bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Global, Regional, and National Epidemiology of Visual Impairment in Working-Age Individuals, 1990-2019
Authors: Chen Jianqi , Yang Chunyan , Zheng Weixin , Li Zhidong , Huang Yanyi , Yao Shuyu , Chen Xuhao , Chen Xiaohong , Xie Rui , Luo Ruiyu , Zhang Yuan , Ye Guitong , Shen Xinyue , Xiao Yue , Zhu Yingting , Huang Wenmin
Published: December 2023

Importance

Visual impairment in working-age individuals can affect their general health and employment prospects, leading to decreased social and economic productivity and increased poverty rates. Nonetheless, investigations in this population appear to be limited.

Objective

To investigate the trends of visual impairment prevalence and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in working-age individuals from 1990 to 2019.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cross-sectional, population-based study used data for individuals of working age (15-64 years) from 204 countries and territories obtained from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study. The data analysis was performed between May 1 and 10, 2023.

Exposure

Visual impairment, defined as visual acuity of less than 6/18 (20/60) or near visual acuity of less than 6/12 (20/40) distance equivalent as determined by Snellen chart.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Trends of visual impairment prevalence, DALYs, and corresponding estimated annual percent changes (EAPCs) from 1990 to 2019 were stratified according to region, nation, and sociodemographic index (SDI).

Results

There were 437 539 484 (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 325 463 851-575 573 588) prevalent cases of visual impairment globally (53.12% female and 46.88% male) in 2019, representing an increase of 91.46% from 1990 (prevalent cases, 228 530 964; 95% UI, 172 515 833-297 118 596). Over 3 decades, visual impairment-associated DALYs increased from 7 601 852 (95% UI, 5 047 030-11 107 897) to 12 563 276 (95% UI, 8 278 866-18 961 723). Among the 5 SDI groups, the low-SDI group had the largest increase in DALYs (898 167 [95% UI, 597 161-1 301 931] in 1990 to 1 634 122 [95% UI, 1 079 102-2 444 381] in 2019). Regionally, the greatest increase in prevalence was observed in Eastern Europe (EAPC, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.02-0.19). Among all countries and territories, Nepal had the highest national prevalence of visual impairment per 100 000 population in 2019 (26 008.45; 95% UI, 19 987.35-32 482.09), while South Sudan had the highest DALY rate per 100 000 population (480.59; 95% UI, 316.06-697.06).

Conclusions and Relevance

Despite the mild decrease in visual impairment prevalence rates in less-developed countries, these findings suggest that the number of prevalent cases globally has increased substantially, with discernible unfavorable patterns in developed regions. The findings support the notion that visual impairment in working-age individuals is a growing global health challenge. A better understanding of its epidemiology may facilitate the development of appropriate measures for prevention and treatment from both medical and social perspectives.
A Review of Advanced Abdominal Wall Hernia Patch Materials
Authors: Liang Kaiwen , Ding Cuicui , Li Jingyi , Yao Xiao , Yu Jingjing , Wu Hui , Chen Lihui , Zhang Min
Published: December 2023

Tension‐free abdominal wall hernia patch materials (AWHPMs) play an important role in the repair of abdominal wall defects (AWDs), which have a recurrence rate of <1%. Nevertheless, there are still significant challenges in the development of tailored, biomimetic, and extracellular matrix (ECM)‐like AWHPMs that satisfy the clinical demands of abdominal wall repair (AWR) while effectively handling post‐operative complications associated with abdominal hernias, such as intra‐abdominal visceral adhesion and abnormal healing. This extensive review presents a comprehensive guide to the high‐end fabrication and the precise selection of these advanced AWHPMs. The review begins by briefly introducing the structures, sources, and properties of AWHPMs, and critically evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of different types of AWHPMs for AWR applications. The review subsequently summarizes and elaborates upon state‐of‐the‐art AWHPM fabrication methods and their key characteristics (e.g., mechanical, physicochemical, and biological properties in vitro/vivo). This review uses compelling examples to demonstrate that advanced AWHPMs with multiple functionalities (e.g., anti‐deformation, anti‐inflammation, anti‐adhesion, pro‐healing properties, etc.) can meet the fundamental clinical demands required to successfully repair AWDs. In particular, there have been several developments in the enhancement of biomimetic AWHPMs with multiple properties, and additional breakthroughs are expected in the near future.
Ultraviolet light irradiated high‐efficiency crosslinking and insulating properties of LLDPE/EPDM blends
Authors: Shao Manzhi , Li Chunyang , Zhao Hong , Zhu Shuiliang , Yue Zhenguo
Published: December 2023

Ultraviolet light (UV) irradiation crosslinked linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE)/ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) composites with different blending ratios were prepared using benzophenone (BP) as photoinitiator and triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC) as crosslinking agent. The irradiation time was determined, the effects of rubber‐plastic ratio on the crystallization behaviors, mechanical properties, crosslinking properties and electrical properties of LLDPE/EPDM composites were investigated. The results show that with the increase of EPDM content, the crystalline structure of LLDPE/EPDM composite become looser and the crystallinity decreased. The blending of EPDM and LLDPE results in two different aggregation states of the same crystalline form. With the increase of LLDPE content, the crosslinking efficiency, tensile strength, and energy storage modulus show a significant upward trend. When two polymers simultaneously exist in the material, if the difference between the contents of two polymers is large, the breakdown strength of the composite is relatively lower. The relaxation polarization of LLDPE/EPDM at low frequencies increases with the content of EPDM, thus leading to the increase of loss factor at low frequencies. A novel UV crosslinked modified EPDM insulating material with high production efficiency and improved insulation performances has been developed for use as an insulating layer for flexible power cables.
Thermodynamic and Catalytic Insights into Non‐Reductive Transformation of CO2 with Amines into Organic Urea Derivatives
Authors: Yabushita Mizuho , Fujii Ryotaro , Nakagawa Yoshinao , Tomishige Keiichi
Published: December 2023

Carbon dioxide (CO2) utilization as a carbonyl source is an attractive and promising approach to yielding value‐added organic urea derivatives, which are currently produced with toxic reagents such as phosgene and carbon monoxide, along with the contribution to mitigating global warming. However, the direct intermolecular reaction between CO2 and amines into organic urea derivatives has thermodynamic limitations, and such obstacles need to be considered well in order to establish efficient reaction systems. Herein, this review describes the thermodynamic aspects for producing several organic urea compounds, viz., N,N’‐dibutylurea, N,N’‐di(tert‐butyl)urea, 2‐imidazolidinone (ethylene urea), N,N’‐dimethyl‐2‐imidazolidinone, tetrahydro‐2‐pyrimidinone (propylene urea), and N,N’‐diphenylurea, based on the results of computational calculations. Besides, a variety of the state‐of‐the‐art reaction systems with/without catalyst for synthesizing such organic urea compounds operated under pressurized CO2 have been summarized and discussed to make not only advantages but also disadvantages clear. We have also overviewed the very recently reported approaches that employ alkylcarbamic acids as substrates and instead does not require external CO2. The thermodynamic and catalytic insights garnered here could be a fruitful guideline for fairly assessing each reaction system and further improving the efficiency of CO2 utilization as a carbonyl source.
Activation of LC3 binders by C‐S‐H nucleation seeding with a new tailored admixture for low‐carbon cements
Authors: Cuesta Ana , Morales‐Cantero Alejandro , De la Torre Angeles G. , Santacruz Isabel , Mazanec Oliver , Dalla‐Libera Alessandro , Dhers Sebastien , Schwesig Peter , Borralleras Pere , Aranda Miguel A.G.
Published: December 2023

The use of supplementary cementitious materials is currently the most favorable strategy for reducing CO2 emissions in cements. Limestone Calcined Clay Cements, LC3, are a type of cement that allows the reduction of CO2 emissions up to 40%. The proportions of the mixtures can vary, but the most investigated combination, LC3‐50, contains about 50 wt% clinker, 30 wt% calcined kaolinitic clay, 15 wt% limestone and an optimised calcium sulphate content. However, the mechanical strengths of LC3 at early ages are not good enough and they should be improved. One way of doing this is by employing commercial strength‐enhancing (accelerator) admixtures based on C‐S‐H nucleation seeding. For this work, LC3‐50 cements were prepared with clays with varying kaolinite contents. Mortars and pastes were fabricated using a new PCE‐based superplasticizer developed to avoid the loss of fluidity at early ages typical of LC3 binders. The selected accelerator for this study was Master X‐Seed STE53. The results show that the loss of fluidity of LC3 mortars during the first hours could be solved by a recently developed PCE‐based superplasticizer. The compressive strengths at 1 day for LC3 mortars strikingly improved by using the C‐S‐H seeding admixture and this behavior was maintained for up to 28 days.
Boosting Circularly Polarized Luminescence from Alkyl‐Locked Axial Chirality Scaffold by Restriction of Molecular Motions
Authors: Huang Wenbin , Zhu Yuxin , Zhou Kang , Chen Letian , Zhao Zujin , Zhao Engui , He Zikai
Published: December 2023

Boosting the circularly polarized luminescence of small organic molecules has been a stubborn challenge because of weak structure rigidity and dynamic molecular motions. To investigate and eliminate these factors, here, we carried out the structure‐property relationship studies on a newly‐developed axial chiral scaffold of bidibenzo[b,d]furan. The molecular rigidity was finely tuned by gradually reducing the alkyl‐chain length. The environmental factors were considered in solution, crystal, and polymer matrix at different temperatures. As a result, a significant amplification of the dissymmetry factor glum from 10−4 to 10−1 was achieved, corresponding to the situation from (R)‐4C in solution to (R)‐1C in polymer film at room temperature. A synergistic strategy of increasing the intramolecular rigidity and enhancing the intermolecular interaction to restrict the molecular motions was thus proposed to improve circularly polarized luminescence. The though‐out demonstrated relationship will be of great importance for the development of high‐performance small organic chiroptical systems in the future.
A Powerful P−N Connection: Preparative Approaches, Reactivity, and Applications of P‐Stereogenic Aminophosphines
Authors: Huber Tanja , Bauer Jonathan O.
Published: December 2023

For more than five decades, P‐stereogenic aminophosphine chalcogenides and boranes have attracted scientific attention and are still in the focus of ongoing research. In the last years, novel transition metal‐based synthesis methods have been discovered, in addition to the long‐known use of chiral auxiliaries. Enantiomerically pure compounds with N−P+−X− (X=O, S, BH3) motifs served as valuable reactive building blocks to provide new classes of organophosphorus derivatives, thereby preserving the stereochemical information at the phosphorus atom. Over the years, intriguing applications in organocatalysis and transition metal catalysis have been reported for some representatives. Asymmetric reductions of C=C, C=N, and C=O double bonds were feasible with selected P‐stereogenic aminophosphine oxides in the presence of hydrogen transfer reagents. P‐stereogenic aminophosphine boranes could be easily deprotected and used as ligands for various transition metals to enable catalytic asymmetric hydrogenations of olefins and imines. This review traces the emergence of a synthetically and catalytically powerful functional compound class with phosphorus‐centered chirality in its main lines, starting from classical approaches to modern synthesis methods to current applications.
Semicrystalline Unfused Polymer Donors with Backbone Halogenation toward Cost‐Effective Organic Solar Cells†
Authors: Kong Yuxin , Ju Shijie , Qin Hongmei , Jee Min Hun , Xia Simeng , Ren Jiaqi , Gao Chao , Yuan Jianyu , Su Wenyan , Woo Han Young , Li Yuxiang
Published: December 2023

Comprehensive Summary

Developing novel unfused building blocks with simple synthesis and low cost is essential to advance and enrich cost‐effective polymer donors; however, it remains a challenge due to the lack of efficient molecular strategies. Herein, a class of low‐cost and fully unfused polymer donors with precisely regulated backbone planarity via halogenation was designed and synthesized, namely PDTBTBz‐2H, PDTBTBz‐2F, and PDTBTBz‐2Cl. These polymer donors possess a four‐step synthesis route with over 80% yield from cheap raw chemicals comparable to existing low‐cost polymer donors, such as PTQ10. Benefitting from the planar backbone via incorporating the F···S non‐covalent interactions, PDTBTBz‐2F exhibits more robust J‐type aggregation in solution and a long‐ranged molecular stacking in film relative to PDTBTBz‐2H and PDTBTBz‐2Cl. Moreover, the systematical study of PDTBTBz‐based organic solar cells (OSCs) reveals the close relationship between optimized molecular self‐assembly and charge separation/transport regarding backbone halogenation when paired with the non‐fullerene acceptor (Y6‐BO‐4F). As a result, the photovoltaic devices based on semicrystalline PDTBTBz‐2F achieved a promising power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.37%. Our work highlighted the influence of backbone halogenation on the molecular self‐assembly properties and a potential unfused backbone motif for further developing cost‐effective OSCs.
Decline of Tephroseris helenitis in Hessia (Germany) over the last 120 years: Modeling implies the gradual disappearance of its temperature niche for flower induction and germination
Authors: Griebeler Eva Maria , Kadereit Joachim W.
Published: December 2023

Tephroseris helenitis is a perennial herb that experienced a severe decline of species records over the last 120 years in the state of Hessia, Germany. Here, the species is found in humid habitats with moderate temperatures. In this modeling study, we assessed changes in climatic conditions between the periods 1900–1949, 1950–1979, 1980–1999 and 2000–2020 and explored whether these changes can explain the decline of records of T. helenitis. Climatic variables used were monthly precipitation sums, monthly mean, minimum and maximum temperatures, monthly temperature ranges as well as annual precipitation sum and annual mean temperature. For the majority of these variables, changes were significant across periods. Minimum temperatures in March, April and July (Tmin_Mar, Tmin_Apr, Tmin_Jul) best explained species presences and absences in 1900–1949 and 1950–1979. The species shifted its realized niche towards lower Tmin_Mar and narrowed its niche on Tmin_Apr and Tmin_Jul between these two periods. March, April and July are crucial in the life cycle of T. helenitis. Tmin_Mar and Tmin_Apr are related to the induction of flowering through a period of low temperatures (vernalization), and Tmin_Jul is related to seed germination. Documented increasing March and April temperatures as well as autumn and winter temperatures in the past 120 years may imply that vernalization became increasingly unsuccessful for the species and increasing July temperatures may have decreased its germination success. Given the disappearance of its temperature niche (Tmin_Mar, Tmin_Apr, Tmin_Jul) due to ongoing global warming not only in Hessia and Germany, we anticipate that T. helenitis will go extinct in Europe.
Approximate Bayesian computation and ecological niche models elucidate the demographic history and current fragmented population distribution of a Korean endemic shrub
Authors: Ong Homervergel G. , Kim Yong‐In , Lee Jung‐Hoon , Kim Bo‐Yun , Kang Dae‐Hyun , Jung Eui‐Kwon , Shin Jae‐Seo , Kim Young‐Dong
Published: December 2023

Climatic fluctuations and geological events since the LGM are believed to have significantly impacted the population size, distribution, and mobility of many species that we observe today. In this paper, we determined the processes driving the phylogeographic structure of the Korean endemic white forsythia by combining the use of genome‐wide SNPs and predicting paleoclimatic habitats during the LGM (21 kya), Early Holocene (10 kya), Mid‐Holocene (6 kya), and Late Holocene (3 kya). Using a maximum of 1897 SNPs retrieved from 124 samples across nine wild populations, five environmental predictors, and the species' natural occurrence records, we aimed to infer the species' demographic history and reconstruct its possible paleodistributions with the use of approximate Bayesian computation and ecological niche models, respectively. Under this integrated framework, we found strong evidence for patterns of range shift and expansion, and population divergence events from the onset of the Holocene, resulting in the formation of its five distinct genetic units. The most highly supported model inferred that after the split of an ancestral population into the southern group and a larger central metapopulation lineage, the latter gave rise to the eastern and northern clusters, before finally dividing into two sub‐central groups. While the use of molecular data allowed us to identify and refine the (phylo)genetic relationships of the species' lineages and populations, the use of ecological data helped us infer a past LGM refugium and the directions of post‐glacial range dynamics. The time frames of these demographic events were shown to be congruent with climatic and geological events that affected the central Korean Peninsula during these periods. These findings gave us a better understanding of the consequences of past spatiotemporal factors that may have resulted in the current fragmented population distribution of this endangered plant.
Human land‐use changes the diets of sympatric native and invasive mammal species
Authors: Chiu‐Werner Antje , Jones Menna
Published: December 2023

The consequences of biological invasions and habitat degradation for native biodiversity depend on how species cope with the individual and synergetic challenges these processes present. To assess the impact of anthropogenic land‐use on the food web architecture of an invaded community, we examine the diets of nine native and two highly invasive mammal species at different trophic levels, inhabiting different land‐uses across six biogeographic regions in Tasmania, Australia. We use two complementary methods, environmental DNA metabarcoding analysis (eDNA) of faeces and stable isotope analysis (SIA) of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) in whole blood, to account for the high interindividual and temporal variability in the diets of multiple species simultaneously. eDNA showed regionalisation in the diet of smaller species, with land‐use further defining dietary taxa within each region. SIA revealed that bioregion and land‐use influence the δ13C values of all carnivore species and omnivores, whereas the δ15N values of these species are influenced only by land‐use and not bioregion. Including multiple species showed that native rats are changing their diet in response to the presence of invasive rats, an impact that would have otherwise been attributed to land‐use. Our findings demonstrate that human activities and invasive species are moulding the diets of invaded communities, raising questions about the potential impacts that dietary modifications will have on the life‐history traits and the evolutionary consequences these modifications might have on the survival of native species. This highlights the urgency of including human activities in ecological studies and the importance of targeting multispecies assemblages to gain a better understanding of synergetic impacts on native biodiversity.
Opportunistic citizen science data reveals habitat selection of lesser black‐backed gulls in Central Europe
Authors: Lánczos Zsuzsanna , Végvári Zsolt , Ecsedi Zoltán , Boros Emil
Published: December 2023

This study is the first attempt to find a relation between the opportunistic observation data of an easily identifiable but locally rare bird, in our case the lesser black‐backed gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), and the Corine Land Cover habitat map by applying a resource selection function model to reveal the habitat selection of the species. We provide a scientific analysis using the valuable citizen science dataset sourced from the www.birding.hu website, collected by hundreds of volunteers over a span of more than a decade in Hungary. Birds selected for landfills, river and lake habitats and showed a significant but much smaller attraction towards urban areas, while they selected against arable lands. We found that in the case of rare and moderately common birds, we can obtain a representative picture of the habitat selection of the species, even if the data are collected by non‐standardized means.
Monitoring WAD cyanide concentration in river waters with a glassy carbon electrode modified with 9,10‐Phenanthroquinone
Authors: Cardenas‐Riojas Andy A. , Calderon‐Zavaleta Sandy L. , Quiroz‐Aguinaga Ulises , Muedas‐Taipe Golfer , La Rosa‐Toro Gómez Adolfo , Ponce‐Vargas Miguel , Baena‐Moncada Angélica M.
Published: December 2023

Heavy metal‐containing industrial effluent streams from electroplating and metalworking industries represent a major environmental issue. They contain metal cyanide complexes ([Ni(CN)4]2− and [Cu(CN)3]2−) referred to as weak acid dissociable cyanide (CN‐WAD), which require continuous in situ monitoring. In this scenario, a glassy carbon (GC) electrode superficially decorated with 9,10‐phenanthroquinone (FNQ) is manufactured and employed for the simultaneous electrochemical monitoring of cyanide WAD complexes. The interaction between GC and FNQ was characterized by Raman and electrochemical impedance spectroscopies, cyclic voltammetry, and chronocoulometry. The electrochemical evaluation was conducted by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and CV. The GC/FNQ electrochemical sensor simultaneously detected cyanide complexes with an average linear range of 9–93 μmol L−1, and a detection limit of 0.15±0.04 μmol L−1 and 1.2±0.6 μmol L−1 for [Ni(CN)4]2− and [Cu(CN)3]2−, respectively. The sensor demonstrated remarkable selectivity in the presence of multiple interfering species with a percentage variation range of 89.2–109.4 %. Moreover, a computational DFT study provided valuable insights into the electrode/electrolyte interface. Finally, the developed sensor was applied for the electrochemical detection of WAD cyanide in river water samples.
Postoperative small intestinal obstruction caused by barbed suture after robot‐assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy
Authors: Takagi Haruka , Wada Naoki , Morishita Shun , Ohtani Miyu , Kitta Takeya , Kakizaki Hidehiro , Kohro Daisuke , Shonaka Tatsuya
Published: December 2023

Introduction

We present a case of small intestinal obstruction due to a barbed suture used for peritoneal closure during robot‐assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy.

Case presentation

A female patient with pelvic organ prolapse underwent robot‐assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy uneventfully. Intestinal obstruction developed on postoperative Day 4. Conservative treatment with the ileus tube failed to improve abdominal symptoms. The laparoscopic examination on postoperative Day 14 revealed the barbed suture entangled with the small intestinal mesentery. The tail of the barbed suture was laparoscopically detached from the mesentery without damaging the small intestine. The tail of the barbed suture was trimmed; an antiadhesive material was applied to the peritoneal closure line and the trimmed tail of the barbed suture.

Conclusion

We recommend the use of conventional absorbable sutures in the peritoneal cavity because of the potential risk of intestinal obstruction caused by the barbed suture.
Intraseasonal variations of precipitation over southern China during boreal winter and their two primary influencing factors
Authors: Chen Xiong , Chen Chaohui , Li Chongyin , Guo Hailong , Yang Minghao
Published: December 2023

This paper utilizes reanalysis data and statistical methods to elucidate the physical mechanisms of intraseasonal variations of precipitation over southern China during the boreal winter, as well as the two primary factors influencing these variations. Anomalous southerly (northerly) wind over southern China will result in the strong moisture convergence (divergence) in enhanced (suppressed) scenarios, and the stronger positive (negative) horizontal advection of absolute vorticity at upper troposphere induces the anomalous ascending (descending) motion in enhanced (suppressed) scenarios. The Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) in the tropics and a wave train over the North Atlantic and Eurasia with four activity centres in the mid–high latitudes (referred as NAE‐wave train) are the two primary factors that modulate the intraseasoanl precipitation over southern China. The intraseasonal circulation induced by MJO and NAE‐wave train exhibits distinct features, resulting in different physical mechanisms of their influences. The moisture flux divergence anomalies over southern China associated with MJO mainly stem from the meridional moisture convergence, whereas the meridional moisture advection is the first contributor in the influence of NAE‐wave train. The anomalous vorticity advection at upper troposphere associated with MJO is primarily influenced by the meridional advection, but that associated with NAE‐wave train is dominated by the zonal advection. Anomalous precipitation induced by MJO is concentrated mainly over South China, while that caused by NAE‐wave train is primarily located in the mid–lower Yangtze River basin. Therefore, different phases locking of MJO and NAE‐wave train could lead to various precipitation anomalies over southern China.
Radiocarbon dates from the Netherlands and Doggerland as a proxy for vegetation and faunal biomass between 55 and 5 ka cal bp
Authors: Van Geel B. , Van Der Plicht J. , Kasse C. , Mol D.
Published: December 2023

Three hundred forty‐one radiocarbon dates from the Groningen radiocarbon database are compiled in this study. They show for the first time that organic sediment samples from the eastern Netherlands and mammal bones from Doggerland reflect shifts in the presence and the density of vegetation (food for herbivores) and mammal biomass during the last ice age (Weichselian Stage, ~119–14.7 ka cal bp). Comparison with oxygen isotope curves of Greenland ice cores and geomorphological data shows that cold climate, in particular during the younger part of the Weichselian Middle Pleniglacial and during the Late Pleniglacial, and related scarcity or even absence of vegetation, were limiting factors for the carrying capacity of the landscape and thus for the population density of large herbivores during the period covered by 14C dating (last ca. 55 000 years). A ‘fossil gap’ during the Late Pleniglacial lasted ca. 13 000 years from ca. 28 to 15 ka cal 
bp. Previous research from the nearby Eifel region in Germany shows that environmental conditions were less extreme (‘refugium conditions’) than in the Netherlands, taking into account the continuous presence of spores of coprophilous fungi in the Eifel, indicating uninterrupted food supply for herbivores.
Effects of leaf and stem maturation on nutritional value in Megathyrsus maximus
Authors: Hernández Álvarez Urys M. , López Colomba Eliana , Bollati Graciela P. , Carloni Edgardo J. , Reutemann Andrea G. , Grunberg Karina A.
Published: December 2023

Background

Megathyrsus maximus is a forage grass native to Africa but widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the world where it is part of the grazing food chain. This study aimed to evaluate five M. maximus genotypes for the effect of maturity on their morpho‐agronomic traits, nutritional composition and digestibility, and to correlate their leaf blade and stem anatomy with their nutritional value.

Results

The proportion of sclerenchyma tissues increased as maturity was reached, while lignin accumulation was differentiated between genotypes. Gatton Panic, Green Panic and Mutale genotypes maintained their acid detergent lignin (ADL) values for leaf blades in the three cuts evaluated. In sacco ruminal dry matter disappearance was lower in Green Panic genotype at the vegetative stage for stems, but not for leaf blades. Significant positive correlations were found between dry matter disappearance and mesophyll tissues, and the latter were negatively correlated with neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and ADL.

Conclusion

Our results strongly indicate that cutting age and genotype affected the nutritional value of M. maximus leaf blades and stems, with a more pronounced loss of quality in stems than in leaf blades. We recommend increasing the frequency of grazing at early stage or anticipating the stage of stem elongation in Green Panic to produce forage with better nutritional value. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Ordered nanoassemblies from self‐assembly of amphiphilic molecule containing pillar[5]arene and azobenzene groups
Authors: Liu Peng , Deng Yingying , Lu Jie , Gou Xiaoliang , Han Qingqing , Pei Yi‐Rong , Jin Long Yi
Published: December 2023

The derivatization of pillar[n]arenes is a prerequisite for endowing them with functions, as well as enriching the application of pillar[n]arene materials in advanced material science. Herein, we report the self‐assembly of amphiphilic rim‐differentiated pillar[5]arene (H1). One side of the pillar[5]arene is composed of hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) chains, benzene and azobenzene groups connected with ether bonds, and the other side is composed of ethoxy groups. In CHCl3 solvent, the amphiphile H1 self‐assembled into spherical micelles, while in H2O/THF mixed solvent H1 self‐assembled into nanorod‐like assemblies. Interestingly, addition of a guest molecule composed of tetraphenylethene and hexanenitrile groups (G1) to the CHCl3 solution of H1 produces large sheet aggregates via the strong π–π stacking of rod segments. The reversible transformation between the nanosheet assemblies of host–guest complexes and nanoparticles is achieved by addition of the guest molecule 1,4‐butylamine (G2) and pillar[5]arene with ethoxy groups as competitive molecules. Notably, worm‐like and nanorod micelles of H1 were constructed in H2O/THF solution triggered by light irradiation, which assemblies can be used as photosensitive erasable writing materials. © 2023 Society of Industrial Chemistry.
Sustained Release of Hydrogen by PdH‐Te Nanozyme for Anti‐Inflammatory Therapy Against Atherosclerosis
Authors: Xu Min , Zhang Xuan , Dong Baowen , Wang Wenjuan , Zhao Zhihuan
Published: December 2023

Atherosclerosis is induced by the persistent inflammation of the arterial wall. The regulation of inflammation through active drugs can mitigate atherosclerotic lesions, but the therapeutic outcome is limited due to its insufficient efficacy and stability. Herein, a PdH‐Te nanozyme with excellent reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capability is designed for anti‐inflammatory therapy, thereby preventing foam cell formation to alleviate atherosclerosis. As expected, the PdH‐Te nanozyme shows outstanding multiple antioxidant enzyme activities and sustained hydrogen release properties. Benefiting from decreased ROS levels by enzyme catalysis, PdH‐Te nanozyme significantly suppresses the pro‐inflammatory cytokines for atherosclerosis treatment. Taken together, the presented results demonstrate that inhibition of inflammation based on PdH‐Te nanozyme can effectively treat atherosclerosis, identifying an attractive strategy against cardiovascular diseases.
Experimental study on the effect of titanium hydride content on the detonation performance of emulsion explosives
Authors: Wang Fei , Ma Honghao , Shen Zhaowu
Published: December 2023

In order to improve the explosion characteristics of emulsion explosives, titanium hydride was added to emulsion explosives to produce a new type of hydrogen storage emulsion explosives. Charges with different contents of titanium hydride were evaluated through underwater explosion experiments and detonation velocity tests. The tests on underwater explosion and detonation velocity reveal that compared to pure emulsion explosives, the detonation parameters of emulsion explosives containing titanium hydride showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. When the mass ratio of titanium hydride in the emulsion explosive is 1 % to 3 %, all detonation parameters have been improved to a certain extent. When the mass ratio of titanium hydride in the emulsion explosive is 3 % to 10 %, only part of the detonation parameters (specific impulse, specific shock energy, specific total energy and volume energy density) has been improved. The maximum increase of specific impulse, specific shock energy, specific total energy and volume energy density of emulsion explosive containing titanium hydride is 7.06 %, 8.95 %, 3.97 % and 8.22 %, respectively. Based on the analysis, it is evident that though powdered TiH2 participates in the detonation reaction process of the emulsion explosive, the majority of TiH2′s energy is released during the secondary reaction occurring after the detonation wave front. Therefore, the detonation performance of emulsion explosives can be effectively improved by adding a certain mass ratio of titanium hydride.
Does migration improve the quality of life? The case of Swedish immigrants residing in Portugal
Authors: Esteves Alina , Rauhut Daniel
Published: December 2023

Situated in the intersection of the literature on QoL and lifestyle migration, this paper contributes to the discussion of three subjective components of QoL after migrating to another country. These are hedonic (happiness), evaluative (life satisfaction) and eudaimonic (having a purposeful or worthwhile life). Based on 36 in‐depth interviews to Swedish citizens permanently living in Portugal, a group understudied in the lifestyle migration framework, three groups of individuals were identified according to the drivers of migration. Following a life‐course approach, the research question exploring in what way has the QoL changed (or not) after migrating to Portugal is responded. Swedes compare different issues premigrating and postmigrating, cutting across the drivers that brought them to Portugal. The findings suggest differences in happiness, life satisfaction and purposefulness differ according to one's relative economic comfort, standards established for oneself moral principles on how to live, and identity making projects. Despite the challenges that remain, the perceived QoL has generally increased after settling in Portugal comparatively to what it was in their home country, especially in the evaluative and eudaimonic components.
Three-Way Spectral Clustering
Authors: Di Nuzzo Cinzia , Ingrassia Salvatore
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we present a spectral clustering approach for clustering three-way data. Three-way data concern data characterized by three modes: n units, p variables, and t different occasions. In other words, three-way data contain a t × p observed matrix for each statistical observation. The units generated by simultaneous observation of variables in different contexts are usually structured as three-way data, so each unit is basically represented as a matrix. In order to cluster the n units in K groups, the spectral clustering application to three-way data can be a powerful tool for unsupervised classification. Here, one example on real three-way data have been presented showing that spectral clustering method is a competitive method to cluster this type of data.
Mapping Paths to Family Justice: Resolving Family Disputes Involving Children in Neoliberal Times
Authors: Barlow Anne , Hunter Rosemary , Ewing Jan
Published: December 2023

Using interviews with various families and mediators/lawyers involved in three types of out-of-court procedures in England and Wales, this contribution assesses, first, to what extent the interests of the child are in focus in such procedures. And second, whether in certain types of cases, the interests of the child are better protected by means of in-court procedures. The authors find that, while out-of-court procedures are generally child-focused, it is less common that they are child-inclusive or that the clear voice of the child is represented in the adult decision-making. Further, in the out-of-court context, ‘child welfare’ tends to be understood in terms of ongoing contact with both parents and co-parenting. Consequently, the protection of children from an abusive parent can be under-emphasized. In some instances, concerns about children tend to be overshadowed by the financial dispute. Additionally, given there is growing evidence that many children would like to be consulted in out-of-court family dispute resolution, and that (where it is appropriate and safe) this can be a positive influence on their wellbeing. Consideration is given to how current practice in family dispute resolution fits with the rights expressed in Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. In conclusion, the authors highlight a need for distinguishing between different types of conflicts and adjusting procedures accordingly. For example, in high-conflict cases and/or those involving issues of child safety, the interests of the child might be better protected in court, rather than through out-of-court dispute resolution. Whereas in other situations, barriers to hearing the child’s voice out-of-court must be overcome.
Out-of-Court Custody Dispute Resolution in Sweden—A Journey Without Destination
Authors: Singer Anna
Published: December 2023

This contribution is a descriptive overview of alternative legal proceedings in custody conflicts in Swedish law. The relationship between the development of Swedish substantive family law and the effort to prevent parents from battling in court, is compared with the practical outcome of these efforts. The author notes the mechanisms put in place to avoid the initiation of formal judicial proceedings, such as: availability of cooperation talks (which can be initiated both by the parents themselves and by the court), mediation, and a mandatory information meeting. She describes the role of social services and the courts in these disputes, finding that the responsibility they have towards one another and in relation to the parents, is not always clearly defined in the law. She further identifies a number of challenges relating to how the regulation functions in practice. For example, the appointment of an independent mediator, which is relied upon in only 1–3% of cases. She argues that parents in custody disputes often have problems incompatible with the image of parents on which the custody dispute process was designed. The system lacks what could be described as diagnostic tools and that the Swedish out-of-court processes are too rigid, in the sense that they only fit some of the families targeted. They are not sufficiently adapted to the varying and often complex needs of a modern family.
Selective androgen receptor modulator use and related adverse events including drug-induced liver injury: Analysis of suspected cases
Authors: Leciejewska Natalia , Jędrejko Karol , Gómez-Renaud Víctor M. , Manríquez-Núñez Josué , Muszyńska Bożena , Pokrywka Andrzej
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) have demonstrated agonist activity on the androgen receptor in various tissues, stimulating muscle mass growth and improving bone reconstruction. Despite being in clinical trials, none has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or European Medicines Agency for pharmacotherapy. Still, SARMs are very popular as performance-enhancing drugs. The FDA has issued warnings about the health risks associated with SARMs, but the long-term exposure and possible adverse events still need to be fully understood. This review aims to evaluate the adverse events associated with using SARMs by humans.

Methods

PubMed database was searched from September 16, 2022, to October 2, 2023. In total, 20 records were included in the final review. Data from preclinical and clinical studies supported the review.

Results

Since 2020, 20 reports of adverse events, most described as drug-induced liver injury associated with the use of SARM agonists, have been published. The main symptoms mentioned were cholestatic or hepatocellular liver injury and jaundice. Limited data are related to the dosages and purity of SARM supplements.

Conclusion

Promoting SARMs as an anabolic agent in combination with other performance-enhancing drugs poses a risk to users not only due to doping controls but also to health safety. The lack of quality control of consumed supplements makes it very difficult to assess the direct impact of SARMs on the liver and their potential hepatotoxic effects. Therefore, more detailed analyses are needed to determine the safety of using SARMs.
Well-posedness and properties of the flow for semilinear evolution equations
Authors: Mironchenko Andrii
Published: December 2023

We derive conditions for well-posedness of semilinear evolution equations with unbounded input operators. Based on this, we provide sufficient conditions for such properties of the flow map as Lipschitz continuity, bounded-implies-continuation property, boundedness of reachability sets, etc. These properties represent a basic toolbox for stability and robustness analysis of semilinear boundary control systems. We cover systems governed by general $$C_0$$

C
0

-semigroups, and analytic semigroups that may have both boundary and distributed disturbances. We illustrate our findings on an example of a Burgers’ equation with nonlinear local dynamics and both distributed and boundary disturbances.
Spectral Grouping of Electrically Encoded Sound Predicts Speech-in-Noise Performance in Cochlear Implantees
Authors: Choi Inyong , Gander Phillip E. , Berger Joel I. , Woo Jihwan , Choy Matthew H. , Hong Jean , Colby Sarah , McMurray Bob , Griffiths Timothy D.
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Cochlear implant (CI) users exhibit large variability in understanding speech in noise. Past work in CI users found that spectral and temporal resolution correlates with speech-in-noise ability, but a large portion of variance remains unexplained. Recent work on normal-hearing listeners showed that the ability to group temporally and spectrally coherent tones in a complex auditory scene predicts speech-in-noise ability independently of the audiogram, highlighting a central mechanism for auditory scene analysis that contributes to speech-in-noise. The current study examined whether the auditory grouping ability also contributes to speech-in-noise understanding in CI users.

Design

Forty-seven post-lingually deafened CI users were tested with psychophysical measures of spectral and temporal resolution, a stochastic figure-ground task that depends on the detection of a figure by grouping multiple fixed frequency elements against a random background, and a sentence-in-noise measure. Multiple linear regression was used to predict sentence-in-noise performance from the other tasks.

Results

No co-linearity was found between any predictor variables. All three predictors (spectral and temporal resolution plus the figure-ground task) exhibited significant contribution in the multiple linear regression model, indicating that the auditory grouping ability in a complex auditory scene explains a further proportion of variance in CI users’ speech-in-noise performance that was not explained by spectral and temporal resolution.

Conclusion

Measures of cross-frequency grouping reflect an auditory cognitive mechanism that determines speech-in-noise understanding independently of cochlear function. Such measures are easily implemented clinically as predictors of CI success and suggest potential strategies for rehabilitation based on training with non-speech stimuli.
Effects of Rubrics on Academic Performance, Self-Regulated Learning, and self-Efficacy: a Meta-analytic Review
Authors: Panadero Ernesto , Jonsson Anders , Pinedo Leire , Fernández-Castilla Belén
Published: December 2023

Rubrics are widely used as instructional and learning instrument. Though they have been claimed to have positive effects on students’ learning, these effects have not been meta-analyzed. Our aim was to synthesize the effects of rubrics on academic performance, self-regulated learning, and self-efficacy. The moderator effect of the following variables was also investigated: year of publication, gender, mean age, educational level, type of educational level (compulsory vs. higher education), number of sessions, number of assessment criteria, number of performance levels, use of self and peer assessment, research design, and empirical quality of the study. Standardized mean differences (for the three outcomes) and standardized mean changes (SMC; for academic performance) were calculated from the retrieved studies. After correcting for publication bias, a moderate and positive effect was found in favor of rubrics on academic performance (g = 0.45, k = 21, m = 54, 95% CI [0.312, 0.831]; SMC = 0.38, 95% CI [0.02, 0.75], k = 12, m = 30), whereas a small pooled effect was observed for self-regulated learning (g = 0.23, k = 5, m = 17, 95% CI [-0.15, 0.60]) and for self-efficacy (g = 0.18, k = 3, m = 5, 95% CI [-0.81, 0.91]). Most of the moderator variables were not significant. Importantly, to improve the quality of future reports on the effects of rubrics, we provide an instrument to be filled out for rubric scholars in forthcoming studies.
Silica nanoparticles alleviate the immunosuppression, oxidative stress, biochemical, behavioral, and histopathological alterations induced by Aeromonas veronii infection in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus)
Authors: Mahboub Heba H. , Gad Wafaa M. , Aziz Enas K. , Nasr Mona Abdelghany , Fahmy Esraa M. , Mansour Dina Mohamed , Rasheed Nesma , Ali Hanaa S. , Ismail Sameh H. , Abdel Rahman Afaf N.
Published: December 2023

In the aquaculture industry, silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) have great significance, mainly for confronting diseases. Therefore, the present study aims to assess the antibacterial efficiency of SiNPs as a versatile trial against Aeromonas veronii infection in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Further, we investigated the influence of SiNPs in palliating the immune-antioxidant stress biochemical, ethological, and histopathological alterations induced by A. veronii. The experiment was conducted for 10 days, and about 120 fish were distributed into four groups at random, with 30 fish each. The first group is a control that was neither exposed to infection nor SiNPs. The second group (SiNPs) was vulnerable to SiNPs at a concentration of 20 mg/L in water. The third group was experimentally infected with A. veronii at a concentration of 1.5 × 107 CFU/mL. The fourth group (A. veronii + SiNPs) was exposed to SiNPs and infected with A. veronii. Results outlined that A. veronii infection induced behavioral alterations and suppression of immune-antioxidant responses that appeared as a clear decline in protein profile indices, complement 3, lysozyme activity, glutathione peroxidase, and total antioxidant capacity. The kidney and liver function biomarkers (creatinine, urea, alkaline phosphatase, and alanine aminotransferase) and lipid peroxide (malondialdehyde) were substantially increased in the A. veronii group, with marked histopathological changes and immunohistochemical alterations in these tissues. Interestingly, the exposure to SiNPs resulted in a clear improvement in all measured biomarkers and a noticeable regeneration of the histopathological changes. Overall, it will establish that SiNPs are a new, successful tool for opposing immunological, antioxidant, physiological, and histopathological alterations induced by A. veronii infection.