bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Focal adhesion kinase–related pathways may be suppressed by metformin in vascular smooth muscle cells in high glucose conditions
Authors: Soleimani Ali Akbar , Ghasmpour Ghasem , Mohammadi Asghar , Gholizadeh Masoomeh , Abkenar Borhan Rahimi , Najafi Mohammad
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Cardiovascular diseases are known as one of the important causes of death in patients with diabetes mellitus. Metformin is used as an oral medication for reducing blood sugar. In this study, the effects of metformin were investigated on the FAK gene expression levels, pFAK protein values, cell viability and migration rate of VSMCs in high glucose conditions.

Materials and methods

The FAK gene expression levels and pFAK protein values were evaluated in VSMCs treated with different doses of metformin (1, 5 and 7 mM), based on cell viability using RT‐qPCR, western blotting and MTT techniques. The cellular migration was evaluated by scratch assay.

Results

The FAK gene expression levels reduced significantly in metformin‐treated VSMCs at 24 h and 48 h periods (p < .0008 and p < .0001, respectively). The pFAK protein values reduced significantly at 24 h (5 mM and 7 mM metformin doses) and 48 h periods (p < .001). In agreement with pFAK protein values, cellular migration reduced significantly at 24 h and 48 h periods (p < .001).

Conclusion

The results showed that metformin may suppress the proliferation and migration of VSMCs via FAK‐related pathways and may retard the progression of vessel stenosis in diabetes.
Improving strategies for the molecular structure of organic anode/cathode materials in potassium‐ion batteries
Authors: Li Changgang , Wang Shengping
Published: May 2022

Potassium‐ion batteries (KIBs) with many technical advantages have attracted much attention. However, it is difficult to find a host material with a large interlayer spacing and stable framework to accommodate K+ with a large radius, resulting in the slower development of inorganic electrode materials for KIBs. Organic electrode materials have the advantages of structural diversity and adjustability, and their electrochemical performance depends on the conversion reaction between K+ and active functional groups, which ignores the steric hindrance effect caused by the large radius of K+. The research progress of organic KIBs is summarized from four aspects: organic cathode materials, organic anode materials, electrolyte optimization, and full batteries. The compositions, structures, reaction mechanisms, electrochemical performances, and development strategies of organic materials with various functional groups are presented. This paper can provide inspiration for researchers to develop high‐performance organic KIBs and realize the application of organic KIBs.

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Design of coil parameters for inductive type wireless power transfer system in electric vehicles
Authors: Sakthi Balasubramaniam Brindha , Sundari Parvathysankar Deiva
Published: May 2022

Wireless power transmission (WPT) is becoming a more viable idea and creative solution, particularly for the battery charging of electric vehicles (EVs). Inductive power transfer (IPT) is a widely used wireless charging technology. Here, the energy transformation takes place between two coils that are magnetically coupled. WPT has recently increased the interest of researchers because it is such a secure, easy, and dependable method of recharging EVs. This article gives an idea to design the charging coils using WPT system by using resonant inductive coupling and also optimizes the coupling coefficient using rain optimization algorithm (ROA). Wireless power transfer based on inductive coupling may perhaps potentially be applied in many real‐world applications. This article uses ANSYS MAXWELL and FEMM 4.1 software tools to analyze the results for 2D and 3D coil WPT systems. From these software simulation results, it has been illustrated that the distribution of flux between Tx and Rx is analyzed for spiral and rectangular coil shapes. The selected coupling coefficient is 0.08. At 95 kHz, the inductance is 34.76 , the mutual inductance is 9.16 and the coupling coefficient is 0.2635.

Highlights

Design an efficient circuit to enhance the whole performance of WPT system.

Self‐inductance, mutual inductance, and coefficient of coupling parameter are analyzed.

Rain optimization algorithm is designed to optimize the parameter for enhancing the efficiency.
Prediction of corrosion life of nitrogen blanket casing in salt cavern gas storage
Authors: Wan Liping , Wang Bohui , Xie Meng , Hu Cheng , Wen Yunfei
Published: May 2022

In this paper, to analyze the oxygen corrosion of the casing string under the nitrogen blanket condition of the salt cavern underground gas storage and to predict the casing's service life, an indoor corrosion weight‐loss experiment was used to study the effects of oxygen concentration, temperature, and pressure on the gas and liquid phase of N80 steel pipe corrosion laws. The corrosion products were examined using scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction analyses. Finally, the corrosion life of the casing was predicted based on the uniform corrosion rate and casing strength check. The results indicated the following: (1) under the experimental conditions, the gas–liquid two‐phase corrosion rate gradually decreased with the increase in nitrogen concentration, while when the concentration was 78%–95%, the liquid‐phase corrosion was serious, and in the liquid nitrogen environment (nitrogen concentration is 99.9%), the liquid‐phase corrosion rate was lower than the oilfield corrosion control index (0.076 mm/a); (2) the temperature and pressure had no significant effect on the casing corrosion; (3) with the increase in nitrogen concentration, the service life of the inner and outer pipes under different working conditions gradually increased, with the minimum service life equaling 28 years when the concentration was 99.99%; (4) nitrogen concentrations of 99.99%, 95%, 90%, and 78% can meet the column strength of the 3‐year cavity‐building cycle, while under the 5‐year cavity‐building cycle, it is recommended that the lower limit of the purity is 90%. Overall, the research results will provide a strong information basis for the construction of salt cavern gas storage cavities.
Multi‐objective economic/emission optimal energy management system for scheduling micro‐grid integrated virtual power plant
Authors: Lamari Mohamed , Amrane Youssouf , Boudour Mohamed , Boussahoua Bouziane
Published: May 2022

Due to rapid socioeconomic growth and current environmental concerns, reducing global greenhouse gas emissions is a key step toward sustainable development. In recent years, some researchers have begun to adopt new grid management technologies such as virtual power plants (VPP) that allow them to improve energy management and cost and reduce gas emissions. The integration of distributed energy resources (DER), such as solar photovoltaic and wind power, combined with micro‐turbines and energy storage systems and with the support of VPP intelligence, will contribute immensely to improving micro‐grids (MGs) energy performance and reducing gas emissions. In this paper, an expert multi‐objective feasibility enhanced particle swarm optimization algorithm is adopted for the optimal scheduling of energy management system to reduce the total operating cost and net emission simultaneously. The proposed algorithm is tested on an Algerian reel building‐MG integrated VPP with DERs and combined cooling, heat, and power generation. Finally, different cases are simulated for a 24‐h time and discussed to demonstrate the validity of the proposed VPP energy system and the effectiveness of the adopted algorithm to reduce gas emissions and the total operating cost.
Impact of electric vehicles and realistic dish‐Stirling solar thermal system on combined voltage and frequency regulation of multiarea hydrothermal system
Authors: Dekaraja Biswanath , Saikia Lalit Chandra
Published: May 2022

The effective and reliable operation of an interconnected power system (PS) is a major concern, because of the large amount of power contribution from the intermittent renewable energy sources to the power grid. Energy storage (ES) devices are employed to enhance the reliability of the PS operation. Electric vehicles (EVs) are a novel type of distributed ES device that may be utilized to compensate for power imbalances. This paper discusses the participation of EVs for combined frequency and voltage control under conventional PS along with a thermal, hydro, realistic dish‐Stirling solar thermal system (RDSTS). Appropriate physical constraints such as governor dead band and generation rate constraints are equipped with thermal and hydro plants, and communication delay between the generating unit and load dispatch center is considered. An aggregate EVs model, RDSTS, and a new cascade controller named fractional‐order proportional‐derivative with filter coefficient cascaded with tilt‐integral‐derivative (CFOPDN‐TID) controller are provided in all areas for various studies. An artificial flora algorithm is employed to determine the optimal value of the various controller parameters under several scenarios. The system dynamics of the CFOPDN‐TID controller outperform the proportional‐integral‐derivative (PID) and TID controllers under various conditions. The incorporation of EVs improves the system performance in terms of less settling time, and peak deviation, and reduce oscillations. The system performance degrades with increases in the communication time delay of the EVs. The integration of RDSTS into the system provides better dynamics than the dish‐Stirling solar thermal system. Numerous studies have been conducted to validate the robustness of the proposed CFOPDN‐TID controller.
A ferry mobility based direction and time‐aware greedy delay‐tolerant routing (FM‐DT‐GDR) protocol for sparse flying ad‐hoc network
Authors: Agrawal Juhi , Kapoor Monit , Tomar Ravi
Published: May 2022

Flying Ad‐hoc Networks (FANETs) play a major role in various civilian and non‐civilian applications especially in search and rescue operations after natural disasters. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) collect critical information in the form of images and videos from disaster areas and send it to the ground station (GS) for immediate rescue operations. UAVs capture the information and send it to the GS to carry out the rescue operations without any delay. A small number of UAVs operate over a large geographic area for rescue operations when a sudden natural disaster occurs that creates a sparse or intermittent network. Therefore, routing is the most challenging issue in sparse FANETs due to the low‐node density network and high mobility of UAVs Existing routing protocols for connected or dense FANETs cannot be directly adopted in extremely sparse FANETs. Only a few works exist that focus on sparse networks as most of the work is based on connected networks. Traditional routing algorithms for sparse FANETs are based on a flood‐based strategy that creates unnecessary delays in the network. Some recently developed routing algorithms directly adopt greedy‐based forwarding for routing in sparse networks and consider the non‐realistic assumption without considering delay as a significant constraint of search and rescue operations. This paper presents a novel ferry mobility‐based direction and time‐aware greedy delay‐tolerant routing (FM‐DT‐GDR) protocol for data transfer to GS during disaster relief operations in the sparse FANETs without delay. FM‐DT‐GDR uses a store, carry, and forward (SCF) mechanism to prevent data loss when no neighbors are present. Upon receiving the beacon from the ferry node, the search nodes calculate the nearest destination from their location between the ferry and the GS and send the data accordingly. The ferry collects data from the search UAVs and sends it to the GS. Optimized ferry trajectories significantly improve route availability between GS and search UAVs Furthermore, the proposed routing scheme efficiently selects the forwarder node to send the data to the selected destination without any delay. FM‐DT‐GDR provides significant improvements in packet delivery ratio, routing overhead, and end‐to‐end delay compared to traditional routing protocols.
Direct chemical editing of Gram‐positive bacterial cell walls via an enzyme‐catalyzed oxidative coupling reaction
Authors: Jia Hao‐Ran , Zhu Ya‐Xuan , Liu Yi , Guo Yuxin , Sayed Sayed Mir , Zhu Xiao‐Yu , Cheng Xiaotong , Wu Fu‐Gen
Published: May 2022

Chemically manipulating bacterial surface structures, a cutting‐edge research direction in the biomedical field, predominantly relies on metabolic labeling by now. However, this method may involve daunting precursor synthesis and only labels nascent surface structures. Here, we report a facile and rapid modification strategy based on a tyrosinase‐catalyzed oxidative coupling reaction (TyOCR) for bacterial surface engineering. This strategy employs phenol‐tagged small molecules and tyrosinase to initiate direct chemical modification of Gram‐positive bacterial cell walls with high labeling efficiency, while Gram‐negative bacteria are inert to this modification due to the hindrance of an outer membrane. By using the biotin‒avidin system, we further present the selective deposition of various materials, including photosensitizer, magnetic nanoparticle, and horseradish peroxidase, on Gram‐positive bacterial surfaces, and realize the purification/isolation/enrichment and naked‐eye detection of bacterial strains. This work demonstrates that TyOCR is a promising strategy for engineering live bacterial cells.
High‐order numerical method for 2D biharmonic interface problem
Authors: Tavakoli Tameh Mahboubeh , Shakeri Fatemeh
Published: May 2022

We present a robust and effective method for the numerical solution of the biharmonic interface problem with discontinuities in both the solution and its derivatives. We use a mixed scheme, in which the biharmonic equation is decoupled to two Poisson equations. The proposed approach is based on the method of difference potentials combined with finite difference schemes on regular structured grid to solve this problem with high‐order accuracy on nonconforming domains. Representative numerical experiments confirm the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method and its ability to handle problems with coupled equations.
Stellate ganglion intervention for chronic pain: A review
Authors: Luo Qingyang , Wen Song , Tan Xinran , Yi Xi , Cao Song
Published: May 2022

Stellate ganglion (SG) intervention is currently widely being studied in many kinds of chronic pain. As one of the convenient ways to treat the sympathetic nervous system, the indications for stellate ganglion intervention (SGI) include complex regional pain syndrome, postherpetic neuralgia, cancer pain of different origins, orofacial pain, and so forth. SGI refers to the reversible or irreversible blocking of the cervical sympathetic trunk, cervical sympathetic ganglion, and their innervation range through noninvasive or minimally invasive treatment. Current treatment options include stellate ganglion block (SGB), SG pulsed radiofrequency, continuous radiofrequency treatment, and noninvasive SGB. In particular, SGB continues to be one of the most studied methods in chronic pain management. However, a single SGB usually provides only short‐term effects; repeated SGB may result in complications such as hoarseness, light‐headedness, and vessel or nerve injury. Meanwhile, the mechanism of SGI is still unclear. This review discusses the research progress of SGI methods, effectiveness, complications, and possible mechanisms in the management of chronic pain.
Distinguishing the pros and cons of metabolic reprogramming in oncolytic virus immunotherapy
Authors: Wang Shiqun , Wei Jiwu
Published: May 2022

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) represent a class of cancer immunotherapies that rely on hijacking the host cell factory for replicative oncolysis and eliciting immune responses for tumor clearance. An increasing evidence suggests that the metabolic state of tumor cells and immune cells is a putative determinant of the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. However, how therapeutic intervention with OVs affects metabolic fluxes within the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains poorly understood. Herein, we review the complexities of metabolic reprogramming involving the effects of viruses and their consequences on tumor cells and immune cells. We highlight the inherent drawback of oncolytic virotherapy, namely that treatment with OVs inevitably further exacerbates the depletion of nutrients and the accumulation of metabolic wastes in the TME, leading to a metabolic barrier to antitumor immune responses. We also describe targeted metabolic strategies that can be used to unlock the therapeutic potential of OVs.
Immune‐related conditions and cancer‐specific mortality among older adults with cancer in the United States
Authors: Wang Jeanny H. , Derkach Andriy , Pfeiffer Ruth M. , Engels Eric A.
Published: May 2022

Immunity may play a role in preventing cancer progression. We studied associations of immune‐related conditions with cancer‐specific mortality among older adults in the United States. We evaluated 1 229 443 patients diagnosed with 20 common cancer types (age 67‐99, years 1993‐2013) using Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results‐Medicare data. With Medicare claims, we ascertained immune‐related medical conditions diagnosed before cancer diagnosis (4 immunosuppressive conditions [n = 3380 affected cases], 32 autoimmune conditions [n = 155 766], 3 allergic conditions [n = 101 366]). For each cancer site, we estimated adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for cancer‐specific mortality associated with each condition, applying a Bonferroni cutoff for significance (P < 5.1 × 10−5). Bayesian metaanalysis methods were used to detect patterns across groups of conditions and cancers. We observed 21 associations with cancer‐specific mortality at the Bonferroni threshold. Increased cancer‐specific mortality was observed with rheumatoid arthritis for patients with melanoma (aHR 1.51, 95% CI 1.31‐1.75) and breast cancer (1.24, 1.15‐1.33)), and with hemolytic anemia for bladder cancer (2.54, 1.68‐3.82). Significant inverse associations with cancer‐specific mortality were observed for allergic rhinitis (range of aHRs: 0.84‐0.94) and asthma (0.83‐0.95) for cancers of the lung, breast, and prostate. Cancer‐specific mortality was nominally elevated in patients with immunosuppressive conditions for eight cancer types (aHR range: 1.27‐2.36; P‐value range: 7.5 × 10−5 to 3.1 × 10−2) and was strongly associated with grouped immunosuppressive conditions using Bayesian metaanalyses methods. For older patients with several cancer types, certain immunosuppressive and autoimmune conditions were associated with increased cancer‐specific mortality. In contrast, inverse associations with allergic conditions may reflect enhanced immune control of cancer.
Racial disparities in epithelial ovarian cancer survival: An examination of contributing factors in the Ovarian Cancer in Women of African Ancestry consortium
Authors: Harris Holly R. , Guertin Kristin A. , Camacho Tareq F. , Johnson Courtney E. , Wu Anna H. , Moorman Patricia G. , Myers Evan , Bethea Traci N. , Bandera Elisa V. , Joslin Charlotte E. , Ochs‐Balcom Heather M. , Peres Lauren C. , Rosenow Will T. , Setiawan Veronica W. , Beeghly‐Fadiel Alicia , Dempsey Lauren F. , Rosenberg Lynn , Schildkraut Joellen M.
Published: May 2022

Black women diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer have poorer survival compared to white women. Factors that contribute to this disparity, aside from socioeconomic status and guideline‐adherent treatment, have not yet been clearly identified. We examined data from the Ovarian Cancer in Women of African Ancestry (OCWAA) consortium which harmonized data on 1074 Black women and 3263 white women with ovarian cancer from seven US studies. We selected potential mediators and confounders by examining associations between each variable with race and survival. We then conducted a sequential mediation analysis using an imputation method to estimate total, direct, and indirect effects of race on ovarian cancer survival. Black women had worse survival than white women (HR = 1.30; 95% CI 1.16‐1.47) during study follow‐up; 67.9% of Black women and 69.8% of white women died. In our final model, mediators of this disparity include college education, nulliparity, smoking status, body mass index, diabetes, diabetes/race interaction, postmenopausal hormone (PMH) therapy duration, PMH duration/race interaction, PMH duration/age interaction, histotype, and stage. These mediators explained 48.8% (SE = 12.1%) of the overall disparity; histotype/stage and PMH duration accounted for the largest fraction. In summary, nearly half of the disparity in ovarian cancer survival between Black and white women in the OCWAA consortium is explained by education, lifestyle factors, diabetes, PMH use, and tumor characteristics. Our findings suggest that several potentially modifiable factors play a role. Further research to uncover additional mediators, incorporate data on social determinants of health, and identify potential avenues of intervention to reduce this disparity is urgently needed.
Review and update of a Nutrient Transfer model used for estimating nitrous oxide emissions from complex grazed landscapes, and implications for nationwide accounting
Authors: Vibart Ronaldo , Giltrap Donna , Saggar Surinder , Mackay Alec , Betteridge Keith , Costall Des , Rollo Mike , Draganova Ina
Published: May 2022

In New Zealand, nitrous oxide emissions from grazed hill pastures are estimated using different emission factors for urine and dung deposited on different slope classes. Allocation of urine and dung to each slope class needs to consider the distribution of slope classes within a landscape and animal behavior. The Nutrient Transfer (NT) model has recently been incorporated into the New Zealand Agricultural GHG Inventory Model to account for the allocation of excretal nitrogen (N) to each slope class. In this study, the predictive ability of the transfer function within the NT model was explored using urine deposition datasets collected with urine sensor and GPS tracker technology. Data were collected from three paddocks that had areas in low (<12°), medium (12–24°), and high slopes (>24°). The NT model showed a good overall predictive ability for two of the three datasets. However, if the urine emission factors (% of urine N emitted as N2O–N) were to be further disaggregated to assess emissions from all three slope classes or slope gradients, more precise data would be required to accurately represent the range of landscapes found on farms. We have identified the need for more geospatial data on urine deposition and animal location for farms that are topographically out of the range used to develop the model. These new datasets would provide livestock urine deposition on a more continuous basis across slopes (as opposed to broad ranges), a unique opportunity to improve the performance of the NT model.
Design and fabrication of electrochemical sensor based on molecularly imprinted polymer loaded onto silver nanoparticles for the detection of 17‐β‐estradiol
Authors: Regasa Melkamu Biyana , Nyokong Tebello
Published: May 2022

In this research report, we prepared an electrochemical sensor based on the molecularly imprinted poly(p‐aminophenol) supported by silver nanoparticles capped with 2‐mercaptobenzoxazole for the selective and sensitive detection of endocrine disrupting 17‐β‐estradiol (E2). The electropolymerization of the functional monomer prepared the proposed molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) composite‐based sensor in the presence of E2 as a template. The recognition materials were characterized using Fourier transform infrared, cyclic voltammetry (CV), square wave voltammetry (SWV), scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and X‐ray powder diffraction techniques. The electrochemical measurements were performed by employing both CV and SWV methods. We did the optimization of critical parameters affecting the sensor performances through the experimental design and verification. The developed sensor showed a linear range from 10 pM to 100 nM with the calculated quantification and detection limits of 1.86 and 6.19 pM, respectively. The incorporation of AgNP with high electrical conductivity into the MIP matrix enhanced the sensor's performance. Furthermore, the sensor was applied to determine E2 in real water samples without any sample preconcentration steps to achieve the percent recovery of 91.87% to 98.36% and acceptable reusability and storage stability performances.
Prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with solid tumors: A meta‐analysis based on 81,814 patients
Authors: Surov Alexey , Wienke Andreas
Published: May 2022

Background

The purpose of the present meta‐analysis was to analyze the prevalence of sarcopenia on staging computed tomography (CT) in patients with different malignant solid tumors and in different oncologic settings based on a large sample.

Methods

MEDLINE, Cochrane, and SCOPUS literature databases were screened for prevalence of sarcopenia in oncologic patients up to December 2021. Overall, 280 studies met the inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the involved studies was checked according to the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Studies instrument. The meta‐analysis was undertaken by using RevMan 5.4 software. DerSimonian and Laird random‐effects models with inverse‐variance weights were used.

Results

The included 280 studies comprised 81,814 patients with different tumors. The prevalence of sarcopenia over all included studies was 35.3%. A prevalence of sarcopenia >50% was identified in esophageal cancer, urothelial cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, prostate cancer, sarcomas, and thyroid cancer. In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, renal cell cancer, and ovarian cancer, the prevalence of sarcopenia varied between 35% and 50%. In colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, hepatocellular cancer, and breast cancer, the prevalence of low skeletal muscle mass was <35%. In curative setting, the prevalence of sarcopenia was 39.6% and in palliative setting, it was 49.2% (P< 0.001).

Conclusions

Sarcopenia is a frequent condition in oncology with a prevalence of 35.3%. The prevalence of sarcopenia is higher in palliative setting vs curative setting. The prevalence of sarcopenia is also different in different tumors.
A novel determination method of quaternary ammonium oxime reactivators and their blood–brain barrier permeability evaluation by surface‐enhanced Raman spectrometry
Authors: Li Nannan , Xie Sizhe , Wu Jianfeng , Yang Jun , Liu Yulong , Wen Mingjie , Zhao Yunli , Xu Yongnan , Xie Jianwei
Published: May 2022

The quaternary ammonium oxime reactivators are a class of important reactivators for nerve agents poisoning, and their sensitive and specific analysis in biomedical samples meets many challenges due to their highly polar properties. In present paper, a novel determination method based on surface‐enhanced Raman spectrometry (SERS) was developed for series of quaternary ammonium oxime reactivators. The self‐cleaning effect of iodine anion on the surface of porous shell‐insulated nanoparticles and the electrostatic adsorption effect were proved to be effective to remove the strong interference of protein and other coexisting substances and significantly improve the response intensity and fingerprint feature of Raman peaks. The analysis of five important quaternary ammonium oxime reactivators (PAM‐Cl, TMB‐4, MMB‐4, HI‐6, LüH6) was achieved in biomedical samples, which had the merit of simple sample pretreatment, rapid speed, high sensitivity, and fingerprint peak characteristics. The detection limits reached values of as low as 0.5 ng·mL−1 for dipyridyl quaternary ammonium oxime reactivators. The method has been successfully used for blood concentration monitoring in vivo and evaluation of the liposomes drug delivery ability to penetrate the blood–brain barrier in mice.
Unclasping potential chickpea resources for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase
Authors: Singh Amrendra Pratap , Singh Rajesh Kumar , Hegde Venkatraman S. , Shukla Narayani , Saini Pinki , Yadav Renu , Yadav Neelam , Aggarwal Ranjana , Kumar Rajendra
Published: May 2022

Background

The investigation was conducted to assess the diverseness and identify novel resources to be utilized in chickpea abiotic‐biotic stress resistance breeding for the antioxidant enzyme Superoxide Dismutase. The plants were grown in a randomized block design in triplicates under all suitable agronomic practices using PUSA 256 as a check. Fresh leaves were collected for the estimation of enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) and DNA extraction. Number of pods were recorded on 20 individual plants from the middle of the row for each of the 12 genotypes. Employing 32 Sequence Tagged Microsatellite Site (STMS) markers together with morpho‐biochemical data, Jaccard's similarity coefficients along with dendrograms were generated to compare and assess the diversity among the genotypes.

Results

Among the 12 chickpea genotypes, poorest versus best performers were identified as BGD‐70 versus ICRISAT‐3668 for SOD activity. Out of 32 STMS primers, 80 alleles with 2.5 an average per loci were found. The marker TA‐80 with the highest polymorphic information content (PIC) could be identified to be used in molecular characterization. The meticulous perusal revealed that the genotypes ICRISAT‐3668 and SBD 377, distantly located on different molecular clusters, expressed the higher SOD activity with the observed distances indicating genetic governance, probably by a limited number of polygenes/OTLs and might be utilized as a potential source for the SOD activity for chickpea abiotic‐biotic stress resistance breeding programs.

Conclusion

The identified novel genetic resources may be used to widen the germplasm base, prepare a maintainable catalog and identify systematic blueprints for future chickpea abiotic‐biotic stresses breeding strategies.
The Hannover Coupler V2: Audiological outcomes of a round window coupler for the Vibrant Soundbridge
Authors: Knölke Nicole , Murawski Dawid , Wardenga Nina , Busch Susan , Maier Hannes , Lenarz Thomas
Published: May 2022

Introduction

The Hannover Coupler version 2 (HC2) was designed to (1) adapt the coupler geometry to the round window (RW) niche (2) to stabilize the floating mass transducer, and (3) to control static coupling forces to the RW. First audiological outcomes with a custom‐made HC2 are reported here.

Material and Methods

Ten patients were enrolled in our site‐initiated, prospective study. To assess audiological outcomes up to 6 months, preoperative and postoperative hearing thresholds, word recognition score (WRS) at 65 dB SPL and the speech recognition threshold in quiet and noise were performed. The effective gain (EG) and the coupling efficiency were calculated.

Results

One revision surgery had to be performed during the study period and a significant, but clinically not relevant bone conduction thresholds change was observed at 4 and 6 kHz at 6‐month follow‐up. At 6 months, the median WRS (n = 10) improved significantly from 0% to 80%. The median speech reception threshold in noise improved significantly from 11.6 to −2.4 dB SNR, and in quiet significantly from 79.6 to 44.4 dB SPL. The average EG of −1.3 dB indicated a closure of the air bone gap. The determined average coupling efficiency of 23.3 dB was within the acceptance range suggested by the manufacturer.

Conclusion

For patients with mixed hearing loss and multiple ear surgeries, the HC2 provided good and stable speech recognition results exceeding published results of RW coupling without a coupler or coupling with the RW soft coupler.
High‐frequency pH time series reveals pronounced seasonality in Arctic coastal waters
Authors: Muth Arley F. , Kelley Amanda L. , Dunton Kenneth H.
Published: May 2022

The accelerated rate of climate change in the Arctic Ocean occurs in conjunction with a system known for its extreme seasonal variability. Here, we present 2 years of continuous pH, salinity, and temperature data from the north Arctic coast of Alaska from instruments deployed in a kelp bed at 4.5–6 m depths in Stefansson Sound. At the innermost site, which receives freshwater runoff from the nearby Sagavanirktok River, short‐term pH variability in late spring and summer produced pH values up to 8.67. The pH values of the deeper offshore site were less affected by freshwater input, although biological (heterotrophy) and physiochemical (ice formation) processes dominated during the winter months, driving pH down to 7.47 during the 8‐month period of ice cover. These long‐term physicochemical measurements reveal the natural but critical influence of changing river inputs on the pH of Arctic nearshore waters which support highly productive communities and subsistence fisheries.
Meringue‐Inspired Fabrication of Highly Thermally Conductive BNNSs/SiCNWs/Epoxy Composites with Shape‐Programmable 3D Networks
Authors: Li Weizhen , Jin Xulong , Wang Shulong , Li Zongze , Gan Wenjun
Published: May 2022

The construction of effective heat transfer routines is becoming more important because of the fast development of modern electronics. However, traditional network templates with fixed size cannot meet the various demands on the shape of products. Herein, a facile construction of a shape‐programmable 3D thermal network for epoxy composites is provided from the inspiration of meringue. Driven by the synergistic effect of silicon carbide nanowires (SiCNWs) and boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs), the thermal conductivity (TC) of BNNSs/SiCNWs/epoxy composites with a 3D network is successfully enhanced to 0.69 W m–1 K–1 at low filler content (2.78 wt%), 3.8 times in comparison with neat epoxy, and the η (TC efficiency of filler) reaches 101. Meanwhile, the mechanical and thermal properties of composites are also enhanced (E' from 2.47 GPa (epoxy) to ≈3.50 GPa, Tg from 123 to 137 °C at 2.78 wt% BNNSs/SiCNWs content). This method may offer a promising prospect for the application in thermal management fields.
Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) Nanocomposites Containing Graphene Nanoplatelets Decorated with Nickel Nanoparticles for Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Shielding and Thermal Management Applications
Authors: Pan Yang , Yang Bin , Jia Ning , Yang Yuqing , Wang Yang , Zhang Nuo , Xia Ru , Qian Jiasheng , Wang Siyu , Tu Youlei , Shi You , Fang Yirong
Published: May 2022

Here, Ni@graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) nanohybrids are obtained via an interfacial reaction growth method and a series of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/Ni@GNP composites are prepared by a solution mixing‐ultrasonic dispersion‐hot pressing technology. The influence of Ni@GNP on the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, dielectric, and thermal management behaviors of the composites is intensively investigated. The microcapacitors formed using Ni@GNP as plates and PMMA as matrix significantly improve the dielectric properties of the composites. Enhancement on thermal conduction and EMI properties of PMMA composites with increasing Ni@GNP content can be ascribed to the unique structure of Ni@GNP and it is the filler interconnection network that renders the composite's desirable thermally conductive and thermomechanical properties. A facile way of fabricating polymeric composites with satisfactory thermal conductivity and high‐performance electromagnetic shielding is provided here. The obtained polymer composites display highly promising applications in the thermal management and EMI shielding of electronic devices.
Coacervation between Two Positively Charged Poly(ionic liquid)s
Authors: Zhang Chongrui , Cai Yinmin , Zhao Qiang
Published: May 2022

Complex coacervates are usually formed through electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, with a few exceptions such as coacervates of like‐charge proteins and polyelectrolytes, both in vivo and in vitro. Understanding of the preparation and mechanisms of these coacervates is limited. Here, a positively charged poly(ionic liquid), poly(1‐vinyl‐3‐benzylimidazolium chloride) (PILben), is designed that bears benzene rings in repeating units. Fluidic coacervates are prepared by mixing the PILben aqueous solution with a like‐charge poly(ionic liquid) named poly(dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride) (PDDA). The effects of polymer concentration, temperature, and ionic strength in the PILben‐PDDA coacervate are studied. Raman spectroscopy and 2D 1H‐13C heteronuclear single quantum coherence (1H‐13C HSQC) characterizations verify that the coacervate formation benefits from the cation‐π interaction between PILben and PDDA. This work provides principles and understandings of designing coacervates derived from like‐charge poly(ionic liquids) with high charge density.
AJP special issue focuses on structural racism, MH disparities
Authors: Canady Valerie A.
Published: May 2022

Observing efforts to reduce mental health care inequities, the American Psychiatric Association released a special edition of the American Journal of Psychiatry addressing the importance of community and system‐wide interventions in confronting structural racism on mental health. The articles point to the significance of community and system‐wide interventions
Symmetries and conservation laws for the generalized n‐dimensional Ermakov system
Authors: Paliathanasis Andronikos , Leon Genly , Leach P.G.L.
Published: May 2022

We revise recent results on the classification of the generalized three‐dimensional Hamiltonian Ermakov system. We show that a statement published recently is incorrect, while the solution for the classification problem was incomplete. We present the correct classification for the three‐dimensional system by using results which related the background space with the dynamics. Finally, we extend our results for the generalized
‐dimensional Hamiltonian Ermakov system.
Inverse fractional Sturm‐Liouville problem with eigenparameter in the boundary conditions
Authors: Sa'idu Auwalu , Koyunbakan Hikmet
Published: May 2022

Ambarzumyan theorem is one of the first results of the inverse spectral theory. In this work, Ambarzumyan's theorem is proved for a fractional derivative Sturm‐Liouville problem. In addition, a general function that depends on the eigenvalue parameter under boundary conditions is considered.
Battling extraordinary situations and conflicting emotions—A qualitative study of being a newly graduated Registered Nurse in the emergency department during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Carnesten Hillewi , Wiklund Gustin Lena , Skoglund Karin , Von Heideken Wågert Petra
Published: May 2022

Aim

To describe newly graduated registered nurses’ (NGRNs’) experiences of encountering stress in emergency departments (EDs) during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Design

A qualitative descriptive study.

Methods

Data from 14 in‐depth interviews with NGRNs working in an ED for 3‐36 months after graduation was analysed by the means of qualitative content analysis as described by Graneheim and Lundman. Interviews were conducted from March to November 2020 covering the first two waves of the pandemic.

Results

Data revealed three categories and nine subcategories comprised in the theme Battling extraordinary situations and conflicting emotions. Empowered by acknowledging themselves as important caregivers during the pandemic NGRNs struggle against limitations and exert themselves beyond their known limit. External stressors due to work overload in combination with understaffing force NGRNs into the role of the experienced nurse prematurely and internal stressors derives from part taking in less qualitative care.
A comparative study of patient safety in the intensive care units
Authors: Atashzadeh‐Shoorideh Foroozan , Shirinabadi Farahani Azam , Pishgooie Amir Hosein , Babaie Mohadese , Hadi Nazanin , Beheshti Maryam , Zadeh Ensieh Fathollah , Skerrett Victoria
Published: May 2022

Aim

This study aimed to assess patient‐safety principles in ICUs.

Design

This is a descriptive‐comparative study.

Methods

The research environment includes ICUs of hospitals affiliated to the two universities of medical sciences in Tehran. Sampling was done by census using Time and Event Sampling methods. Research instrument was “Patient Safety Principles Checklist”. Data analysis was performed using SPSS‐20 and descriptive‐inferential statistics with a significance level of 0.05.

Results

There is no significant difference (p‐value = .15) in the level of observance of patient‐safety principles in two university‐affiliated hospitals A (133.26 ± 9.14) and B (128.16 ± 18.01). Evaluation of the mean scores obtained in each dimension and in each of the ICUs was showed that only in dimension No.3 the difference was significant (F[68,2] = 5.20, p‐value = .008) and in the AICUs (16.13 ± 1.8) (p‐value = .04), it was significantly lower than other ICUs. Identifying risk factors for the patient’s immunity reduces the side effects of patient care.
Mechanical, wear and fatigue behavior of silane‐treated corncob biosilica toughened epoxy resin composite reinforced with prickly pear short fibers
Authors: Sathish Kumar S. , Manimaran R. , Anbukarasi K.
Published: May 2022

This research focused on investigating the mechanical, wear, and fatigue behavior of an epoxy composite toughened with corncob biosilica (CCB) and prickly pear fiber (PPF). The primary aim of this research was to improve the load bearing effect of high‐brittle matrix by adding eco‐friendly fiber and particle. The surface treatment on the fiber and particle was done using an amino silane, 3‐Aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS). The natural fiber composites are prepared by hand layup process and characterized in accordance with ASTM standards. The experimental results indicated that the addition of fiber and particles increased the tensile and flexural strength up to 61% and 50%, respectively. Similarly, it is noted that the biosilica particles improved the bonding and reduced the rate of wear of composites, as well as lowered the stress intensity factor. A lowest wear rate of 0.037 and COF of 0.38 were noted for EFC2 composite designation. The morphological study of the fractured composites revealed improved fiber adhesion to the matrix. This reduced intensity of stress, increased wear resistance and higher fatigue life ensures the composite's application in structural and industrial applications.
Effects of halloysite clay nanotubes on the energy absorption and failure mechanisms of glass/epoxy composite tubes subjected to quasi‐static axial crushing
Authors: Alshahrani Hassan , Sebaey Tamer A. , Hegazy Dalia A. , Abd El‐baky Marwa A.
Published: May 2022

The capability of a structure to absorb enormous amount of energy is a crucial issue, particularly for structural components of vehicles, in decreasing the injury in case of collision. The current study investigates the impact of the presence of halloysite clay nanotubes (HNTs) on crashworthiness performance of glass/epoxy energy absorbent composite tubes. Specimens filled with 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 wt% of HNTs were manufactured via wet‐wrapping process and tested under quasi‐static axial crushing. The crush load–displacement response, initial crushing load , average crushing load (), crushing force efficiency (CFE), absorbed energy (U), specific absorbed energy (SEA) for the proposed composite tubes were determined and discussed. The crushing behaviors for all specimens were traced. Results indicated that the specimens' failure mechanisms and the energy absorption capacities of nanofilled glass reinforced epoxy composites are controlled by wt% of HNTs. The presence of HNTs improves the energy absorbing capacities of glass/epoxy composites during the crushing process. Composite tubes filled with 4 wt% of HNTs are recommended as energy dissipating elements in vehicles. Weibull distribution was applied to show the failure probabilities and the scatter in the output data. The obtained failure probability graphs are important tools for helping the designers to understand and chose the suitable material for the required design.
Synthesis and biological evaluation of cilengitide derivatives on TGF‐β1‐induced epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition in human non‐small cell lung cancer cells
Authors: Park Kyeong‐Yong , Jeong Jisu , Kim Jiyeon
Published: May 2022

Epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important process leading to invasiveness of cancer cells and poor prognosis in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression. Cilengitide (cyclo[RGDf(NMe)V]), a cyclic RGD pentapeptide, has been shown to enhance the inhibitory effect of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors on TGF‐β1‐induced mesenchymal marker expression and invasion by NSCLC A549 cells. In this study, we synthesized cilengitide and derivatives and evaluated their biological effects on TGF‐β1‐induced EMT phenotype marker expression and invasion in human NSCLC cells. Among the synthesized derivatives, R‐1 (cRGDwV) and R‐7 (cRGDyV) were found to be the most effective in inhibiting the growth of NSCLC cells. These cilengitide derivatives showed an inhibitory effect on the TGF‐β1‐induced EMT process and invasion through inhibition of Smad or non‐Smad signaling pathways in NSCLC A549 cells. Through this study, we demonstrated that cilengitide derivatives containing the RGD sequence and hydrophobic amino acids, such as cilengitide, exhibit inhibitory effects on NSCLC cell growth and EMT inhibition. In addition, the potential of these peptides as a drug that can be used to inhibit metastasis of various cancers accompanying the EMT process was suggested.
A new soft red winter wheat cultivar ‘GA 08535‐15LE29’ adapted to Georgia and the U.S. southeast region
Authors: Mergoum Mohamed , Johnson Jerry , Buck James , Buntin G. David , Sutton Steve , Lopez Benjamin , Mailhot Daniel , Chen Zhenbang , Bland Dan , Harrison Stephen , Murphy Joseph Paul , Mason Esten , Sutton Russell Lane , Babar Ali , Brown‐Guedira Gina , Ibrahim Amir , Boyles Richard E. , Baik Byung‐Kee , Marshall David , Griffey Carl Allen , Cambron Sue Ellen , Chen Xianming , Cowger Christina
Published: May 2022

Soft red winter wheat (SRWW) (Triticum aestivum L.) production in the southeastern United States is affected by biotic and abiotic stresses that can result in yield losses and reduced acreage. Developing new cultivars with high yield, good resistance to predominant pests, and acceptable quality to maximize value in regional markets is needed. The University of Georgia (UGA) SRWW breeding program, in collaboration with institutions in the region including the Southern UNiversities GRAINS (SUNGRAINS) programs, is responding to these challenges by developing and releasing superior cultivars adapted to the region. ‘GA 08535‐15LE29’ (Reg. no. CV‐1191, PI 693269) SRWW cultivar was developed and released by the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and licensed to Uni South Genetics seed company in 2018 as USG 3640. GA 08535‐15LE29 is well adapted to Georgia and the U.S. southeast region with high yield and good resistance to leaf (Puccinia triticina Erikss.) and stripe (P. striiformis Westend.) rusts, Fusarium head blight (caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe), powdery mildew (Erisyphe graminis), and Soil‐borne wheat mosaic virus (SBWMV) diseases. GA 08535‐15LE29 showed moderate field resistance to Hessian fly [Mayetiola destructor (Say)]. GA 08535‐15LE29 has Sbm1 and Yr17/Lr37/Sr38 for resistance to SBWMV and rust diseases and has good grain volume weight and acceptable milling and baking qualities.