, therefore this context only contains transition‐metal‐free pathways for transforming C−H bond to C−Si (Si=SiR3) bond. This review has been further categorized and subcategorized based on intermediates involved and catalysts used during this transformation. This synopsis summarizes recent developments in the area of silicon chemistry with a focus of innovative transition‐metal‐free catalytic silylation using different strategies such as free radical, base promoted, Brønsted acid, Lewis acid, and frustrated Lewis pair.
Molar crown formation times of fossil orangutan molars from Guangxi, China
Authors: Hu Rong , Zhao Lingxia
Published: November 2020

Objectives

We aimed to investigate molar enamel development in fossil orangutans from Guangxi and shed light on the evolution of Asian great apes.

Materials and methods

We collected 32 fossil orangutan molars, most of which were from Guangxi apothecaries and the Guangxi Daxin Heidong cave, and prepared histological sections of each molar. We then characterized aspects of dental development, including long period line periodicity, number of Retzius lines and lateral enamel formation time, cuspal enamel thickness, and enamel formation time.

Results

The long period line periodicity in fossil orangutans ranged from 9 to 10 days (mean, 9.09 days). The molar lateral enamel formation time ranged from 1.48 to 3.17 years (540–1,152 days). Cuspal enamel thickness in fossil orangutan molars ranged from 949 to 2,535 μm, and cuspal enamel formation time ranged from 0.64 to 1.87 years. Molar enamel formation time of fossil orangutans ranged from 2.47 to 4.67 years.

Discussion

Long‐period line periodicity of fossil orangutans from Guangxi was within the variation range of extant orangutans, and the average long period line periodicity (9.09 days) of fossil orangutans from Guangxi in this study was lower than the values for extant orangutans (9.5 days) and fossil orangutans (10.9 days) from Sumatra and Vietnam. Orangutan enamel thickness may have gradually decreased from the Middle Pleistocene to Holocene. Crown formation time of fossil orangutans was slightly longer than that of extant orangutans, and the M1 emergence age of fossil orangutans from Guangxi was about 4–6 years. These findings might indicate the regional difference or evolutionary changes in orangutans since Pleistocene. Dental development of the Guangxi fossil orangutans were more similar to that of Asian Miocene apes, suggesting the closer evolutionary relationship of orangutans to Miocene Asian fossil apes.
Comparative performance analysis of electrospun TiO2 embedded poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanocomposite membrane for supercapacitors
Authors: Arthi R. , Jaikumar V. , Muralidharan P.
Published: November 2020

For an efficient energy storage system, effective material is to be used. In the present work, novel poly(vinylidene fluoride)/titanium oxide (PVdF/TiO2) composite membranes were developed using electrospinning technique, as separator for supercapacitors. Different weight percentages of TiO2 nanoparticle (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt%) were mixed with 20 wt% of PVdF in a 50:50 wt% of tetrahydrofuran and dimethylacetamide solvent. Various physical and electrochemical properties including fiber diameter, thermal stability, crystallinity, porosity, and electrolytic uptake were studied to identify the best membrane with optimum TiO2 wt% exhibiting superior characteristics. SEM and TGA studies revealed that the developed PVdF/TiO2 composite membrane with 10 wt% showed improved properties with a lower average diameter of about 66 ± 8 nm, enhanced thermal stability up to 513.15°C and higher porosity of 89%, respectively compared to other membranes. The crystallinity, ionic conductivity, and specific capacitance of the nonwoven separator membranes were determined using X‐ray diffraction technique, electrolytic uptake, and charge–discharge studies, respectively. The present study revealed that the addition of TiO2 nanoparticles improved the physical and thermochemical properties of the separator membrane substantially and PVdF/TiO2 composite membrane with 10 wt% displayed superior performance compared to other membranes.
Instructional Approaches: Anatomy Education of Physical Therapists
Authors: Simons Ashley C. , McHugh Kirk M. , Appling Susan , Harris Shannon L. , Burgoon Jennifer M.
Published: November 2020

The profession of physical therapy has undergone an evolution since its inception. Since the early 1900s it has grown from a technical training program to a doctorate level degree. Human anatomy courses remain a requirement for physical therapist educational curricula. However, changes in anatomy pedagogy have been trending within health profession educational models, leading to questions regarding which method is best for student learning. The objective of this study was to determine if anatomy instructional method used within physical therapist educational curricula impacted current anatomy knowledge. Licensed physical therapists were recruited to complete a demographic survey and a questionnaire to demonstrate their knowledge of anatomy topics. Anatomy topics included six regional components: (1) upper limb; (2) lower limb; (3) thorax and abdomen; (4) pelvis; (5) spine; and (6) head. Each regional component contained five questions regarding systemic subsets related to joints and osteology, muscles, nervous system, vasculature, and special areas (e.g., spatial orientations, structures within spaces, pathways of nerves). Within the thorax and abdominal region, data analysis indicated that the dissection instruction method, when compared to no laboratory instruction, led to statistically significant greater anatomical knowledge (P = 0.02). Dissection also showed greater means when compared to the no laboratory method (P = 0.02) and the prosection method in the head region (P = 0.01). However, the variance explained by instructional method was small. This study adds empirical evidence regarding current anatomy knowledge exhibited by physical therapists as the level of anatomical knowledge exhibited small differences based on instructional methods.
Utilization of the Maternal and Child Health Handbook in Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Authors: Hirota Tomoya , Bishop Somer , Adachi Masaki , Shui Amy , Takahashi Michio , Mori Hiroyuki , Nakamura Kazuhiko
Published: November 2020

There is relatively little information about prospectively reported developmental milestones from caregivers of children who go on to be diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study examined rates of early skill attainment in 5‐year‐old children who participated in a comprehensive in‐person assessment for NDDs in Hirosaki in Japan. Developmental milestone data were extracted from their Maternal and Child Health Handbook (MCHH), a booklet distributed to all pregnant women as part of universal health care. Seven hundred and twenty children underwent the assessment, among whom 455 received one or more NDD diagnoses (ASD: n = 124, non‐ASD NDD: n = 331). Developmental skills were organized into four domains (motor, social interaction, communication, self‐help), and the cumulative number of potential delays in each domain was calculated for each participant within three different age ranges (by 12 months, by 24 months, and by 36 months). Even by age 12 months, children with ASD/NDDs showed more potential delays across domains compared to those who received no NDD diagnosis. However, differences between those with ASD and those with non‐ASD NDDs were not apparent until 24 months for social interaction and communication, and 36 months for self‐help. These findings provide insights into specific behaviors that could be used to screen for ASD and other NDDs. In addition, the present study indicates the potential utility of the MCHH as a broadband screening tool to educate parents about what to look for in charting their child's early development.

Lay Summary

The present study examined prospectively charted developmental milestones from home‐based records used as part of universal health care in 720 5‐year‐old children from Hirosaki, Japan. All children participated in a comprehensive evaluation to determine if they met criteria for a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Compared to those who received no NDD diagnosis, children with NDDs exhibited higher rates of potential delays across developmental domains, including social interaction, communication, and self‐help. For some children, these delays were apparent before the age of 12 months. Differences between diagnostic groups became even more pronounced by 24 and 36 months, well before the average age of diagnosis. This suggests that home‐based records can be useful tools to educate caregivers about what to look for in charting their child's early development and could assist with early screening efforts.
Use of a Novel In Situ Hardening Biphasic Alloplastic Bone Grafting Material for Guided Bone Regeneration Around Dental Implants: A Prospective Case Series
Authors: Levin Liran , Clark‐Perry Danielle
Published: November 2020

Introduction

The novel bioresorbable polymer poly (lactide‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) coated biphasic calcium phosphate material (BCP) hardens into a stable and porous hard tissue scaffold when exposed to body fluids. The self‐containable, stable bone graft material might be beneficial for facilitating guided bone regeneration (GBR) around dental implants, especially for a defect with an absence of bony wall(s). The aim of this prospective case series is to evaluate the post‐surgical implant survival and success where the in situ hardening BCP was used for GBR around dental implants.

Case Series

Ten patients received 13 implants with simultaneous bone augmentation. Dehiscence and/or fenestration type of bony defect was detected in nine surgical sites, and three surgical sites exhibited a suprabony defect. In nine out of the 13 implants, a membrane was used in conjunction with the bone grafting.

Patients were evaluated at the day of the surgery as well as 2 weeks, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. All post‐surgical wounds were uneventfully healed. Radiographic bone levels showed stability over time with an average bone loss/remodeling of 0.19 ± 0.6 mm (range, −0.5‐1.5 mm) from implant placement to the last follow‐up at 12 months. All implants survived after 12 months.

Conclusions

Implant placement with simultaneous bone grafting using the in situ hardening BCP, was shown to be a viable and safe procedure with stable clinical and radiographic results over the follow‐up period. Further long‐term studies are warranted, however, the combination of the ease of handling and the favorable results are promising.
Agronomic performance and phenolic profile of Tritordeum (x Tritordeum martinii A. Pujadas) lines
Authors: Montesano Vincenzo , Negro Donatella , De Lisi Antonino , Urbano Marcella , Sarli Giulio , Laghetti Gaetano
Published: November 2020

Background and objectives

Tritordeum, a cereal obtained by crossing a durum wheat and a wild barley, has attracted interest for its suitability as a functional food crop, but the phenolic compounds present in the grain and the agronomic effect of crop year on levels of phenolics have yet to be elucidated. The objective of the present three‐year study was to analyze the agronomic aspects and phenolic acid content of five Tritordeum lines grown in Southern Italy.

Findings

Agronomical results showed the good potential of this cereal that can be considered a promising species for this environment, highlighting that at present the Tritordeum JB1, HT444, and HT621 resulted in higher values than durum wheat for most of the grain parameters (harvest index, height of plant, test weight, 1,000‐kernel weight, and protein content) and phenolic content (gallic, p‐hydroxybenzoic, chlorogenic, and gentisic). Despite until recent days limited information is available about the concentration and the composition of phenolic acids in Tritordeum, twelve phenolic acids were identified across the genotypes.

Conclusions

Tritordeum showed a relevant concentration of free phenolic acids and in particular HT621 contains the highest amounts of ferulic and sinapic acids. Moreover, cinnamic and gentisic acids have been reported in Tritordeum grain for the first time, being reported only in other cereals.

Significance and novelty

To our knowledge, no other studies have reported as complete a phenolic profile of the species. Tritordeum has good potential for the production of food products rich in phenolic compounds.
Characterization of adherent primary cell lines from fresh human glioblastoma tissue, defining glial fibrillary acidic protein as a reliable marker in establishment of glioblastoma cell culture
Authors: Grube Susanne , Freitag Diana , Kalff Rolf , Ewald Christian , Walter Jan
Published: November 2020

Background

Primary adherent glioblastoma cell lines are an important tool in investigating cellular and molecular tumor biology, as well as treatment options for patients.

Aim

The phenotypical and immunocytochemical characterization of primary cell lines from glioblastoma specimens during establishment is of great importance, in order to reliably identify these cell lines as primary glioblastoma cell lines.

Methods and Results

Sixteen primary adherent cell lines out of 34 glioblastoma samples (47%) were established and further characterized. For phenotypical characterization, morphology and growth characteristics of the cells were classified. The cell lines had a high growth rate with a doubling time of 2 to 14 days. Morphologically, the cells displayed spindle‐form or polygonal to amorphous shapes and grow as monolayer or in foci without evidence of contact inhibition. The cells were able to migrate and to form colonies. For further characterization, the protein expression of the astrocyte‐specific protein glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), the glial marker S100B, the neuronal marker TUBB3, and malignancy marker VIM, as well as the progenitor markers NES and SOX2, the proliferation marker MKI67, and the fibroblast marker TE7 were determined. Based on the immunocytochemical validation criterion of a coexpression of GFAP and S100B, 15 out of these 16 cell lines (94%) were defined as primary glioblastoma cell lines (pGCL). All 15 pGCL expressed TUBB3 and VIM. NES and SOX2 were stained positively in 13/15 and 6/15 pGCL. MKI67 was expressed in 11/15 and TE7 in 2/15 pGCL.

Conclusion

These results point out that in self‐established primary adherent glioblastoma cell lines, the expression of the specific astrocytic and glial markers GFAP and S100B and of the malignancy and progenitor markers VIM, NES, and SOX2 has to be validated. These data show that primary cell lines of glioblastoma origin with high malignant potential are reliably to establish using standardized validation criteria.
Cloud apps to‐go: Cloud portability with TOSCA and MiCADO
Authors: DesLauriers James , Kiss Tamas , Ariyattu Resmi C. , Dang Hai‐Van , Ullah Amjad , Bowden James , Krefting Dagmar , Pierantoni Gabriele , Terstyanszky Gabor
Published: November 2020

As cloud adoption increases, so do the number of available cloud service providers. Moving complex applications between clouds can be beneficial—or other times necessary—but achieving this so‐called cloud portability is rarely straightforward. This article presents the adoption of OASIS TOSCA, a standard in the declarative description of cloud applications, to encourage and facilitate cloud portability in MiCADO, an application‐level multi‐cloud orchestration and auto‐scaling framework. The interface to MiCADO is an Application Description Template, which draws from the TOSCA specification to describe an application in MiCADO. The generic design of these templates is presented and their applicability for achieving portability between different container and cloud environments is analysed and evaluated. A proof‐of‐concept where MiCADO serves as the deployment and execution engine for a Science Gateway in Sleep Healthcare is then described. In this proof‐of‐concept, MiCADO facilitates the deployment of a complex healthcare application, which is then moved from one cloud service provider to another with only minimal changes to the template which originally described it. This TOSCA‐based approach to templates in MiCADO encourages movement between clouds by making cloud portability more approachable.
The impact of repeat fine‐needle aspiration in thyroid nodules categorized as atypia of undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance: A single center experience
Authors: Marin Fernando , Murillo Raquel , Diego Cristina , Jodar Esteban , Acevedo Agustín
Published: November 2020

Background

Atypia of undetermined significance (AUS) or follicular lesion of undetermined significance (FLUS) is the most controversial category of the Bethesda System. The present study was conducted to compare the histological findings in a series of thyroid nodules diagnosed with AUS/FLUS after single or repeat fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of our institution's series of 514 patients with an initial diagnosis of AUS/FLUS between 11/2011 and 02/2020.

Results

Of 4887 FNA samples, 11.8% were classified as AUS/FLUS. Of patients with an initial AUS/FLUS diagnosis, 11.5% (59/514) underwent surgery after a single FNA, 55.4% (285/514) had a repeat FNA, and 32.7% (168/514) were either observed or lost to follow‐up. Surgical pathology was available in 123 cases (23.9%), and malignancy was confirmed in 32.5% (40/123) cases, with similar rates in the single 32.2% (19/59) and repeat FNA 32.8% (21/64) groups. Repeat FNA reclassified 78.9% of the AUS/FLUS cases to a different category: 57.2% were reclassified as benign, 10.5% as follicular neoplasm, and 5.6% as suspicious for malignancy or malignant. The rates of nonneoplastic benign lesions were 52.5% (31/59) and 31.2% (20/64) in the single and repeat FNA groups, respectively (P = .018). The rates of follicular adenomas were higher when repeat FNA was performed (23/64, 35.9%) compared with a single FNA (9/59; 15.2%) (P = .013).

Conclusion

In this series, a repeat FNA in cases of AUS/FLUS increased detection of follicular adenomas but not the detection of malignancy. Repeat FNA reduced the rate of benign nonneoplastic lesions by 40% in the surgical samples.
Cardiovascular disease in patients with type 1 diabetes: Early evaluation, risk factors and possible relation with cardiac autoimmunity
Authors: Shi Mei , Tang Rong , Huang Fansu , Zhong Ting , Chen Yan , Li Xia , Zhou Zhiguang
Published: November 2020

Cardiovascular disease now is the leading cause of mortality among patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The risk of death from cardiovascular events in subjects with T1D is 2–10 times higher than the general population, depending on blood glucose control. Although complications of cardiovascular disease occur in middle and old age, pathological processes begin in childhood. Some methods used to evaluate subclinical cardiovascular disease, such as carotid intima‐media thickness and pulse wave velocity, can detect early cardiovascular abnormalities in adolescence. The effect of risk factors including hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetic nephropathy on cardiovascular disease has been well studied. According to the current clinical practice recommendations from the American Diabetes Association, cardiovascular risk factors should be systematically assessed at least annually and treated as recommended. And yet, the effects of intensive insulin therapy on cardiovascular risk, as well as the mechanisms of cardiac autoimmunity require further studying. This review concentrates on the cardiovascular risk in type 1 diabetes in order to provide a comprehensive outlook of its epidemiology, early assessment, risk factors and possible relations with cardiac autoimmunity, aiming to propose promising therapeutic strategies.
Comparing eating disorder characteristics and treatment in self‐identified competitive athletes and non‐athletes from the National Eating Disorders Association online screening tool
Authors: Flatt Rachael E. , Thornton Laura M. , Fitzsimmons‐Craft Ellen E. , Balantekin Katherine N. , Smolar Lauren , Mysko Claire , Wilfley Denise E. , Taylor C. Barr , DeFreese J. D. , Bardone‐Cone Anna M. , Bulik Cynthia M.
Published: November 2020

Objective

We compared eating disorder (ED) characteristics and treatment seeking behaviors between self‐identified competitive athletes and non‐athletes in a large, community‐based sample.

Method

During the 2018 National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, 23,920 respondents, 14.7% of whom identified as competitive athletes, completed the National Eating Disorders Association online screen. Data were collected on demographics, disordered eating behaviors, probable ED diagnosis/risk, treatment history, and intent to seek treatment.

Results

The sample was predominantly White (81.8%), female (90.3%), and between 13 and 24 years (82.6%). Over 86% met criteria for an ED/subthreshold ED, and of those, only 2.5% were in treatment. Suicidal ideation was reported in over half of the sample. Athletes reported a significantly greater likelihood of engaging in and more frequent excessive exercise episodes than non‐athletes. Athletes also reported a significantly lower likelihood of engaging in and less frequent binge‐eating episodes compared with non‐athletes. Athletes were more likely to screen positive for an ED/subthreshold ED than non‐athletes, but percentages across all probable ED diagnoses were similar. No significant differences between athletes and non‐athletes emerged on treatment history or intention to seek treatment post‐screen (less than 30%).

Discussion

Although the distribution of probable ED diagnoses was similar in athletes and non‐athletes, symptom profiles related to disordered eating behavior engagement and frequency may differ. Athletes may be less likely to seek treatment due to stigma, accessibility, and sport‐specific barriers. Future work should directly connect survey respondents to tailored treatment tools and increase motivation to seek treatment.