bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Charge‐Transfer Cocrystal via a Persistent Radical Cation Acceptor for Efficient Solar‐Thermal Conversion
Authors: Xu Jieqiong , Chen Qian , Li Shengkai , Shen Jiachao , Keoingthong Phouphien , Zhang Liang , Yin Zhiwei , Cai Xinqi , Chen Zhuo , Tan Weihong
Published: March 2022

Designing organic charge‐transfer (CT) cocrystals for efficient solar‐thermal conversion is a long‐sought goal but remains challenging. Here we construct a unique CT cocrystal by using a persistent 2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) radical cation (ABTS+.) as the electron acceptor. The strong persistency and electron affinity of ABTS+.endow a high degree of electron delocalization between ABTS+.and the 3,3′,5,5′‐tetramethylbenzidine donor. Together with the intrinsic long‐wavelength absorption of ABTS+., the synthesized cocrystal can effectively capture the full solar spectrum and show distinguished photothermal efficiency. Such a cocrystal is further used for solar‐driven interfacial evaporation, and a high evaporation rate of 1.407 kg m−2 h−1and a remarkable solar‐to‐vapor efficiency of 97.0 % have been achieved upon 1 sun irradiation. This work indicates the enormous prospects for charge transfer‐based functional materials through rational radical cation engineering.
Aqueous Biphasic Dye‐Sensitized Photosynthesis Cells for TEMPO‐Based Oxidation of Glycerol
Authors: Bruggeman Didjay F. , Laporte Annechien A. H. , Detz Remko J. , Mathew Simon , Reek Joost N. H.
Published: March 2022

This work reports an aqueous dye‐sensitized photoelectrochemical cell (DSPEC) capable of oxidizing glycerol (an archetypical biobased compound) coupled with H2 production. We employed a mesoporous TiO2 photoanode sensitized with the high potential thienopyrroledione‐based dye AP11, encased in an acetonitrile‐based redox‐gel that protects the photoanode from degradation by aqueous electrolytes. The use of the gel creates a biphasic system with an interface at the organic (gel) electrode and aqueous anolyte. Embedded in the acetonitrile gel is 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐1‐oxyl (TEMPO), acting as both a redox‐mediator and a catalyst for oxidative transformations. Upon oxidation of TEMPO by the photoexcited dye, the in situ generated TEMPO+ shuttles through the gel to the acetonitrile–aqueous interface, where it acts as an oxidant for the selective conversion of glycerol to glyceraldehyde. The introduction of the redox‐gel layer affords a 10‐fold increase in the conversion of glycerol compared to the purely aqueous system. Our redox‐gel protected photoanode yielded a stable photocurrent over 48 hours of continuous operation, demonstrating that this DSPEC is compatible with alkaline aqueous reactions.
Adaptation of an anatomy graduate course in ultrasound imaging from in‐person to live, remote instruction during the Covid‐19 pandemic
Authors: DePhilip Robert M. , Quinn Melissa M.
Published: March 2022

Health concerns during the Covid‐19 pandemic required the adaptation of a lecture‐laboratory course in ultrasound imaging for graduate students from an in‐person to a live, remote learning format. The adaptation of in‐person lectures to live, remote delivery was achieved by using videoconferencing. The adaptation of in‐person laboratory sessions to live, remote instruction was achieved in the first half of the course by providing a hand‐held ultrasound instrument to each student who performed self‐scanning at their remote locations, while the instructor provided live instruction using videoconferencing. In the second half of the course, the students transitioned to using cart‐based, hospital‐type instruments and self‐scanning in the ultrasound laboratory on campus. The aim of this study was to measure the success of this adaptation to the course by comparing assessment scores of students in the live, remote course with assessment scores of students in the in‐person course offered in the previous year. There were no statistically significant differences in the assessment scores of students in the two courses. The adaptation of a course in ultrasound imaging from an in‐person to a live, remote learning format during the Covid‐19 pandemic described here suggests that contrary to the prevailing view, ultrasound imaging can be taught to students without in‐person instruction. The adapted course can serve as a model for teaching ultrasound where instructors and learners are physically separated by constraints other than health concerns during a pandemic.
Supravalvular pulmonary stenosis: A risk factor for reintervention in Noonan syndrome with pulmonary valve stenosis
Authors: Abumehdi Mohammad , Mehta Chetan , Afifi Ahmed Reda Sanad Arafa , Yong San‐Fui , Chaudhari Milind , Bhole Vinay , Dhillon Rami , Stumper Oliver
Published: March 2022

Objectives

To assess the short‐ and long‐term outcomes of balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV) in children with Noonan syndrome (NS).

Background

Pulmonary stenosis (PS) is the most common congenital heart lesion in NS. BPV is the accepted first line treatment in PS. However, BPV in NS patients has been reported to be less effective, without specific factors for the need for reintervention being identified.

Methods

Retrospective case‐note review of all patients with NS who underwent BPV between 1985 and 2020. Patients were divided into 2 groups: those with supravalvular pulmonary stenosis (SPS) in addition to valvar PS, and those with isolated valvar PS.

Results

A cohort of 54 patients with NS underwent BPV at a median of 275 (interquartile range [IQR]: 108–575) days of age. SPS was present in 32 (59%) patients whereas 22 had (41) isolated PS. The preprocedural invasive gradient was 47 (IQR: 35–69) mmHg, and 44 (IQR: 35–48) mmHg in those with SPS and those without respectively (p = 0.88). Reintervention was required in 22 patients (41%): 17 (77%) with SPS and 5 (23%) without (p = 0.017). Fourteen patients (11 with SPS) required surgical reintervention and 8 (6 with SPS) required further BPV. There was no significant difference in the age at initial BPV, pre‐ and postprocedural gradients and interval until reintervention between groups.

Conclusion

This is the largest reported cohort of patients with NS undergoing BPV. Although BPV is often successful, the reintervention rates are high. SPS was a risk factor for reintervention.
Massive splenomegaly requiring differential diagnosis of hematologic malignancies
Authors: Tago Masaki , Fujiwara Motoshi , Nakashima Tomotaro , Makio Seijiro , Hirakawa Yuka , Tokushima Midori , Yamashita Shun , Tokushima Yoshinori , Aihara Hidetoshi , Yamashita Shu‐ichi
Published: March 2022

An 85‐year‐old woman presented with pain and a palpable mass in her left flank. Abdominal computed tomography revealed massive splenomegaly and para‐aortic lymphadenopathies. Bone marrow biopsy showed CD79a, CD20, and bcl‐2‐positive atypical lymphocytes, which led to the diagnosis of splenic marginal zone lymphoma.
Dynamic Characteristic Analysis of a Single Droplet in a Liquid‐Liquid Concave‐Wall Jet
Authors: Zhang Jing , Liu Yifeng , Gong Bin , Li Xiang , Li Yaxia , Wu Jianhua
Published: March 2022

Liquid‐liquid swirling flow is directly affected by the dynamic behavior of discrete droplets. Large eddy simulation combined with the volume‐of‐fluid model (LES‐VOF) was adopted to simulate the dynamic behavior of a CCl4 single droplet under water in a concave‐wall jet. There were three modes of droplets: non‐breakup, binary‐breakup, and multiple‐breakup droplets. The binary‐breakup droplet was sheared by the layer between the jet and the main flow, and the multiple‐breakup droplet was sheared by the boundary layer of the wall. Deformation and breakup were the processes of balancing the internal and external droplet vorticity. The largest pressure difference between the internal and external side of the liquid film was the primary reason for droplet breakup.
Simulation of a Steady‐State Continuous Catalytic Reactive Distillation Column by Using a Multiscale Capillary Model
Authors: Patan Ameer Khan , Mekala Mallaiah , Thamida Sunil Kumar
Published: March 2022

A continuous packed‐bed catalytic reactive distillation column used to study the esterification of acetic acid with methanol to synthesize methyl acetate was modeled as a capillary monolith. The solid catalyst used for this study was Indion 180 ion‐exchange resin. The catalyst was immobilized in the column by using a structured packing equivalent to Katapak‐S. Experiments were performed under different operating conditions. To validate the experimental results, a capillary model was developed for the catalytic reactive distillation by combining a model based on evaporation rate with the pore diffusion model for the reaction kinetics at the catalyst‐particle scale. The model predictions for composition and temperature profiles along the length of the column were compared with the experimental data and found to be in good agreement.
Microalgae‐Derived Green Diesel
Authors: Costa Iago G. , Coelho Vargas José V. , Balmant Wellington , Ramos Luiz P. , Zandoná Filho Arion , Taher Dhyogo M. , Mariano André B. , Yamamoto Carlos I. , Conceição Daniele , Kava Vanessa M.
Published: March 2022

Microorganisms are able to biosynthesize hydrocarbons (HCs), thus, they could become a new matrix for fuels and chemicals. In this work, Tetradesmus obliquus cultivated for 15 days in 12‐m3 photobioreactors produced dry biomass for hot oil extraction by rotary evaporation. Pure hexane and a mixture of hexane and ethanol solvents produced crude oil, followed by fractional distillation to yield non‐esterifiables. Gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry characterized the products obtained with hexane extraction as HCs from C11 to C22, and with hexane + ethanol from C13 to C23, predominantly alkanes that led to a high cetane number. The green diesel lower heating value was nearly the same as that of low sulfur fossil diesel, however, economic and logistic aspects need to be addressed aiming at fossil diesel replacement.
Sulfonyl Nitrene and Amidyl Radical: Structure and Reactivity
Authors: Zelenka Jan , Pereverzev Aleksandr , Jahn Ullrich , Roithová Jana
Published: March 2022

Photocatalytic generation of nitrenes and radicals can be used to tune or even control their reactivity. Photocatalytic activation of sulfonyl azides leads to the elimination of N2 and the resulting reactive species initiate C−H activations and amide formation reactions. Here, we present reactive radicals that are generated from sulfonyl azides: sulfonyl nitrene radical anion, sulfonyl nitrene and sulfonyl amidyl radical, and test their gas phase reactivity in C−H activation reactions. The sulfonyl nitrene radical anion is the least reactive and its reactivity is governed by the proton coupled electron transfer mechanism. In contrast, sulfonyl nitrene and sulfonyl amidyl radicals react via hydrogen atom transfer pathways. These reactivities and detailed characterization of the radicals with vibrational spectroscopy and with DFT calculations provide information necessary for taking control over the reactivity of these intermediates.
Gravitational search algorithm‐driven missing links prediction in social networks
Authors: Singh Ankita , Singh Nanhay
Published: March 2022

The increased usage of online social networks in recent days attracts the attention of researchers. That makes analysis of social networks a significant concern. Link prediction is one of the problem of social networks, where links are predicted between users by analyzing the relationships between the nodes. As the size and usability of the social network grows, the accurate prediction of connections with limited public information is a challenge. This article introduces a novel approach for predicting missing links using a nature‐inspired method, the gravitational search algorithm. We selected seven real‐world networks and five widely used algorithms and also considered the sparsity of networks for the experimental evaluation of the proposed approach. The proposed GSA‐driven algorithm has shown a better or comparable AUC result than the other standard algorithms on these networks.
Effective intrusion detection system for IoT using optimized capsule auto encoder model
Authors: Om Kumar Chandra Umakantham , Durairaj Jeyakumar , Ahamed Ali Samsu Aliar , Justindhas Y. , Marappan Suguna
Published: March 2022

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) play a major part in protecting security threats and networks from attacks. Due to the rapid development of the internet of things (IoT), more cyber‐attacks are attacking these devices. Various security challenges still occur on IoT devices since most of them have limited security mechanisms. Hence, this paper introduces a combination of linear and non‐linear space transformation models for IDS. Independent component analysis (ICA) is employed for linear transformation to obtain an orthogonal space, and a dual‐phase distance metric learning method (D‐DML) is utilized to obtain an optimal distance metric. The Gaussian radial basis function (GRBF) model is employed for non‐linear transformation. Then these features of linear and non‐linear models are integrated and classified by capsule auto encoder with a hybrid kernel function (HKCAE) which classifies normal and malicious attacks. Guidance of the capuchin search algorithm (CSA) is employed to optimize the HKCAE parameters during prediction attack prediction. The performance of the implemented approach is compared with the other approaches with some measures like precision, accuracy, sensitivity, F‐score, and specificity benchamrked through UNSW‐15 and BoT‐IoT datasets. The accuracy of the developed scheme is 0.9973 and 0.999 on UNSW‐15 and BoT‐IoT datasets, respectively.
Simulating selection and evolution at the community level using common garden data
Authors: Shuster Stephen M. , Keith Arthur R. , Whitham Thomas G.
Published: March 2022

A key issue in evolutionary biology is whether selection acting at levels higher than the individual can cause evolutionary change. If it can, then conceptual and empirical studies must consider how selection operates at multiple levels of biological organization. Here, we test the hypothesis that estimates of broad‐sense community heritability, , can be used to predict the evolutionary response by community‐level phenotypes when community‐level selection is imposed. Using an approach informed by classic quantitative genetics, we made three predictions. First, when we imposed community‐level selection, we expected a significant change in the average phenotype of arthropod communities associated with individual tree genotypes [we imposed selection by favoring high and low NMDS (nonmetric multidimensional scaling) scores that reflected differences in arthropod species richness, abundance and composition]. Second, we expected to predict the magnitude of the community‐level response. Third, we expected no significant change in average NMDS scores with community‐level selection imposed at random. We tested these hypotheses using three years of common garden data for 102 species comprising the arthropod communities, associated with nine clonally replicated Populus angustifolia genotypes. Each of our predictions were met. We conclude that estimates of account for the resemblance among communities sharing common ancestry, the persistence of community composition over time, and the outcome of selection when it occurs at the community level. Our results provide a means for exploring how this process leads to large‐scale community evolutionary change, and they identify the circumstances in which selection may routinely act at the community level.
An optimization model based on temperature field and series–parallel structure for battery‐package of a stratospheric airship
Authors: Wang Yan , Li Zhaojie , Zhang Yanlei , Wang Xuwei , Gao Yang
Published: March 2022

Stratospheric airships are long‐endurance flight platforms that utilize renewable energy systems. The solar array in these systems cannot generate electricity at night; only an energy storage battery pack can be used to power the entire system. Therefore, accurate modeling and estimation of the output characteristics and operating conditions of battery packs have become the focus of current research. During the actual flight of an airship, uneven temperature distribution causes changes in the output characteristics and differences in the cell voltage of the battery packs. To address this problem, this study establishes an output characteristic model, series–parallel structure coupled with a temperature field model (SPTM), for a battery pack based on the series–parallel structure of a single cell. In addition, the influence of temperature distribution was considered in the model. Then, a flight verification test was conducted, and the test data and simulation data were compared. The average absolute error of the SPTM was maintained at approximately 0.61 V, which accurately reflected the output characteristics of the battery pack. The simulation model was then used to study the cell voltage difference under changes in the temperature distribution and demonstrate the relationship between the cell voltage difference and temperature difference.
Interaction mechanism between cellulose and hemicellulose during the hydrothermal carbonization of lignocellulosic biomass
Authors: Jia Jiandong , Wang Ruikun , Chen Hongwei , Liu Hantao , Xue Qiao , Yin Qianqian , Zhao Zhenghui
Published: March 2022

The fuel properties of the solid product obtained from hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) are substantially influenced by the interaction reactions of the lignocellulose components. This study focused on the interaction reactions of cellulose and hemicellulose (represented by glucose and xylose, respectively) and the formation mechanism of the hydrochar through experiments and density functional theory methods. Results indicated that furfural was the main intermediate product of xylose and then converted into benzenes, which were seldom produced from the hydrothermal conversion of glucose. When glucose and xylose were co‐carbonized hydrothermally, more benzenes were generated because glucose and xylose exhibited a synergistic effect in forming alkenes, which were then cracked remarkably into C2H2. Furthermore, C2H2 reacted with furan that transformed from furfural and formed benzenes. The aqueous product of co‐HTC also contained a high concentration of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (5‐HMF). The 5‐HMF could polymerize with benzenes and furfural to form insoluble furan−benzene polymers, gradually aggregating into organic micronucleus. Subsequently, 5‐HMF, furfural, and benzenes in the aqueous phase were immobilized on the surface of the organic micronucleus through surface binding sites, eventually causing the growth of organic micronucleus into hydrochar particles. The polymerization between furan−benzene polymers could also increase the aromatization degree of the hydrochar, thereby enhancing the energy density of the hydrochar.
A hybrid deep learning approach by integrating extreme gradient boosting‐long short‐term memory with generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity family models for natural gas load volatility prediction
Authors: Zeng Huibin , Shao Bilin , Bian Genqing , Dai Hongbin , Zhou Fangyu
Published: March 2022

Natural gas load forecasting provides decision‐making support for natural gas dispatch and management, pipeline network construction, pricing, and sustainable energy development. To explain the uncertainty and volatility in natural gas load forecasting, this study predicts the natural gas load volatility. As the natural gas load volatility has the time‐series features, along with long‐term memory, volatility aggregation, asymmetry, and nonnormality, this study proposes a natural gas load volatility prediction model by combining generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH) family models, XGBoost algorithm, and long short‐term memory (LSTM) network. The model first takes the GARCH family models parameters of sliding estimation and meteorological factors as the influencing factors of volatility, and then it screens these influencing factors through the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm. Finally, the selected important features are input into the LSTM network to predict the volatility, and the 90% confidence interval of the volatility is calculated. Compared with a variety of single and combined models, the model proposed in this study has an average reduction of 45.404% in the evaluation index of mean squared error. The experimental results show that the model proposed in this study has a good performance and accuracy in predicting the volatility of natural gas load.
Concurrent large spontaneous portosystemic shunt embolization for the prevention of overt hepatic encephalopathy after TIPS: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lv Yong , Chen Hui , Luo Bohan , Bai Wei , Li Kai , Wang Zhengyu , Xia Dongdong , Guo Wengang , Wang Qiuhe , Li Xiaomei , Yuan Jie , Cai Hongwei , Xia Jielai , Yin Zhanxin , Fan Daiming , Han Guohong
Published: March 2022

Background and Aims

Large spontaneous portosystemic shunt (SPSS) is associated with increased risk of HE in patients undergoing transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). This study aimed to evaluate whether prophylactic embolization of large SPSS at the time of TIPS creation could reduce the incidence of post‐TIPS HE in patients with cirrhosis and variceal bleeding.

Approach and Results

From June 2014 to August 2017, 56 patients with cirrhosis and large SPSS planning to undergo TIPS for the prevention of variceal bleeding were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive TIPS alone (TIPS group, n = 29) or TIPS plus simultaneous SPSS embolization (TIPS+E group, n = 27). The primary endpoint was overt HE. TIPS placement and SPSS embolization was successful in all patients. During a median follow‐up of 24 months, the primary endpoint was met in 15 patients (51.7%) in the TIPS group and six patients (22.2%) in the TIPS+E group (p = 0.045). The 2‐year cumulative incidence of overt HE was significantly lower in the TIPS+E group compared with the TIPS group (21.2% vs. 48.3%; HR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.15–0.97; p = 0.043). The 2‐year incidence of recurrent bleeding (TIPS+E vs. TIPS, 15.4% vs. 25.1%; p = 0.522), shunt dysfunction (12.3% vs. 18.6%, p = 0.593), death (15.0% vs. 6.9%, p = 0.352), and other adverse events was not significantly different between the two groups.

Conclusions

In patients with cirrhosis treated with TIPS for variceal bleeding, concurrent large SPSS embolization reduced the risk for overt HE without increasing other complications. Concurrent large SPSS embolization should therefore be considered for prophylaxis of post‐TIPS HE.
Synonymous mutation in adenosine triphosphatase copper‐transporting beta causes enhanced exon skipping in Wilson disease
Authors: Panzer Marlene , Viveiros André , Schaefer Benedikt , Baumgartner Nadja , Seppi Klaus , Djamshidian Atbin , Todorov Theodor , Griffiths William J. H. , Schott Eckart , Schuelke Markus , Eurich Dennis , Stättermayer Albert Friedrich , Bomford Adrian , Foskett Pierre , Vodopiutz Julia , Stauber Rudolf , Pertler Elke , Morell Bernhard , Tilg Herbert , Müller Thomas , Kiechl Stefan , Jimenez‐Heredia Raul , Weiss Karl Heinz , Hahn Si Houn , Janecke Andreas , Ferenci Peter , Zoller Heinz
Published: March 2022

Wilson disease (WD) is caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in adenosine triphosphatase copper‐transporting beta (ATP7B); however, genetic testing identifies only one or no pathogenic ATP7B variant in a number of patients with WD. Synonymous single‐nucleotide sequence variants have been recognized as pathogenic in individual families. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence and disease mechanism of the synonymous variant c.2292C>T (p.Phe764=) in WD. A cohort of 280 patients with WD heterozygous for a single ATP7B variant was investigated for the presence of c.2292C>T (p.Phe764=). In this cohort of otherwise genetically unexplained WD, the allele frequency of c.2292C>T (p.Phe764=) was 2.5% (14 of 560) compared to 7.1 × 10−6 in the general population (2 of 280,964 in the Genome Aggregation Database; p < 10−5; Fisher exact test). In an independent United Kingdom (UK) cohort, 2 patients with WD homozygous for p.Phe764= were identified. RNA analysis of ATP7B transcripts from patients homozygous or heterozygous for c.2292C>T and control fibroblasts showed that this variant caused high expression of an ATP7B transcript variant lacking exon 8. Conclusion: The synonymous ATP7B variant c.2292C>T (p.Phe764=) causes abnormal messenger RNA processing of ATP7B transcripts and is associated with WD in compound heterozygotes and homozygotes.
A path causal model in the association between self‐efficacy and self‐care with quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes: An application of the structural equation model
Authors: Fereydouni Fatemeh , Hajian‐Tilaki Karimollah , Meftah Neda , Chehrazi Mohamad
Published: March 2022

Background and Aims

The simultaneous role of self‐care and self‐efficacy in improving the quality of life (QoL) of diabetic patients has been less considered in previous studies. This study was aimed to investigate the path association between self‐care and self‐efficacy with QoL using the structural equation model (SEM).

Methods

This cross‐sectional study was conducted with 496 individuals of type 2 diabetic patients aged 35–75 years that were selected consequently from outpatients' clinic, in Babol, the north of Iran. The data collection instruments were demographic, self‐care, self‐efficacy, and QoL scales. The conceptual hypothesized model was designed based on previous evidence and tested by confirmatory factor analysis using SEM and path coefficients were estimated by the maximum likelihood method.

Results

Self‐care had a significant relationship with employment status, level of education, and body mass index. QoL was significantly associated with economic status and place of residence. Self‐efficacy beliefs had a positive and a direct effect on both self‐care and QoL. But self‐care and self‐efficacy tended to have a nonsignificant positive relationship with QoL. The postulated conceptual path model was acceptable through the SEM goodness of fit criteria.

Conclusion

The findings show the fitness of the framework hypothesized structural model in the QoL of diabetic patients and this SEM makes this study unique from others. The results showed that the role of self‐efficacy and self‐care could be considered on the QoL. Therefore, nonpharmacological and supportive methods, such as strengthening self‐efficacy and self‐care, could be recommended as an effective method to enhance the QoL of diabetic patients.
Priorities for a gender‐sensitive sexually transmitted infections and human immunodeficiency virus (STIs/HIV) services: An exploratory mixed methods study
Authors: Simbar Masoumeh , Rahmanian Fatemeh , Nazarpour Soheila , Ramezankhani Ali , Zayeri Farid
Published: March 2022

Background and Aim

Providing gender‐sensitive health services is emphasized by the World Health Organization. This study aimed to assess and prioritize the needs for the gender‐sensitive sexually transmitted infections/human immunodeficiency viruses (STIs/HIV) prevention services by a valid and reliable questionnaire.

Methods

This was an exploratory mixed methods sequential study in Shiraz Iran 2019. The first phase was a qualitative study on 37 providers and managers of the services who were recruited using the purposive and then snowball sampling method. In the second phase, following the content analysis of the qualitative data and a review of related literature, a questionnaire was developed and its psychometric properties were evaluated. Then, in the third phase, the questionnaire was used to assess and prioritize the needs through a quantitative descriptive cross‐sectional study on all 290 providers of STI/HIV prevention services affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.

Results

The finding of the qualitative phase showed gender‐sensitive STI/HIV prevention services should provide gender‐sensitive care and education by the trained personnel and manages with appropriate facilities and equipment. Providing these services also requires supportive policies, intersectoral cooperation, and community capacitation. In the second phase, a questionnaire was developed with 63 items. Assessment of psychometric properties of the questionnaire demonstrated the scale content validity index and ratio (S‐CVI = 0.98 and S‐CVR = 0.87, respectively), as well as the reliability of the questionnaire (internal consistency = 0.972 and intracluster correlation coefficient = 0.910). Results of the third descriptive phase of the study demonstrated the highest priorities for gender‐sensitive education (92.01 ± 11.76%) and care services (92.11 ± 12.04%), respectively.

Conclusions

To improve the quality of the services, a gender‐based education and care process, as well as a gender‐sensitive structure, including gender‐sensitive personnel, facilities, and management are necessary. Recognizing and meeting the needs for gender‐sensitive services will improve the quality of the services.
Cultural responsiveness in applied behavior analysis: Self‐assessment
Authors: Beaulieu Lauren , Jimenez‐Gomez Corina
Published: March 2022

Culture has a substantial impact on a wide range of behaviors related to behavioral research and services such as rapport building, preferences for specific targets and treatments, communication, and even the quality of health care. The need for professionals in the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) to incorporate culturally responsive practices is underscored by the current and projected increase in diversity in the United States. Further, the update to the Ethics Code (BACB, 2020) supports addressing diversity in behavior analytic practice. Self‐assessment of one's values, biases, and culture are a critical step in delivering culturally responsive services. The purpose of this paper is three‐fold: a) to introduce a framework for cultural responsiveness in ABA, b) to showcase research and practice recommendations from within and outside the field of ABA in the area of self‐assessment, and c) to inspire research in self‐assessment to support cultural responsiveness in ABA.
Decabromodiphenyl ether induces ROS‐mediated intestinal toxicity through the Keap1‐Nrf2 pathway
Authors: Li Shiqi , Yuan Jinwen , Che Siyan , Zhang Li , Ruan Zheng , Sun Xiaoming
Published: March 2022

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used brominated flame retardants as commercial products. PBDEs have been demonstrated to induce hepatic, reproductive, neural, and thyroid toxicity effects. This study aimed to clarify the potential intestinal toxicity effects of decabrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE‐209) in vivo and in vitro. First, we investigated the change of PBDE‐209 on oxidative stress in the intestine of mice. Subsequently, the potential toxicity mechanism of PBDE‐209 in vitro was investigated. Caco‐2 cells were treated with different concentrations of PBDE‐209 (1, 5, and 25 μmol/L) for 24  and 48 h. We determined the cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, multiple cellular parameters, and relative mRNA expressions. The results showed that PBDE‐209 significantly injured the colon of mice, increased the intestinal levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), and changed the antioxidant enzyme activities. PBDE‐209 inhibited the proliferation and induced cytotoxicity of Caco‐2 cells. The change in ROS production and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) revealed that PBDE‐209 caused oxidative stress in Caco‐2 cells. The real‐time PCR assays revealed that PBDE‐209 inhibited the mRNA expression level of antioxidative defense factor, nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2). Furthermore, the FAS and Cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) mRNA expression levels were increased in Caco‐2 cells. These results suggested that PBDE‐209 exerts intestinal toxicity effects in vivo and in vitro and inhibits the antioxidative defense gene expression in Caco‐2 cells. This study provides an opportunity to advance the understanding of toxicity by the persistent environmental pollutant PBDE‐209 to the intestine.
Edge balanced star‐hypergraph designs and vertex colorings of path designs
Authors: Bonacini Paola , Marino Lucia
Published: March 2022

Let be the complete hypergraph, uniform of rank 3, defined on a vertex set , so that is the set of all triples of . Let be a subhypergraph of , which means that and . We call 3‐edges the triples of contained in the family and edges the pairs of contained in the 3‐edges of , that we denote by . A ‐design is called edge balanced if for any , , the number of blocks of containing the edge is constant. In this paper, we consider the star hypergraph , which is a hypergraph with 3‐edges such that all of them have an edge in common. We completely determine the spectrum of edge balanced ‐designs for any , that is, the set of the orders for which such a design exists. Then we consider the case and we denote the hypergraph by . Starting from any edge‐balanced , with sufficiently big, for any , , we construct a ‐design of order with feasible set , in the context of proper vertex colorings such that no block is either monochromatic or polychromatic.
Inhibitory abilities in girls and boys: More similarities or differences?
Authors: Usai Maria Carmen
Published: March 2022

This brief review examined the literature from 1990 to June 2020 on sex differences in inhibitory abilities from early childhood to adolescence, primarily in individuals with typical development (TD) and individuals with atypical development. The 38 articles included (28 on individuals with TD, eight on the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] population, and two on individuals with autism spectrum disorder [ASD]) suggest that the cognitive demand of the task is important, together with contextual factors that may interact with the development of inhibitory ability, for revealing differences between the sexes. The literature has neglected the multicomponential nature of inhibitory abilities, and the emphasis has consequently been placed on response inhibition (vs. other components). The implication of the impurity problem has also been considered. The findings on children and adolescents with ADHD or ASD—even for outcomes that are not conclusive—imply that there is no evidence for a difference in inhibitory abilities between males and females. The literature proposes an asynchrony in the development of inhibitory abilities that may explain what is found in typically developing girls who perform more highly than boys on more demanding tasks.
New geomorphic evidence for a multi‐stage proglacial lake associated with the former British–Irish Ice Sheet in the Vale of Pickering, Yorkshire, UK
Authors: Eddey L. J. , Bateman M. D. , Livingstone S. J. , Lee J. R.
Published: March 2022

Former proglacial lakes provide insight into the temporal and spatial evolution of past ice sheet dynamics and the glaciohydrological systems associated with them. Glacial Lake Pickering was a proglacial lake in North Yorkshire impounded by the British–Irish Ice Sheet. However, geomorphic evidence for its existence and extent is weak and contested. This paper presents, for the first time, systematic mapping of geomorphic features from high‐resolution (50 cm to 5 m) digital terrain model data and undertakes palaeogeographical reconstructions to establish Palaeolake Pickering's extent and levels. Results show only weak evidence for a 70‐m lake. This and the fact that the present landscape configuration is unable to impound such a large lake suggests that it either did not exist or is much older and that considerable landscape erosion has since taken place. There is good geomorphological evidence to support lake levels between 45 and 20 m. The new palaeogeographical reconstructions show these lake levels were initially controlled by the balance between the North Sea and the Vale of York Lobes of the British–Irish Ice Sheet with lower and later levels impounded by the Filey moraine. A multi‐stage Palaeolake Pickering with various extents and levels possibly spanning more than one glacial period has implications for other British–Irish Ice Sheet palaeolake extents reconstructed only from undifferentiated lacustrine sediments and their maximal elevation. The existence of an extensive multi‐phase proglacial Palaeolake Pickering along with other similar ones in Eastern England would have impacted mass loss and frontal dynamics via subaqueous melting and iceberg calving, potentially playing a role in controlling the dynamic behaviour of the North Sea Lobe.
Spillover effects of the minimum wage introduction based on horizontal fairness: A lab experiment
Authors: Demirtaş Burak Kağan
Published: March 2022

This paper analyses how a minimum wage introduction affects reservation wages and wage offers based on horizontal fairness with a lab experiment with two experimental settings. The first experimental setting was applied to two types of workers (low or high skills), whereas there are one type of workers in the second setting but two types of sectors, covered and uncovered sectors, depending on whether the minimum wage is enforced. Results show the minimum wage introduction generates spillover effects on the high‐skilled workers' reservation wages and wage offers, whereas there is no evidence of the spillover effect on the uncovered sector.
App‐based self‐management of urgency and mixed urinary incontinence in women: One‐year follow‐up
Authors: Wadensten Towe , Nyström Emma , Nord Anneli , Lindam Anna , Sjöström Malin , Samuelsson Eva
Published: March 2022

Aims

To evaluate the long‐term effect of the Tät®II app for treatment of urgency (UUI) and mixed urinary incontinence (MUI).

Methods

Long‐term follow‐up of a randomized controlled trial, including 123 women ≥18 years old with UUI or MUI, without red‐flag symptoms, and ≥2 leakages per week. All participants, regardless of group, had received the intervention, a treatment app, at the long‐term follow‐up. Long‐term data were collected through web‐based questionnaires 15 months after participants received the intervention. The app included pelvic floor muscle training, bladder training, psychoeducation, lifestyle advice, an exercise log, reminders, reinforcement messages, and tailored advice. The primary outcome was a change in incontinence symptoms (International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire [ICIQ]—Urinary Incontinence Short Form [ICIQ‐UI SF]), from baseline to follow‐up. Other outcomes were urgency symptoms (ICIQ—Overactive Bladder Module (ICIQ‐OAB)), quality of life (ICIQ—Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Quality of Life Module [ICIQ‐LUTSqol]), and improvement (Patient's Global Impression of Improvement [PGI‐I]).

Results

Of the 123 women, 102 (83%) completed the long‐term follow‐up. The ICIQ‐UI SF mean score improved from 11.5 to 7.6 (mean difference 4.0, 95% CI 3.2–4.7). The ICIQ‐OAB improved from 6.7 to 5.5 (mean difference 1.3, 95% CI 0.9–1.6) and the ICIQ‐LUTSqol improved from 38.0 to 30.9 (mean difference 7.1, 95% CI 5.7–8.5). Of the 102 women, 74 (73%) reported improvement.

Conclusions

Self‐management with the Tät®II app for UUI and MUI had a significant effect across all outcome measures also long‐term and might serve as an alternative first‐line treatment for these conditions.
Pre‐prostatectomy membranous urethral length as a predictive factor of post prostatectomy incontinence requiring surgical intervention with an artificial urinary sphincter or a male sling
Authors: Oza Priyanka , Walker Nicholas Faure , Rottenberg Giles , MacAskill Findlay , Malde Sachin , Taylor Claire , Sahai Arun
Published: March 2022

Aims

To ascertain whether the membranous urethral length (MUL) is predictive of postprostatectomy incontinence (PPI) that requires surgery such as artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) or male sling (MS).

Methods

Men who had undergone AUS or MS for PPI were identified from a prospectively maintained database and compared to a control group of men who were continent at 12 months after radical prostatectomy. MUL in sagittal and coronal planes, sphincter height and width were measured on prebiopsy T2‐weighted MRI scans. Sphincter volume was estimated as an ellipsoid cylinder.

Results

A total of 95 patients (64 AUS and 31 MS) were compared to 60 continent controls. There was no statistical difference in presenting PSA, prostate volume, and T‐stage. The mean MUL in sagittal and coronal planes was 11.31 mm (SD: 2.6, range: 6–17 mm) and 11.43 mm (SD: 2.94, range: 5–17 mm) in patients who had AUS and MS, respectively; 15.23 mm (SD: 4.2, range: 8.25–25 mm) and 15.75 mm (SD: 4.1, range: 8–24 mm) in controls (p < 0.01). No men in the PPI surgery group had an MUL >17 mm compared to 35% (20/57 sagittal, 20/58 coronal) of controls. The odds ratio for requiring surgery for PPI was 13.4 for sagittal MUL <9 mm and 3.2 if the MUL <12 mm.

Conclusions

Patients who had surgery for PPI had a significantly shorter MUL and sphincter volume than continent controls. Men with an MUL >17 mm are unlikely to require surgery for PPI whereas an MUL <12 mm significantly increases the risk of requiring surgery for PPI. MUL should be considered when discussing treatment options for prostate cancer.
Subspace method for multiparameter‐eigenvalue problems based on tensor‐train representations
Authors: Ruymbeek Koen , Meerbergen Karl , Michiels Wim
Published: March 2022

In this article, we solve ‐parameter eigenvalue problems (EPs), with any natural number by representing the problem using tensor‐trains (TTs) and designing a method based on this format. EPs typically arise when separation of variables is applied to separable boundary value problems. Often, methods for solving EP are restricted to , due to the fact that, to the best of our knowledge, no available solvers exist for and reasonable size of the involved matrices. In this article, we prove that computing the eigenvalues of a EP can be recast into computing the eigenvalues of TT‐operators. We adapted the algorithm in9
for symmetric eigenvalue problems in TT‐format to an algorithm for solving generic EPs. This leads to a subspace method whose subspace dimension does not depend on , in contrast to other subspace methods for EPs. This allows us to tackle EPs with and reasonable size of the matrices. We provide theoretical results and report numerical experiments. The MATLAB code is publicly available.
Analysis of sparse recovery for Legendre expansions using envelope bound
Authors: Tran Hoang , Webster Clayton
Published: March 2022

We provide novel sufficient conditions for the uniform recovery of sparse Legendre expansions using ℓ1 minimization, where the sampling points are drawn according to orthogonalization (uniform) measure. So far, conditions of the form have been relied on to determine the minimum number of samples m that guarantees successful reconstruction of s‐sparse vectors when the measurement matrix is associated to an orthonormal system. However, in case of sparse Legendre expansions, the uniform bound Θ of Legendre systems is so high that these conditions are unable to provide meaningful guarantees. In this paper, we present an analysis which employs the envelop bound of all Legendre polynomials instead, and prove a new recovery guarantee for s‐sparse Legendre expansions, which is independent of Θ. Arguably, this is the first recovery condition established for orthonormal systems without assuming the uniform boundedness of the sampling matrix. The key ingredient of our analysis is an extension of chaining arguments, recently developed in Bourgain and Chkifa et al., to handle the envelope bound. Furthermore, our recovery condition is proved via restricted eigenvalue property, a less demanding replacement of restricted isometry property which is perfectly suited to the considered scenario. Along the way, we derive simple criteria to detect good sample sets. Our numerical tests show that sets of uniformly sampled points that meet these criteria will perform better recovery on average.
It runs in the family: Kinship analysis using foot anomalies in the cemetery of Middenbeemster (Netherlands, 17th to 19th century)
Authors: Liagre Elle B. K. , Hoogland Menno L. P. , Schrader Sarah A.
Published: March 2022

In bioarchaeology, the universal concept of “kinship” can be explored through the study of archaeological remains and as such offers a way to connect modern‐day life to the life of past people. This study examines the social structure of post‐medieval Dutch communities and their level of genetic homogeneity and inter‐relatedness. The research aims were to identify probable genetic relatives within the Middenbeemster skeletal collection through developmental foot anomalies and to analyze the spatial structure of the Middenbeemster cemetery in the context of intracemetery kinship relations. Three hundred eighty individuals from four different skeletal collections were examined for the presence of fourteen non‐metric traits, selected on various criteria (e.g., heritability). The Middenbeemster trait frequencies were compared with those of a reference sample of the post‐medieval Dutch population (consisting of individuals from the Dutch post‐medieval collections of Arnhem, Eindhoven, and Zwolle). A hypothetical kinship group could be identified when the trait frequencies of the Middenbeemster sample were considerably higher than those in the reference sample. Other sources had only limited validation value in relation to the hypothesis. Visual examination and spatial statistics of the distribution of the hypothetical kinship group revealed a possible patrilineally structured cemetery, although this is based on a small sample. By putting the observed trait frequencies in a broader context, the data suggested a rather high inter‐relatedness of the Middenbeemster community. It also exposed the need for a better understanding of the used traits and perhaps a different approach to kinship analysis (due to necessarily large time investment in contrast to limited results). In conclusion, this study gave an insight into the social structure of post‐medieval Dutch communities. Future improvements to kinship analysis may not only be beneficial for bioarchaeology, but also for other fields such as forensic anthropology.
Response of atmospheric quasi‐stationary waves to La Niña conditions in Northern Hemisphere winter
Authors: Wolf G. , Brayshaw D.J. , Klingaman N.P.
Published: March 2022

Large‐scale atmospheric quasi‐stationary waves (QSWs) are strongly linked to synoptic variability and extreme events such as blocking and heatwaves. It is therefore essential to gain a deeper insight into the drivers of QSW variability. Previous research highlighted the El Niño Southern Oscillation as one of the main drivers for global QSW variability with La Niña conditions of particular interest because of their link to anomalous strong QSW amplitudes. This connection between La Niña and QSW activity in the Northern Hemisphere is analysed in this study using a set of aquaplanet experiments with a slab ocean, mimicking La Niña conditions of varying strengths. The experiments demonstrate La Niña conditions are consistent with a weaker zonal mean Hadley cell and a corresponding northward shift in the midlatitude wave guide associated with strong meridional gradients in absolute vorticity. The QSW region generally follows this shift in the wave guide with an overall increase in QSW amplitudes along a slightly weaker mean vorticity gradient. For weak to moderate modifications of the ocean heat flux convergence, there is an approximately linear relationship with the associated QSW response, though for stronger slab heat fluxes the overall response becomes highly nonlinear. It is therefore concluded that the ENSO state may have significant consequences for QSW activity across the Northern Hemisphere.
Isolated chest wall tuberculosis in immunocompetent patients
Authors: Kang Do Kyun , Kang Min Kyun , Kim Ji‐Yeon
Published: March 2022

Key message

We recommend that even in immunocompetent patients, tuberculosis should be considered in the diagnosis of isolated slow‐growing inflammatory lesion of chest wall.