bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of Outpatient Behavioral Health Treatment With Medical and Pharmacy Costs in the First 27 Months Following a New Behavioral Health Diagnosis in the US
Authors: Bellon Johanna , Quinlan Carol , Taylor Beth , Nemecek Douglas , Borden Eva , Needs Priya
Published: December 2022

Importance

Outpatient behavioral health treatment (OPBHT) is an effective treatment for behavioral health conditions (BHCs) that may also be associated with improved medical health outcomes, but evidence regarding the cost-effectiveness of OPBHT across a large population has not been established.

Objective

To investigate whether individuals newly diagnosed with a BHC who used OPBHT incurred lower medical and pharmacy costs over 15 and 27 months of follow-up compared with those not using OPBHT.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective cohort study of commercially insured individuals in the US was conducted using administrative insurance claims data for individuals newly diagnosed with 1 or more BHCs between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2018. Data were examined using a 12-month period before BHC diagnosis and 15- and 27-month follow-up periods. Participants included individuals aged 1 to 64 years who received any OPBHT with or without behavioral medication or who did not receive OPBHT or behavioral medication in the 15 months following diagnosis. Data were analyzed from May to October 2021.

Exposures

Receipt of OPBHT both as a dichotomous variable and categorized by number of OPBHT visits.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The main outcome was the association between OPBHT treatment and 15- and 27-month medical and pharmacy costs, assessed using a generalized linear regression model with γ distribution, controlling for potential confounders.

Results

The study population included 203 401 individuals, of whom most were male (52%), White, non-Hispanic (75%), and 18 to 64 years of age (67%); 22% had at least 1 chronic medical condition in addition to a BHC. Having 1 or more OPBHT visits was associated with lower adjusted mean per-member, per-month medical and pharmacy costs across follow-up over 15 months (no OPBHT: $686 [95% CI, $619-$760]; ≥1 OPBHT: $571 [95% CI, $515-$632]; P < .001) and 27 months (no OPBHT: $464 [95% CI, $393-$549]; ≥1 OPBHT: $391 [95% CI, $331-$462]; P < .001). Furthermore, almost all doses of OPBHT across the 15 months following diagnosis were associated with lower costs compared with no OPBHT.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study, medical cost savings were associated with OPBHT among patients newly diagnosed with a BHC in a large, commercially insured population. The findings suggest that promoting and optimizing OPBHT may be associated with reduced overall medical spending among patients with BHCs.
Effect of Problem-solving Treatment on Self-reported Disability Among Veterans With Gulf War Illness
Authors: McAndrew Lisa M. , Quigley Karen S. , Lu Shou-En , Litke David , Rath Joseph F. , Lange Gudrun , Santos Susan L. , Anastasides Nicole , Petrakis Beth Ann , Greenberg Lauren , Helmer Drew A. , Pigeon Wilfred R.
Published: December 2022

Importance

Few evidence-based treatments are available for Gulf War illness (GWI). Behavioral treatments that target factors known to maintain the disability from GWI, such as problem-solving impairment, may be beneficial. Problem-solving treatment (PST) targets problem-solving impairment and is an evidence-based treatment for other conditions.

Objective

To examine the efficacy of PST to reduce disability, problem-solving impairment, and physical symptoms in GWI.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This multicenter randomized clinical trial conducted in the US Department of Veterans Affairs compared PST with health education in a volunteer sample of 511 Gulf War veterans with GWI and disability (January 1, 2015, to September 1, 2019); outcomes were assessed at 12 weeks and 6 months. Statistical analysis was conducted between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020.

Interventions

Problem-solving treatment taught skills to improve problem-solving. Health education provided didactic health information. Both were delivered by telephone weekly for 12 weeks.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was reduction from baseline to 12 weeks in self-report of disability (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule). Secondary outcomes were reductions in self-report of problem-solving impairment and objective problem-solving. Exploratory outcomes were reductions in pain, pain disability, and fatigue.

Results

A total of 268 veterans (mean [SD] age, 52.9 [7.3] years; 88.4% male; 66.8% White) were randomized to PST (n = 135) or health education (n = 133). Most participants completed all 12 sessions of PST (114 of 135 [84.4%]) and health education (120 of 133 [90.2%]). No difference was found between groups in reductions in disability at the end of treatment. Results suggested that PST reduced problem-solving impairment (moderate effect, 0.42; P = .01) and disability at 6 months (moderate effect, 0.39; P = .06) compared with health education.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this randomized clinical trial of the efficacy of PST for GWI, no difference was found between groups in reduction in disability at 12 weeks. Problem-solving treatment had high adherence and reduced problem-solving impairment and potentially reduced disability at 6 months compared with health education. These findings should be confirmed in future studies.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02161133
Broadband Visual Adaption and Image Recognition in a Monolithic Neuromorphic Machine Vision System
Authors: Cai Yuchen , Wang Feng , Wang Xinming , Li Shuhui , Wang Yanrong , Yang Jia , Yan Tao , Zhan Xueying , Wang Fengmei , Cheng Ruiqing , He Jun , Wang Zhenxing
Published: December 2022

Bio‐inspired machine visions have caused wide attentions due to the higher time/power efficiencies over the conventional architectures. Although bio‐mimic photo‐sensors and neuromorphic computing have been individually demonstrated, a complete monolithic vision system has rarely been studied. Here, a neuromorphic machine vision system (NMVS) integrating front‐end retinomorphic sensors and a back‐end convolutional neural network (CNN) based on a single ferroelectric‐semiconductor‐transistor (FST) device structure is reported. As a photo‐sensor, the FST shows a broadband (275–808 nm) retina‐like light adaption function with a large dynamic range of 20.3 stops, and as a unit of the CNN, the FST's weight can be linearly programmed. In total, the NMVS has a high recognition accuracy of 93.0% on a broadband‐dim‐image classification task, which is 20% higher than that of an incomplete system without the retinomorphic sensors. Because of the monolithic unit, the NVMS shows high feasibility for integrated bio‐inspired machine vision systems.
Electrically Reliable Perovskite Photovoltaic Cells Against Instantaneous Kilovolt Stress
Authors: Park Junhyoung , Byeon Junseop , Jang Jihun , Ko MyeongGeun , Ahn Namyoung , Choi Mansoo , Song Hyung‐Jun
Published: December 2022

The electrical stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) will play an essential role in their commercialization because field‐installed PSCs frequently operate under non‐ideal voltages. Particularly, an instantaneous extremely high voltage (IEHVs) from electro‐static discharge will be applied to PSCs due to friction in roll‐to‐roll processes. In addition, lightning strikes and surges from grids are plausible sources of IEHVs to field‐installed PSCs. Hence, the effect of IEHVs on PSCs is systematically investigated and a robust device structure is suggested. An IEHV severely deteriorates PSCs by destroying their diode characteristics. Physical and chemical damage from IEHVs to the interface between the perovskite film and buffer layers causes increased recombination losses and series resistance. To reinforce the heterointerface, a well‐known surface defect passivation method is adopted, adding excessive PbI2 to perovskite films. The excessive PbI2, mainly located at the interface, successfully protects PSCs from IEHV. Moreover, inserting well‐established defect passivation layers, C60, and phenethylammonium iodide into the interface of a perovskite film improves the device's stability against IEHV. Therefore, interface defect passivation is viable for stable PSCs against abnormal electrical stress. It is believed that this study will provide fundamental insights for designing electrically reliable PSCs, which is crucial for grid‐connected, field‐installed energy generation sources.
Collective Synthesis and Cytotoxicities of Wentilactone Type Norditerpenoid Dilactones
Authors: Hou Wu , Wang Mingyu , Wang Jing , Cao Xin , Xu Peng , Yu Biao
Published: December 2022

Norditerpenoid dilactones with various modifications on the A‐ring are common in nature, which exhibit a variety of biological and pharmaceutical activities. In this work, 31 norditerpenoid dilactone derivatives with functionalization on the A‐ and C‐rings were prepared by employed 3β‐hydroxydilactone as a common precursor. Cytotoxic evaluation showed that norditerpenoid dilactones bearing 3β‐OH and 1,2‐β‐epoxide or 2,3‐β‐epoxide displayed promising inhibitory activities against tumor cell lines (IC50=1.0–6.5 μM).
Asystole following spinal anaesthesia: the hazards of intrinsic cardiac reflexes
Authors: Lacey J. R. , Dubowitz J. A. , Riedel B.
Published: December 2022

Unwanted initiation of intrinsic cardiac reflexes can precipitate bradycardia and cardiac arrest after spinal anaesthesia. We report the case of a 40‐year‐old man who suffered sudden asystolic cardiac arrest following spinal anaesthesia prior to planned abdominal surgery, likely due to the initiation of one or more intrinsic cardiac reflexes including the Bezold–Jarisch reflex, the reverse Bainbridge reflex and the pacemaker stretch reflex. The characteristics of this patient placed him at increased risk of this underappreciated cause of bradycardia and hypotension. We present a summary of the physiology and clinical features relevant to this case and the considerations for avoidance of similar complications after spinal anaesthesia.
Tris(4‐chlorophenyl)methane and tris(4‐chlorophenyl)methanol disrupt pancreatic organogenesis and gene expression in zebrafish embryos
Authors: Wilson Peyton W. , Cho Christine , Allsing Nicholas , Khanum Saleha , Bose Pria , Grubschmidt Ava , Sant Karilyn E.
Published: December 2022

Objectives

Tris(4‐chlorophenyl) methane (TCPM) and tris(4‐chlorophenyl)methanol (TCPMOH) are anthropogenic environmental contaminants believed to be manufacturing byproducts of the organochlorine pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) due to environmental co‐occurrence. TCPM and TCPMOH are persistent, bioaccumulate in the environment, and are detected in human breast milk and adipose tissues. DDT exposures have been previously shown to disrupt insulin signaling and glucoregulation, increasing risk for diabetes. We have previously shown that embryonic exposures organochlorines such as polychlorinated biphenyls disrupted pancreatic development and early embryonic glucoregulatory networks. Here, we determined the impacts of the similar compounds TCPM and TCPMOH on zebrafish pancreatic growth and gene expression following developmental exposures.

Methods

Zebrafish embryos were exposed to 50 nM TCPM or TCPMOH beginning at 24 hr postfertilization (hpf) and exposures were refreshed daily. At 96 hpf, pancreatic growth and islet area were directly visualized in Tg(ptf1a::GFP) and Tg(insulin::GFP) embryos, respectively, using microscopy. Gene expression was assessed at 100 hpf with RNA sequencing.

Results

Islet and total pancreas area were reduced by 20.8% and 13% in embryos exposed to 50 nM TCPMOH compared to controls. TCPM did not induce significant morphological changes to the developing pancreas, indicating TCPMOH, but not TCPM, impairs pancreatic development despite similarity in molecular responses. Transcriptomic responses to TCPM and TCPMOH were correlated (R2 = .903), and pathway analysis found downregulation of processes including retinol metabolism, circadian rhythm, and steroid biosynthesis.

Conclusion

Overall, our data suggest that TCPM and TCPMOH may be hazardous to embryonic growth and development.
A comprehensive and mechanistic review on protective effects of kaempferol against natural and chemical toxins: Role of NF‐κB inhibition and Nrf2 activation
Authors: Hosseini Azar , Alipour Alieh , Baradaran Rahimi Vafa , Askari Vahid Reza
Published: December 2022

Different toxins, including chemicals and natural, can be entered from various routes and influence human health. Herbal medicines and their active components can attenuate the toxicity of agents via multiple mechanisms. For example, kaempferol, as a flavonoid, can be found in fruits and vegetables, and has an essential role in improving disorders such as cardiovascular disorders, neurological diseases, cancer, pain, and inflammation situations. The beneficial effects of kaempferol may be related to the inhibition of oxidative stress, attenuation of inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) and nuclear factor ĸB (NF‐ĸB) as well as the modulation of apoptosis and mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. This flavonoid boasts a wide spectrum of toxin targeting effects in tissue fibrosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress thus shows promising protective effects against natural and chemical toxin induced hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity, lung, and intestinal in the in vitro and in vivo setting. The most remarkable aspect of kaempferol is that it does not focus its efforts on just one organ or one molecular pathway. Although its significance as a treatment option remains questionable and requires more clinical studies, it seems to be a low‐risk therapeutic option. It is crucial to emphasize that kaempferol's poor bioavailability is a significant barrier to its use as a therapeutic option. Nanotechnology can be a promising way to overcome this challenge, reviving optimism in using kaempferol as a viable treatment agent against toxin‐induced disorders.
Fusing surveillance videos and three‐dimensional scene: A mixed reality system
Authors: Cui Xiaoliang , Khan Dawar , He Zhenbang , Cheng Zhanglin
Published: December 2022

Augmented Virtual Environments (AVE) or Virtual‐Reality Fusion systems fuse dynamic videos with static three‐dimensional (3D) models of a virtual environment to provide an optimal solution for visualizing and understanding multichannel surveillance systems. However, texture distortion caused by viewpoint changes in such systems is a critical issue that needs to be addressed. To minimize texture fusion distortion, this paper presents a novel virtual environment system in two phases, offline and online phases, to dynamically fuse multiple surveillance videos with a virtual 3D scene. In the offline phase, a static virtual environment is obtained by performing a 3D photogrammetric reconstruction from the input images of the scene. In the online phase, the virtual environment is augmented by fusing multiple videos through two optional strategies. One strategy is to dynamically map images of different videos onto a 3D model of the virtual environment, and the other is to extract moving objects and represent them as billboards. The system can be used to visualize a 3D environment from any viewpoint augmented by real‐time videos. Experiments and user studies in different scenarios demonstrate the superiority of our system.
GCK‐MODY in pregnancy: A pregnant woman with diabetes and a small‐for‐gestational‐age fetus
Authors: Yau Tiffany Tse Ling , Yu Stephanie Cheuk Yin , Cheng Jenny Yeuk‐Ki , Kwok Jeffrey Sung Shing , Ma Ronald Ching Wan
Published: December 2022

Glucokinase‐maturity‐onset diabetes of the young (GCK‐MODY) is often misdiagnosed as other forms of diabetes. A 42‐year‐old pregnant lady with pre‐existing diabetes was treated with insulin during first trimester. Fetal growth restriction was noted since mid‐second trimester. Genetic testing suggested the diagnosis of GCK‐MODY.
Primary hydatid cyst in the adductor muscles of thigh: A case report
Authors: Arian Mahnaz , Kazerani Marzieh
Published: December 2022

Hydatidosis rarely (2%–3% of all cases) manifests as an intramuscular mass in endemic areas. This 55‐year‐old farmer with an asymptomatic thigh mass from 35 years ago presented with exertional pain in the last 40 days of the disease course. The patient started on albendazole and was cured with surgery.
Katalytischer Zerfall von Wasserstoffperoxid durch Molybdat
Authors: Lüke Dennis , Zell Lukas , Oetken Marco
Published: December 2022

Bei der Auseinandersetzung mit dem Thema Katalyse im Unterricht bleibt der alternative Reaktionsweg, der durch den Katalysator ermöglicht wird und die Ursache der herabgesetzten Aktivierungsenergie ist, meist ungeklärt. Natriummolybdat als Katalysator des Zerfalls von Wasserstoffperoxid ermöglicht nicht nur die visuelle Identifikation verschiedener farbiger Zwischenstufen einer solchen Reaktion, sondern erlaubt auch deren einfache Isolierung und experimentelle Handhabe. Dadurch wird eine gezielte experimentelle Auseinandersetzung mit Zwischenstufen des katalytischen Zerfalls möglich, die verschiedene Peroxomolybdate als Precursor des entstehenden Sauerstoffs identifizieren und so detaillierte Einblicke in mechanistische Aspekte des katalytischen Reaktionsverlaufes greifbar machen.
Gamma Radiation‐Induced Degradation of Acetohydroxamic Acid (AHA) in Aqueous Nitrate and Nitric Acid Solutions Evaluated by Multiscale Modelling
Authors: Conrad Jacy K. , Mezyk Stephen P. , Isherwood Liam H. , Baidak Aliaksandr , Pilgrim Corey D. , Whittaker Daniel , Orr Robin M. , Pimblott Simon M. , Horne Gregory P.
Published: December 2022

Acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) has been proposed for inclusion in advanced, single‐cycle, used nuclear fuel reprocessing solvent systems for the reduction and complexation of plutonium and neptunium ions. For this application, a detailed description of the fundamental degradation of AHA in dilute aqueous nitric acid is required. To this end, we present a comprehensive, multiscale computer model for the coupled radiolytic and hydrolytic degradation of AHA in aqueous sodium nitrate and nitric acid solutions. Rate coefficients for the reactions of AHA and hydroxylamine (HA) with the oxidizing nitrate radical were measured for the first time using electron pulse radiolysis and used as inputs for the kinetic model. The computer model results are validated by comparison to experimental data from steady‐state gamma ray irradiations, for which the agreement is excellent. The presented model accurately predicts the yields of the major degradation products of AHA: acetic acid, HA, nitrous oxide, and molecular hydrogen.
Direct Synthesis of Disubstituted 3‐Isoquinolinone Derivatives through the Construction of C−N, C=O, and C(sp2)−C(sp3) Bonds under Transition‐Metal‐Free Conditions
Authors: Shi Jianyi , Chen Xia , Huang Jingyun , Lu Yantong , Yang Zhendong , Zhong Mingli , Zhu Zhongzhi , Chen Xiuwen
Published: December 2022

The efficient three‐component cascade coupling reaction of 3‐haloisoquinolines, haloalkanes, and sp3‐carbon nucleophiles (acetophenone or nitromethane) led to a series of structurally novel 1,2‐disubstituted‐3‐isoquinolinones through the formation of C(sp3)−C(sp2), C−N, and C=O bonds. The NaOAc‐promoted reaction described in this work is simple to operate, environment friendly, and highly selective.
Comparison of salivary sodium and potassium concentrations measured by handheld ion‐selective electrode meters and an automated biochemical analyser
Authors: Vuletić Lea , Lapić Ivana , Špalj Stjepan , Banek Iva Marolt , Jakovac Domagoj , Šipkar Jasmina , Rogić Dunja
Published: December 2022

Ion‐selective electrode pocket meters available for use with saliva could be a convenient tool to assess how diseases, drugs, exercise or nutrition affect salivary composition. This study compared salivary sodium and potassium concentrations measured by handheld LAQUAtwin meters and a fully‐automated biochemical analyzer. Agreement between two methods was assessed with Passing‐Bablok regression and Bland‐Altman plots. LAQUAtwin meters measured lower values of both analytes and provided repeatable though not accurate results. The meters may serve as an alternative to laboratory methods to gain insight into between‐group differences in electrolyte concentrations, or a concentration change induced by an experimental procedure.
A vector of point processes for modeling interactions between and within species using capture‐recapture data
Authors: Diana Alex , Matechou Eleni , Griffin Jim E. , Jhala Yadvendradev , Qureshi Qamar
Published: December 2022

Capture‐recapture (CR) data and corresponding models have been used extensively to estimate the size of wildlife populations when detection probability is less than 1. When the locations of traps or cameras used to capture or detect individuals are known, spatially‐explicit CR models are used to infer the spatial pattern of the individual locations and population density. Individual locations, referred to as activity centers (ACs), are defined as the locations around which the individuals move. These ACs are typically assumed to be independent, and their spatial pattern is modeled using homogeneous Poisson processes. However, this assumption is often unrealistic, since individuals can interact with each other, either within a species or between different species. In this article, we consider a vector of point processes from the general class of interaction point processes and develop a model for CR data that can account for interactions, in particular repulsions, between and within multiple species. Interaction point processes present a challenge from an inferential perspective because of the intractability of the normalizing constant of the likelihood function, and hence standard Markov chain Monte Carlo procedures to perform Bayesian inference cannot be applied. Therefore, we adopt an inference procedure based on the Monte Carlo Metropolis Hastings algorithm, which scales well when modeling more than one species. Finally, we adopt an inference method for jointly sampling the latent ACs and the population size based on birth and death processes. This approach also allows us to adaptively tune the proposal distribution of new points, which leads to better mixing especially in the case of non‐uniformly distributed traps. We apply the model to a CR data‐set on leopards and tigers collected at the Corbett Tiger Reserve in India. Our findings suggest that between species repulsion is stronger than within species, while tiger population density is higher than leopard population density at the park.
Understanding challenges associated with plastic and bacterial approach toward plastic degradation
Authors: Sharma Hemlata , Neelam Deepesh K.
Published: December 2022

Plastic is widely used in every sector due to its stability, durability, and low cost. The widespread use of plastic results in the compilation of plastic waste in the environment. The buildup of such a vast volume of plastic garbage has emerged as the primary cause of environmental pollution, including air, land, and water pollution. Plastics contain various harmful chemicals and toxic substances that can leak and adversely affect humans and other organisms. Managing this much plastic waste is a very challenging task; therefore, an appropriate technique is needed to address this problem. Various methods are used, such as chemical, physical, and biological, to degrade plastic waste. Bacterial degradation is known to be the most effective technique for the biodegradation approach to overcome this issue. Biodegradation has played a crucial role in removing these polluting wastes more efficiently and eco‐friendly. The process of biodegradation involves a variety of bacteria, such asAcinetobacter baumannii,Bacillus weihenstephanensis,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Pseudomonas fluorescens,Rhodococcus ruber, and so on. Biodegradation of plastic takes place through various biochemical pathways, including biodeterioration, biofragmentation, assimilation, and mineralization. During biodegradation, bacteria produce enzymes like esterase, cutinase, laccase, lipase, and others that break down and transform plastic polymers into microbial biomass and gases. This review aims to explain how bacteria contribute to the breakdown of plastic.
The association between gut hormones and diet‐induced metabolic flexibility in metabolically healthy adults
Authors: Unlu Yigit , Vinales Karyne L. , Hollstein Tim , Chang Douglas , Cabeza de Baca Tomás , Walter Mary , Krakoff Jonathan , Piaggi Paolo
Published: December 2022

Objective

This study investigated whether interindividual variance in diet‐induced metabolic flexibility is explained by differences in gut hormone concentrations.

Methods

A total of 69 healthy volunteers with normal glucose regulation underwent 24‐hour assessments of respiratory quotient (RQ) in a whole‐room indirect calorimeter during eucaloric feeding (EBL; 50% carbohydrate, 30% fat) and then, in a crossover design, during 24‐hour fasting and three normal‐protein (20%) overfeeding diets (200% energy requirements). Metabolic flexibility was defined as the change in 24‐hour RQ from EBL during standard (50% carbohydrate), high‐fat (60%), and high‐carbohydrate (75%) overfeeding diets. Plasma concentrations of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) and peptide YY (PYY) after an overnight fast were measured prior to and after each diet.

Results

Compared with EBL, on average, 24‐hour RQ decreased by ~4% during high‐fat overfeeding, whereas it increased by ~4% during standard overfeeding and by ~9% during high‐carbohydrate overfeeding. During high‐carbohydrate overfeeding, but not during any other overfeeding diet or fasting, increased GLP‐1 concentration was associated with increased RQ (r = 0.44, p < 0.001), higher/lower carbohydrate/lipid oxidation rates (r = 0.34 and r = −0.51, both p < 0.01), respectively, and increased plasma insulin concentration (r = 0.38, p = 0.02).

Conclusions

Increased GLP‐1 concentration following high‐carbohydrate overfeeding associated with a greater shift to carbohydrate oxidation, suggesting that GLP‐1 may be implicated in diet‐induced metabolic flexibility to carbohydrate overload.
Is the cost‐effectiveness of an early‐childhood sleep intervention to prevent obesity affected by socioeconomic position?
Authors: Killedar Anagha , Lung Thomas , Taylor Rachael W. , Taylor Barry J. , Hayes Alison
Published: December 2022

Objective

This study aimed to determine whether the cost‐effectiveness of an infant sleep intervention from the Prevention of Overweight in Infancy (POI) trial was influenced by socioeconomic position (SEP).

Methods

An SEP‐specific economic evaluation of the sleep intervention was conducted. SEP‐specific intervention costs and effects at age 5 years, derived from the trial data, were applied to a representative cohort of 4,898 4‐ to 5‐year‐old Australian children. Quality‐adjusted life years and health care costs were simulated until age 17 years using a purpose‐built SEP‐specific model. Incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios and acceptability curves were derived for each SEP group.

Results

The incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios, in Australian dollars per quality‐adjusted life year gained, were smaller in the low‐ ($23,010) and mid‐SEP ($18,206) groups compared with the high‐SEP group ($31,981). The probability that the intervention was cost‐effective was very high in the low‐ and mid‐SEP groups (92%‐100%) and moderately high in the high‐SEP group (79%).

Conclusions

An infant sleep intervention is more cost‐effective in low‐ and mid‐SEP groups compared with high‐SEP groups. Targeting this intervention to low‐SEP groups would not require trade‐offs between efficiency and equity.
An international assessment of the barriers influencing the effectiveness of island ecosystem management
Authors: Burt April , Nuno Ana , Turnbull Lindsay , Fleischer‐Dogley Frauke , Bunbury Nancy
Published: December 2022

Island ecosystems are disproportionally impacted by biodiversity loss and as such their effective management is critical to global conservation efforts.

Practitioners world‐wide work to manage island sites and species to conserve them, but various day‐to‐day barriers compromise these efforts, reducing management effectiveness and preventing local and potentially even national biodiversity targets from being met.

Identifying the most important barriers that currently impede effective island conservation could streamline investment to focus on cost‐efficient interventions that better reflect realities on the ground and the need to address barriers under substantial time and budget constraints.

A survey of 360 practitioners working in island ecosystem management across 77 countries was conducted.

The three most common barriers perceived by practitioners to prevent them from achieving more effective management are: low staff capacity; difficulties turning data into useful information for management (including lack of capacity and time to analyse data); and lack of a research and management strategy.

Practitioners' perceptions of national‐level management effectiveness were mostly associated with their perception of governance issues, the presence/absence of research and management strategies and their experience of collaboration outcomes.

Practitioners' experience of staffing and monitoring programme issues was important in shaping their perception of management effectiveness within the organisation(s) they worked with.

Despite the indisputable need for transformative change to address the underlying causes of many of these barriers, more immediate and direct investment in strengthening the people and systems that are at the frontline of preventing biodiversity loss on islands is needed to bridge these barriers and achieve more effective management of island ecosystems.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
An adaptive time‐varying barrier Lyapunov function‐based attitude tracking control for spacecrafts without angular velocity measurement
Authors: Hu Hui , Wang Bo , Liu Lei , Cheng Zhongtao
Published: December 2022

In this paper, based on a novel adaptive time‐varying barrier Lyapunov function (A‐TBLF), we propose an output feedback tracking controller for spacecrafts with adaptive time‐varying state constraints. The adaptive time‐varying barrier is adapted with the real‐time constrained state but not constant or a predefined function. It is guaranteed that the constrained state converges into the predefined domain whenever it starts. Moreover, a barrier update restart scheme is designed in the A‐TBLF method to prevent potential barrier violations. Furthermore, we consider the input explosion of the BLF‐based controller when the state is close to the barrier. A nonlinear margin function is introduced to avoid continuous input saturation, resulting in a smooth and cost‐effective control input. On the other hand, as the accurate angular velocity measurement is assumed to be unavailable, it is proposed an adaptive observer chain with finite‐time estimation to the angular velocity and the lumped disturbance. Therefore, only the attitude angle is used to design the controller and the attitude tracking error can be further eliminated. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, and comparative simulations show the superiorities than other control methods with time‐varying state constraints.
Decarboxylative Cross‐coupling Reaction between Aryl Carboxylic Acids using BF@Propyl/Tris/Pd as a Novel Catalyst
Authors: Noori Samira , Ghorbani‐Vaghei Ramin
Published: December 2022

The present study provides a practical and safe cross‐coupling strategy for the synthesis of biaryls via decarboxylation of aryl carboxylic acids. In this method, BF@Propyl/Tris/Pd was used as a new catalyst to synthesize biaryls. The structural and morphological characteristics of the catalyst were investigated by FT‐IR, EDX, XRD, TGA, and SEM analyses. This catalyst system has some advantages, such as good stability, excellent workup, and reusability. We used it as a recyclable heterogeneous catalyst by easily separating it from the medium of reaction.
A Biologically Compatible Colorimetric Sensor for the Selective Recognition of Cu2+ Ions in Biological Matrices
Authors: Fazal Mahmood , Ali Imdad , Ahmed Farid , Khalid Shumaila , Farghaly Thoraya A. , Althagafi Ismail I. , Khan Irfan , Ali Mumtaz , Ateeq Muhammad , Shah Muhammad Raza
Published: December 2022

Heavy metal ions pollution is posing a major danger to human health across the planet. We present a phenylhydrazone‐based colorimetric sensor for detecting Cu2+ ions in tap water and human blood plasma. The phenylhydrazone‐based sensor (Sensor 1) is extremely selective for recognizing Cu2+ ions over other similar metal ions by producing a colorimetric response. Upon interaction with Cu2+, the colorless sensor 1 changes to dark yellow within a minute producing a bathochromic shift in the absorption spectrum. The AFM, Zetasizer and FTIR spectroscopic techniques were used for Cu2+ detection and selectivity of sensor 1. The average size of sensor 1 is around 293.9 nm which changes to 2275 nm upon complexation with Cu2+. Sensor 1 was highly selective towards Cu2+ as no interference was recorded by various metals ions. The detection limit was found to be 0.1 μM with R2 equal to 0.9821. Furthermore, cytotoxic experiments showed that sensor 1 is nontoxic to various cell lines, which revealed that it could detect Cu2+ ions in the biological system. Moreover, sensor 1 gives satisfactory results for detecting Cu2+ ions in human blood plasma and real water samples.
Selectivity of Ethanol Conversion on Al/Zr/Ce Mixed Oxides: Dehydration and Dehydrogenation Pathways Based on Surface Acidity Properties
Authors: Chuklina Sofia , Zhukova Anna , Fionov Yuri , Kadyko Mikhail , Fionov Alexander , Zhukov Dmitry , Il'icheva Alla , Podzorova Ludmila , Mikhalenko Irina
Published: December 2022

Zirconia‐alumina mixed oxides (Zr+Ce)O2−Al2O3 with various mol. ratios (5, 10, 20, 50, and 75 % alumina) were prepared using the sol‐gel method. The catalysts were characterised via XRD, SEM, DTA/TG, BET, and FT‐IR spectroscopy. The acidities of the catalysts were measured through the absorption of anthraquinone and pyridine probe molecules using EPR and IR spectroscopy, respectively. Catalytic activity and selectivity were investigated for ethanol conversion to acetaldehyde, ethylene, and diethyl ether, which were used as model reactions to identify surface‐active sites. The relationship between the surface structure and the dehydration/dehydrogenation activity was evaluated. Diethyl ether formation is promoted by the presence of the ZrO2 tetragonal phase at a low ZrO2/Al2O3 ratio in the sample composition, at which the Lewis acid site has an aluminum‐oxygen environment. The reaction mechanism was also discussed. In the low‐temperature reaction region, dehydrogenation competes with dehydration; ethylene and acetaldehyde share a common reactive intermediate.
Asymmetric Supercapacitors using Manganese Oxide Nanorods and Activated Carbon
Authors: Joshi Ved Prakash , Pathak Prakash Kumar , Kumar Nitish , Salunkhe Rahul R.
Published: December 2022

The utilization of Ionic liquids (ILs) for synthesizing inorganic materials has shown considerable potential in the last decade. The unmatchable advantages, like low vapor pressure, good thermal stability, tunable solubility, and synthesis route flexibility, make them more promising than their aqueous counterparts. This work portrays the use of various ILs for synthesizing asymmetrically oriented α‐MnO2 nanorods. The formation of nanorods was more energetically favorable, and the addition of IL helped increase the material‘s surface area and conductivity. The enhanced surface and conductivity help in boosting the supercapacitive performance, as the material exhibits 352 F g−1 in 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte. The synthesized material and activated carbon were used to assemble an asymmetric supercapacitor device. This device has shown an excellent energy density of 28.5 Wh kg−1 and a power density of 96.5 W kg−1 in 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte.
A Series of Metal‐Organic Frameworks for Adsorption of Halogenated Volatile Organic Compounds
Authors: Nguyen Phuong T. K. , Tran Y B. N.
Published: December 2022

Given the urgent demand for removing toxic vapours from the atmosphere, the employment of porous materials for the adsorption of halogenated volatile organic compounds has been of intense interest. In this respect, a series of isostructural metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs), M‐MOF‐184 (M=Mg, Co, Ni, Zn), was solvothermal synthesized and examined on adsorption of 1,2‐dichloroethane. Due to the structural features of Lewis acidic sites derived from the infinite metal‐oxo unit and basic sites from 2‐oxidobenzoate anions, accessibly hexagonal channels with an aperture size of 24 Å, and high porosities (BET surface areas>3000 m2 g−1), three M‐MOF‐184 (M=Mg, Co, Ni) materials revealed the high saturated capacity of 1,2‐dichloroethane at room temperature (> 236 cm3 g−1). Notably, the adsorption capacities of three M‐MOF‐184 (M=Mg, Co, Ni) frameworks for 1,2‐dichloroethane outperformed that of the porous materials including activated carbon and representative MOFs. Among this series, Co‐MOF‐184 showed the largest adsorption saturated capacity of 1,2‐dichloroethane (346 cm3 g−1 at 298 K) and highly isosteric heat of adsorption (40 kJ mol−1). By mean of ATR‐FTIR analysis, we determined the surface interactions between 1,2‐dichloroethane and the Co‐MOF‐184 and explore the important effects of the acidity and basicity properties and large pore structure on 1,2‐dichloroethane adsorption performance.
A Biologically Active Chromone fromBomarea setacea(alstroemeriaceae): Leishmanicidal, Antioxidant and Multilevel Computational Studies
Authors: Cardona‐Galeano Wilson , Yepes Andres F. , Quintero‐Saumeth Jorge , Robledo Sara M. , Alzate Fernando , Rojano Benjamín
Published: December 2022

A chromone was isolated from alcoholic extracts fromBomarea setaceaand identified as 2‐henicosyl‐5,7‐dihydroxy‐4H‐chromen‐4‐one. The leishmanicidal activity was evaluated against intracellular amastigotes ofL. panamensisand cytotoxicity on U‐937 cells, maintained in standard culture conditions. This compound showed leishmanicidal activity (EC50=14.8±1.9 μg/mL, 31.4 μM), low cytotoxicity (LC50=>200 μg/mL, >423.7 μM). Additionally, this compound showed high antioxidant activity through ORAC and DPPH methods. These experimental results motivated us to carry out computational explorations such as docking against several parasite protein targets, molecular dynamics to validate docking results and DFT calculations, used to explain the high antioxidant activity of chromone. Notably, the docking results showed theN‐myristoyltransferase (NMT) enzyme to be a potential target for chromone (docking score −9.1 kcal.mol−1). Molecular dynamics (MD) studies provide strong evidence of the conformational stability of the chromone‐LpNMT complex obtained from docking throughout 50 ns all‐atom MD simulation. Molecular mechanics Poisson‐Boltzmann surface area (MM‐PBSA) analyses of chromone‐LpNMT complex show that the interaction between the ligand and the target protein is stable. DFT calculations allow to explain the greater in vitro antioxidant properties, and drug‐likeness studies show suitable pharmacokinetics properties for chromone. Our findings suggest that chromone has great potential to continue in the search for new drugs to treat leishmaniasis.
Synthesis of Ultrafine Platinum Nanocatalysts by Ice‐photochemical Method and Their Application in Catalytic Degradation of 4‐nitrophenol
Authors: Xian Liang , Ma Jing , Li Wei , Yang Yanzhong , Gao Xu , Xi Bei , Tian Xiaoxia
Published: December 2022

Here, uniformly dispersed ultrafine platinum nanocatalysts (Pt/C60) were synthesized on C60 by ice‐photochemical method using potassium chloroplatinate (K2[PtCl4]) as platinum source under the condition of low temperature, no stabilizer and reducing agent. X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to study the composition and morphology of Pt/C60 catalyst. It was confirmed that Pt Ultra‐small Particles (Pt UPs) was loaded on C60 surface with high dispersion. The average particle sizes of the three samples obtained under different reaction conditions were 1.41±0.1 nm, 1.54±0.4 nm and 1.73±0.3 nm, respectively. The results show that the light‐induced effect and the ice lattice domain limiting effect in the frozen state effectively control the formation and growth of platinum clusters in the process of Pt2+ reduction to Pt0. The rate constants of the three samples were 0.89 min−1, 0.31 min−1, 0.19 min−1, respectively, showing high catalytic activity in the study of the catalytic performance of Pt/C60 degradation of 4‐nitrophenol (4‐NP) by Ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy (UV‐Vis). This method provides a meaningful attempt for the study of green chemical synthesis method of platinum metal catalysts.
First‐principles Study of SO2 and NO Gas Sensors Based on SnTe Monolayer
Authors: Wei Guang , Pang Jianhua , Zhang Jiwei , Chen Hui , Yan Jin , Wei Songrui
Published: December 2022

The structural and electronic properties of SnTe monolayer after the adsorption of gas molecules (CH4, CO2, NH3, CO, H2S, NO, SO2, NO2 and Cl2) were investigated by first‐principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). The results showed that SO2, NO, NO2 and Cl2 were chemisorbed on SnTe monolayer with strong adsorption energies. In addition, because of the high sensitivity of the adsorption of SO2 and NO gases on SnTe monolayer, the bandgap of the developed system changed significantly, with a reduction of 22.88 % and 71.65 %, respectively. The results indicate that SnTe monolayer has highly sensitive SO2 and NO gas detection capability, especially for NO. And it can act as a disposable gas sensor or metal‐free catalyst for the detection and catalysis of pollution gases, such as NO2 and Cl2.
Oxidations of 4H‐1,2,6‐Thiadiazines
Authors: Kalogirou Andreas S. , Kourtellaris Andreas , Koutentis Panayiotis A.
Published: December 2022

The oxidation of various non‐S‐oxidized 4H‐1,2,6‐thiadiazines with N2O4, meta‐chloroperbenzoic acid (m‐CPBA), Oxone, [bis(trifluoroacetoxy)iodo]benzene (PIFA) and phenyliodine (III) diacetate (PIDA) is reported. Six 3,5‐diamino‐4H‐1,2,6‐thiadiazin‐4‐ones were oxidized to the corresponding sulfones (67–95 % yields) most efficiently using PIFA (3 equiv.). A 3,5‐diphenylthio analogue, however, oxidized at the exocyclic sulfur to give the asymmetric mono sulfoxide using PIFA (3 equiv.) in 86 % yield. 4H‐1,2,6‐Thiadiazine 4‐ylidenemalononitriles, 4‐ylidinemalonates and 4‐phenylimines were oxidized stepwise, initially to sulfoxides using all the above reagents in 31–97 % yields and then to sulfones using N2O4, m‐CPBA or Oxone in 31–89 % yields. Oxidation of a 4‐thione derivative using Oxone (1.5 equiv.) gave the sulfine in 56 %. Unexpectedly, oxidation of 3,5‐diphenyl‐4‐(phenylimino)‐4H‐1,2,6‐thiadiazine 1‐oxide with excess m‐CPBA gave a fused oxaziridine in 98 % yield, while 3,5‐dimorpholino‐4H‐1,2,6‐thiadiazin‐4‐one 1,1‐dioxide in EtOH/MeCN gave a hemiacetal in 56 % yield. Single crystal structures of 3,5‐bis(phenylamino)‐4H‐1,2,6‐thiadiazin‐4‐one 1,1‐dioxide, 4‐ethoxy‐4‐hydroxy‐3,5‐dimorpholino‐4H‐1,2,6‐thiadiazine 1,1‐dioxide, 2‐(1‐oxido‐3,5‐diphenyl‐4H‐1,2,6‐thiadiazin‐4‐ylidene)malononitrile, 2‐[1,1‐dioxido‐3,5‐di(thien‐2‐yl)‐4H‐1,2,6‐thiadiazin‐4‐ylidene]malononitrile and (E)‐4,6‐diphenyl‐5‐(phenylimino)‐7‐oxa‐2‐thia‐1,3‐diazabicyclo[4.1.0]‐hept‐3‐ene 2,2‐dioxide are reported.
Nexuses Between the Chemical Design and Performance of Small Molecule Dopant‐Free Hole Transporting Materials in Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Khan Danish , Liu Xiaoyuan , Qu Geping , Nath Amit Ranjan , Xie Pengfei , Xu Zong‐Xiang
Published: December 2022

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have grabbed much attention of researchers owing to their quick rise in power conversion efficiency (PCE). However, long‐term stability remains a hurdle in commercialization, partly due to the inclusion of necessary hygroscopic dopants in hole transporting materials, enhancing the complexity and total cost. Generally, the efforts in designing dopant‐free hole transporting materials (HTMs) are devoted toward small molecule and polymeric HTMs, where small molecule based HTMs (SM‐HTMs) are dominant due to their reproducibility, facile synthesis, and low cost. Still, the state‐of‐art dopant‐free SM‐HTM has not been achieved yet, mainly because of the knowledge gap between device engineering and molecular designs. From a molecular engineering perspective, this article reviews dopant‐free SM‐HTMs for PSCs, outlining analyses of chemical structures with promising properties toward achieving effective, low‐cost, and scalable materials for devices with higher stability. Finally, an outlook of dopant‐free SM‐HTMs toward commercial application and insight into the development of long‐term stability PSCs devices is provided.
Crisis? What Crisis? Making Humanitarian Crises Visible in the History of Emotions
Authors: Martín-Moruno Dolores
Published: December 2022

This introductory chapter carves out a space for the histories of emotions and the senses within humanitarian visual culture, by examining the performativity of images in the construction of humanitarian crises. To this end, it analyses how illustrated pamphlets, cinema talks, photographs, documentary films, graphic novels and virtual reality environments have mobilised the affective responses of audiences, thus creating transnational networks of solidarity from the nineteenth century to present-day society. Furthermore, it questions presentist conceptions of pain, compassion, sympathy and empathy, as well as that these emotions have been the natural reaction of spectators regarding the pain of others. The chapter concludes by showing the potential of investigating related conceptions of indignation, shame, rage and horror in order to advocate for a history of humanitarian experiences.
Stingless bee (Apidae: Meliponini) foraging and predation at trunk resin sources: Rare observations captured with microcontroller-based camera traps in a lowland dipterocarp forest
Authors: Chui S. X. , Wahab R. B. H. A. , Leonhardt S. D.
Published: December 2022

An intriguing yet little studied aspect of social insect foraging is the use of resources other than food. We are interested in the collection of plant resins for nest construction and defense by tropical stingless bees. However, direct observations of stingless bee foraging and potential predation activities by natural enemies at resin sources are particularly rare and therefore require a trade-off between observation time and the number of sources observed. We used affordable remote microcontroller-based camera traps to enable for longer durations of continuous and simultaneous monitoring of resin foraging at multiple resin sources in an undisturbed lowland dipterocarp rainforest in Brunei Darussalam (Borneo). Analysis of photos from camera traps shows that stingless bee visitation to resin sources was uncommon at resin wounds in the forest understory (27.3%). Bees visiting wounds displayed a propensity for short and regular resin foraging bouts of up to a few days to particular resin sources. Where there were encounters between stingless bees and natural enemies, i.e., assassin bugs at resin sources, there was a 100% predation success rate (n = 4). Our study suggests that microcontroller-based camera traps complement or may even replace in-person field observations, in particular for observations of organisms or interactions occurring at low abundance. They allow for systemically collected observations which can form the basis for hypothesis-driven research as part of “next-generation natural history”.