bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Detection of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency in Katsina State, Northern Nigeria
Authors: Ibrahim Bello , Sharma Arpita , Lawal Mukhtar Gambo
Published: May 2022

Aims: To determine the prevalence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and its variant (G6PD A-) among children diagnosed with Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Katsina state, Nigeria.

Study Design: Cross-Sectional Studies.

Place and Duration of Study: General Hospitals Katsina, Dutsin-ma, Daura, Baure, Malumfashi and Funtua of Katsina state, Nigeria from June, 2020 to December, 2020.

Methodology: A total of 200 blood samples were collected from the study subjects after getting the ethical approval and informed consent. Their socio-demographic information and clinical presentations were also noted with the aid of questionnaire. G6PD deficiency was detected using G6PD qualitative test. Molecular characterization of African A- Variants was carried out using PCR and Sanger sequencing. Phylogenetic studies were carried out to analyze the relationship between the types of mutations found in Nigeria and other countries.

Results: The G6PD qualitative test shows that 35(17.5%) samples were G6PD deficient which indicates significant association (P<0.05) between G6PD and malaria. The PCR and sequence analysis of the 35 G6PD deficient samples shows the presence of G202A mutations in only 7(20.0%) samples. However, the BLAST analysis of the nucleotide sequences has shown 98.73% - 100% homology with other sequences of G6PD from the NCBI database. The bioinformatics analysis revealed G6PD mutations which indicate a Guanine to Adenine mutations at amino acid number 68 substitution of valine to methionine.

Conclusion: This study has shown a high prevalence of G6PD deficiency among children diagnosed with Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Katsina State, North-western Nigeria. Polymerase Chain Reaction, NCBI blast, Phylogenetic and Bioinformatics analysis of the deficient samples shows that G202A mutation in relation to the deficient children was not statistically significant (p>0.05), hence does not appear to have a role in G6PD deficiency among children in the selected area of Katsina state, Nigeria though our findings were limited by the small sample size.
Board Independence, Board Diligence and Audit Report Lag in Listed Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria
Authors: Wisdom Okere, , Grace Offiaeli, Amarachukwu , Qudus Olatoye, , Oyindamola Ajao, , Oluwafunmilayo Ayibiowu,
Published: May 2022

This paper focuses on the impact of board independence and board diligence in audit report lag in listed deposit money banks in Nigeria. A case study of 10 deposit money banks listed on the Nigeria stock exchange. The major objective of the study is, to determine the impact of board independence on audit report lag in listed deposit money banks in Nigeria and to determine the impact of board diligence on audit report lag in listed deposit money banks in Nigeria. The data was gotten for the annual reports of these banks for the period of 2008 to 2017. A panel ordinary least square regression to achieve the set objectives. The major finds are: board independence exerted negative impact on audit reporting lag of Nigerian banks. Some of the recommendation suggested that; corporate organizations in Nigeria should adopt optimal board size that promote early financial disclosure; Security and Exchange Commission should engage in more supervision among corporations in Nigeria who engage in audit lag as a measure of engaging in earnings management; Sequel to the point raised above, it is imperative to increase board rotation among corporations in Nigeria so as to mitigate against earnings management; Corporations in Nigeria should be made to pay heavy penalty for audit report lag.
Teacher Aptitude Test for College Admission in the University of Eastern Philippines: A Development and Validation Study
Authors: Adalla Mary June T.
Published: May 2022

The study aimed at developing and presenting the validity evidence of a Teacher Aptitude Test (TAT) that could be used as one of the admission requirements in the College of Education of the University of Eastern Philippines Campus. Specifically, it aimed to determine the indices of difficulty and discrimination and the reliability of the constructed test. A descriptive research design was used and involved 224 freshman students. The main instrument used in the study is the developed Teacher Aptitude Test. Data were analyzed through item analysis and the Kuder-Richardson Formula 20. The analysis showed that most of the items in the developed Teacher Aptitude Test were accepted and passed the criteria for both indexes of difficulty and discrimination. In terms of the reliability of the test, the whole instrument obtained a good internal consistency, an indication that the developed test is highly reliable. Specifically, each component of the test possessed good and acceptable internal consistency. The developed Teacher Aptitude was deemed as a valid and reliable test. A total of 100 valid test items constituted the developed TAT after a series of validation processes were made.
The Effect of Blended Learning on Omani Post-basic students’ English Listening Skills
Authors: Hasani Amur Al , Gabarre Serge , Gabarre Cécile
Published: May 2022

Aim: The researchers aimed to investigate the effect of blended learning on developing EFL listening skills for Omani post-basic education students, and to improve their EFL listening skills through a variety of methods, such as audiovisual devices, or computer-based activities that can be done at home or in English language labs via specific materials.

Study Design: The research was a pre-posttest quasi-experimental research.

Place and Duration of Study: An 8-week study was conducted at the Falaj Al Mashaikh School in Sharqiyah South Governorate, Jalan Bani Bu Hassan province in the Sultanate of Oman at the Basic Education level of the academic year 2020-2021.

Methodology: The researcher conducted a pre-posttest quasi-experimental design through which participants were distributed into an experimental and a control group of 60 students.  To collect data, the instruments used in the study were an EFL listening skills checklist and Pre-Post Test.

Results: The results revealed that the experimental group members, who were exposed to the blended learning based instructional course, were effective in developing their own listening skills that considerably changed their attitudes towards learning English listening skills and removed sensations of fear and anxiety with regard to learning. The results showed that the majority of students got above 90%, 14 students got above 80%, while 5 students got less than 70%, and 2 students only got less than 60% in the listening posttest in the experimental group. On the other hand, the results in the control group remained the same with a slight increase with some students.

Conclusion: It became evident that the blended learning was effective in developing the EFL listening skills of post basic students.
Suggested Calibration Estimators of Finite Population Total for Cluster Sample - (I)
Authors: El-Sheikh A. A. , El-Kossaly H. A.
Published: May 2022

In survey sampling, the use of auxiliary information can greatly improve the precision of estimates of population total and/or means. Calibration estimation has developed into an important field of research in survey sampling where the auxiliary information plays an important role. In this paper, calibration estimator for cluster sampling with equal clusters have been introduced to improve variance estimator with the aid of auxiliary information and proposed the estimator of variance of calibration estimator. Six distances measures, presented the estimator of the variance of calibration approach estimators are introduced and a simulation study has been conducted to compare between the performance of calibration estimators against Horvitz-Thompson estimator using R  statistical package.
Mn-Doped ZnO Nanocrystaline were Preparation, under Analysis and Elemental Application
Authors: Samanta Uttam
Published: May 2022

Doped Zn oxide is use full to various field of material science. Nanocrystalline pure and Mn doped metal oxide (ZnO) with large amount of energy required and present in mass defect .It is also used as diluted magnetic semiconductors. pure ZnO and Mn bind in  ZnO metal oxide has been synthesized  with 2 mol% of Mn content by co-precipitation method  I will be studied the structural, chemical and optical properties of the samples by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis. The impact of annealing on structural, optical and, it ware confirmed that the eight layered film shows high crystalline quality, having the prominent (002) peak which is the characteristic peak for the c-axis oriented wurtzite ZnO structure. Again, the morphology of the eight layered sample showed hexagonal shaped grains reflecting the basic unit cell structure. Hence, for the preparation of Mn doped ZnO films, eight layered thickness films annealed at 500°C in open air has been used. The effect of hybrid and open air annealing on the structural and optical properties has been investigated. Due to good crystallinity and enhanced photoluminescence behavior, open air annealing was carried out for the preparation of all doped ZnO nanocrystals.
Power Generator with Health Monitoring IoT Framework
Authors: Joshi Varad C. , Dhabekar Aditya K. , Pimparkar Mandar M. , Pande Saurabh A. , Jethani Pawan C. , Paraswani Anmol A. , Deshpande Prasanna P.
Published: May 2022

Reducing the load on conventional sources of energy is the need of the hour. The pandemic has forced people to stay indoors and thus increased the dependence on conventional sources to meet the energy needs. Pedaling is an effective alternative to generate usable energy. It has multiple benefits - like providing a means of exercising to the user and generating DC energy through pedaling setup which can be converted into AC as per the requirement. Proposed system is beneficial for individuals who find little to no time to exercise and can provide them an interesting way to exercise and recharge their electronic appliances using the charging setup on-board. A health monitoring framework helps in keeping track of the energy expended by the person on the system and can act as a dataset for further research. Using various sensors, the parameters like O2 level, heart rate, calories burnt can be calculated and displayed on the on-board display or the cloud platform. The system is aimed to be deployed in rural areas where electricity is scarce which can power basic electric appliances and thus play a crucial role in energizing villages.
Impact of Inorganic, Organic and Biological Sources of Nutrients on Growth and Yield of Rice in an Inceptisol Soil of Tamil Nadu (Navarai Season)
Authors: Kumar S. Arun , Kumari Kamini , Arivazhagan K.
Published: May 2022

A field experiment was carried out during the Navarai season (2022) using rice variety ADT - 37 to assess the impact of inorganic, organic, and biological sources of nutrients on the growth and yield of rice in an Inceptisol soil of Tamil Nadu.  The experimental soil was clay loam in texture and had a pH-8.10, EC-0.7 dSm-1, and available NPK of 186.20, 23.30, and 192.25 kg ha-1, respectively. The experiment comprised of nine treatments viz., T1 – Control, T2 - 100% RDF, T3 - 125% RDF , T4 - 100% RDF + Press mud @ 10 t ha-1 + 2% Zinc Solubilizing Bacteria, T5 – 100% RDF + Vermicompost @ 6 t ha-1 + 2% Zinc Solubilizing Bacteria, T6 – 100% RDF + Coirpith Compost @ 6 t ha-1 + 2% Zinc Solubilizing Bacteria, T7 – 125% RDF + Press mud @ 10 t ha-1 + 2% Zinc Solubilizing Bacteria, T8 – 125% RDF + Vermicompost @ 6 t ha-1 + 2% Zinc Solubilizing Bacteria, T9 – 125% RDF + Coirpith Compost @ 6 t ha-1 + 2% Zinc Solubilizing Bacteria. The results of the experiment revealed that application of 125% RDF + Vermicompost @ 6 t ha-1 + 2% Zinc Solubilizing Bacteria (T8) recorded higher values in growth and yield parameters viz., plant height (106.8 cm), Number of productive tillers hill-1 (14.5), Leaf area index (8.02), chlorophyll content (1.285 mg g-1) Number of panicles m-2 (585), Number of grains panicle-1 (227) Dry matter production (5720 kg ha-1), Grain yield (6293 kg ha-1) and Straw yield (8943 kg ha-1).
Lethal Effects of Red Macroalgal Extracts against Tobacco Cutworm, Spodoptera litura Fabricius
Authors: Priya N. Dharani , Raguraman S. , Bhuvaneswari K. , Lakshmanan A. , Kumar K. Chandra
Published: May 2022

Aims: The purpose of the present paper was to study the toxicity of aqueous and methanol Red macro algal extracts against the cosmopolitan pest, Tobacco cutworm: Spodoptera litura Fabricius.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

Methodology: The bioassay was carried by treating aqueous and methanol extracts of three different Red macroalgae at 0.7, 1.00, 3.00, 5.00, 7.00 and 10.00 per cent concentration with three replications of ten larvae per treatment and the mortality data was recorded every 24 hours up to adult emergence.

Results: The aqueous and methanol extracts of three different Red macroalgae viz., Acanthophora spicifera, Gracilaria corticata and Jania rubens were used to find out their lethal effects against tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura under laboratory condition. The larval mortalities were observed for both extracts. Percentages of mortalities, after 96 hours of exposure, increased at the highest concentration of 10 per cent of A. spicifera, G. corticata and J. rubens, extracts. Respectively, 60.00, 46.66 and 26.66 per cent of larvae mortalities were observed in aqueous extracts and 40.00, 26.66 and 23.33 per cent of lethality were recorded in methanol extracts. The pre-pupal and pupal mortalities were recorded in all the concentrations showing malformations during the growth. The pupation and the adult emergence were also affected with the highest inhibition by the extracts of A. spicifera.

Conclusion: The Red macroalgae possess an insecticidal and growth inhibitory potential which can be exploited for eco-friendly management of Spodoptera litura. Further studies should be carried out to purify the active biomolecules of the tested extracts and to evaluate the effect of Red macroalgae on other lepidopteran larvae.
Current Concepts in Bio-minimal Endodontics: A Comprehensive Review on Modern Access Cavity Designs
Authors: Rao Megha , Prasad B. S. Keshava , Rao H. Murali , Narayana Vanamala
Published: May 2022

One of the most important steps in endodontic therapy is obtaining an adequate access to the root canal system. This ensures adequate instrumentation, irrigation, visibility, access and disinfection, making endodontic therapy more predictable. However, in the process of gaining a good convenience form, access cavities are being excessively widened, weakening the tooth to masticatory forces and increasing their chance of fracture. Clark and Khademi introduced evidence based new concepts of modern endodontic access designs which primary aims at preservation of tooth structure and increasing fracture resistance of the tooth. Several techniques of modern access designs have been proposed but they all correspond to one fundamental concept, bio-minimalism. This review aims to comprehensively summarize the principles of modern access cavity preparation as well as highlight the various techniques of modern access cavity designs.
The Promise of AI in an Open Justice System
Authors: Pah Adam R , Schwartz David L , Sanga Sarath , Alexander Charlotte S , Hammond Kristian J , Amaral Luís A.N. ,   SCALES OKN Consortium
Published: May 2022

To craft effective public policy, modern governments must gather and analyze data on both the performance of their public functions and the responses by the public. Federal administrative agencies such as the Patent Office and Centers for Disease Control routinely do this, as does the United States Congress. More importantly, they make such data freely accessible. Within the United States government, however, the judicial branch is a conspicuous outlier. In theory, federal court records could be used to evaluate the efficiency and fairness of the justice system. In practice, court records are effectively out of reach because they sit behind a government paywall. This financial barrier, along with an equally important myriad of technical obstacles, have forestalled the development of AI‐driven analysis that could enable a systematic understanding and evaluation of the work of the courts.

The Systematic Content Analysis of Litigation EventS Open Knowledge Network (SCALES OKN) seeks to address this situation by transforming the transparency and accessibility of court records. The SCALES OKN will potentiate the development of new AI solutions that will benefit the judiciary, legal scholars, and the public. In this article, we outline some of key financial, technical, and policy challenges to developing novel AI solutions.
Enabling AI innovation via data and model sharing: An overview of the NSF Convergence Accelerator Track D
Authors: Baru Chaitanya , Pozmantier Michael , Altintas Ilkay , Baek Stephen , Cohen Jonathan , Condon Laura , Fanti Giulia , Fernandez Raul Castro , Jackson Ethan , Lall Upmanu , Landman Bennett , Li Hai Helen , Marin Claudia , Lopez Beatriz Martinez , Metaxas Dimitris , Olsen Bradley , Page Grier , Shang Jingbo , Turkan Yelda , Zhang Peng
Published: May 2022

This article provides a brief overview of 18 projects funded in Track D—Data and Model Sharing to Enable AI Innovation—of the 2020 Cohort of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Convergence Accelerator (CA) program. The NSF CA is focused on transitioning research to practice for societal impact. The projects described here were funded for one year in phase I of the program, beginning September 2020. Their focus is on delivering tools, technologies, and techniques to assist in sharing data as well as data‐driven models to enable AI innovation. A broad range of domain areas is covered by the funded efforts, spanning across healthcare and medicine, to climate change and disaster, and civil/built infrastructure. The projects are addressing sharing of open as well as sensitive/private data. In September 2021, six of the eighteen projects described here were selected for phase II of the program, as noted in this article.
Effect of the Cell Count on Geometrical, Mechanical, and Thermal Properties of Hierarchical‐Porous Reticulated Copper Foams from a Combination of Sponge Replication and Freeze‐Drying Techniques
Authors: Sutygina Alina , Betke Ulf , Scheffler Michael
Published: May 2022

Copper foams are manufactured from polyurethane template foams with a cell size of 10 and 30 ppi using two techniques: Sponge replication and a combination of sponge replication with additional freezing steps to obtain lamellar strut pores. The total porosity of foams is ≈93% with and ≈87% without additional freezing, respectively. The foams possess randomly oriented lamellar pores with a thickness of 40–56 μm. The thickness of the material lamellae is 72–80 μm. The specific surface area is increased by the additional lamellar pores; this value ranges from 24 to 42 cm2 g−1 for the 10 ppi templated foams. The influence of the cell size of the template foams and the lamellar pores within the struts on the (strut) porosity, the mechanical properties and the thermal conductivity is investigated.
Enhancement of Pressure‐Sensitive Adhesive by CO2 Laser Treatment
Authors: Piskarev Yegor , Desbouis Etienne , Ramachandran Vivek , Yang Jiayi , Baugh Neil , Shintake Jun , Dickey Michael D. , Floreano Dario
Published: May 2022

Pressure‐sensitive adhesives (PSAs) are polymeric films that can be adhered to and detached from surfaces without leaving residue. Researchers are looking to enhance the bond strength between PSAs and different substrates. It can be achieved by tuning PSA's peeling, shear, and tack properties for every specific case. ‘Very High Bond’ (VHB) is a widely used PSA because of its high compliance suitable for stretchable and soft‐matter devices. In this study, a simple and fast surface treatment approach to modify the adhesion of VHB by CO2 laser engraving is reported. We characterized this surface treatment method for VHB with different substrates. Multiple laser settings were tested for each material combination to determine the conditions at which the surface adhesion would be the highest. Tests on mechanical properties, ablation directions, chemical composition, tackiness, surface viscosity, and peeling forces were conducted to understand the adhesion and viscoelasticity changes. A higher concentration of non‐crosslinked materials was determined in the VHB structure after treatment than before. Thus, we reason that laser treatment changes the surface adhesion of the PSA by cleavage of the polymer network. This work provides a simple route for tuning peeling, shear, and tack forces of a popular VHB using common equipment.
Switchable Surface Coating for Bifunctional Passive Radiative Cooling and Solar Heating
Authors: Fei Jipeng , Han Di , Ge Junyu , Wang Xingli , Koh See Wee , Gao Shubo , Sun Zixu , Wan Man Pun , Ng Bing Feng , Cai Lili , Li Hong
Published: May 2022

The ability to achieve dual‐mode thermal regulation for switchable heating and cooling on a single platform has thus far been challenged by the availability of suitable materials. The materials need to possess both high solar reflectance and high transmittance, necessitating large and small thicknesses in the same coating layer, respectively (i.e., the thickness constraint). Herein, for the first time, a single‐layer coating made in a facile one‐step process is reported, which exhibits rapid switch between high solar reflection (≈96.6%) and high solar transmission (≈86.6%). In the dry state, high solar reflectance and infrared (IR) emittance (>96% from 8 to 13 µm) enable passive radiative cooling, resulting in all‐day near/sub‐ambient temperatures in the demanding weather conditions of the tropical climate. Upon wetting, high transparency in the broadband range (0.3–2.5 µm) allows solar heating, leading to switchable thermal regulation. Such unprecedented performances are achieved through a unique hierarchical porous structure comprising of vertically aligned microscale pores in nanoscale pore matrix. This structure breaks the thickness constraint and broadens its applicability, in particular for seasonal areas with large temperature variation throughout the day.
A Lysosome‐Activated Tetrahedral Nanobox for Encapsulated siRNA Delivery
Authors: Gao Yang , Chen Xingyu , Tian Taoran , Zhang Tao , Gao Shaojingya , Zhang Xiaolin , Yao Yangxue , Lin Yunfeng , Cai Xiaoxiao
Published: May 2022

Tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNAs) have attracted extensive attention as drug nanocarriers because of their excellent cellular uptake. However, for oligonucleotide cargos, tFNA mainly acts as a static delivery platform generated via sticky‐ended ligation. Here, inspired by the original stable space inside the tetrahedral scaffold, a dynamic lysosome‐activated tFNA nanobox is fabricated for completely encapsulating a short interfering RNA (siRNA) of interest. The closed tetrahedral structure endows cargo siRNA with greater resistance against RNase and serum and enables solid integration with the vehicle during delivery. Moreover, the pH‐responsive switch of nanobox allows the controlled release of siRNA upon entry into lysosomes at cell culture temperature. Based on protective loading and active unloading, an excellent silencing effect on the target tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) gene is achieved in in vitro and in vivo experiments. Conclusively, the nanobox offers a dynamic pH‐sensitive confinement delivery system for siRNA and can be an extendable strategy for other small RNA.
Upgrading the State‐of‐the‐Art Electrocatalysts for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Applications
Authors: Fang Baizeng , Daniel Lius , Bonakdarpour Arman , Wilkinson David P.
Published: May 2022

Carbon‐supported Pt‐based electrocatalysts have been widely investigated for diverse electrochemical energy storage and conversion applications. Vulcan XC72R (VC) supported Pt(20 wt%) nanoparticles (NPs) (denoted as Pt(20 wt%)NPs/VC produced by Johnson Matthey (JM)) is the most commonly‐used catalyst and is thus widely considered to be the state‐of‐the‐art electrocatalyst. Although Pt(20 wt%)NPs/VC(JM) has demonstrated very good electrocatalytic performance in these applications, further improvement in its electrocatalytic activity and electrochemical stability is still highly desired. In this study, an innovative strategy, involving graphitic carbon nitride (g‐CN) coating of the electrocatalyst, is shown to improve the performance. Although other researchers have attempted modifying the support and components during the process of making an electrocatalyst, the authors report, for the first time, the nitriding of an existing catalyst, that is, post‐modification of the electrocatalyst. Due to the unique features of g‐CN coating, which include high chemical stability, good oxygen adsorption and improved ionomer distribution in the catalyst layer, the g‐CN‐coated Pt(20wt%)NPs/VC(JM) electrocatalyst (g‐CN content: 0.61 wt%) has demonstrated both improved polarization performance and electrochemical stability. This simple but very effective strategy is believed to open a new avenue for improvement of electrocatalytic performance for a range of diverse commercially‐available electrocatalysts used in proton exchange membrane fuel cells.
Colloidal Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diodes at Telecom Wavelength with 18% Quantum Efficiency and Over 1 MHz Bandwidth
Authors: Pradhan Santanu , Dalmases Mariona , Taghipour Nima , Kundu Biswajit , Konstantatos Gerasimos
Published: May 2022

Developing high performance, low‐cost solid‐state light emitters in the telecom wavelength bandwidth is of paramount importance for infrared light‐based communications. Colloidal quantum dot (CQD) based light emitting diodes (LEDs) have shown tremendous advances in recent times through improvement in synthesis chemistry, surface property, and device structures. Despite the tremendous advancements of CQD based LEDs in the visible range with efficiency reaching theoretical limits, their short‐wave infrared (SWIR) counterparts mainly based on lead chalcogenide CQDs, have shown lower performance (≈8%). Here the authors report on highly efficient SWIR CQD LEDs with a recorded EQE of 11.8% enabled by the use of a binary CQD matrix comprising QD populations of different bandgaps at the emission wavelength of 1550 nm. By further optimizing the optical out‐coupling via the use of a hemispherical lens to reduce optical waveguide loss, the EQE of the LED increased to 18.6%. The CQD LED has an electrical bandwidth of 2 MHz, which motivated them to demonstrate its use in the first SWIR free‐space optical transmission link based entirely on CQD technology (photodetector and light emitter) opening a new window of applications for CQD optoelectronics.
Organic transition in dual‐purpose wheat systems: Agronomic performance and soil nitrogen dynamics
Authors: Hinson Philip O. , Adams Curtis B. , Pinchak Bill , Jones David , Rajan Nithya , Somenahally Anil , Kimura Emi
Published: May 2022

The Southern Great Plains (SGP) region of the United States is widely known for its dryland dual‐purpose winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping systems—integrated systems that provide both livestock grazing and grain production. Few of these systems are organic, however, and no relevant research had been conducted on this topic. A large‐scale (41 ha) systems research study was conducted for 3 yr (2018–2021) to compare a transitional organic dual‐purpose wheat system with a conventional one, with system management components customized to the ecological region. Organic wheat yield was 20% lower than conventional in the first season of organic transition, but there was no yield difference by the third year. The yield improvement in the organic system may be attributed to N fixation by a legume‐based cash crop the previous winter season, exogenous nutrients from application of composted manure, and appropriate wheat cultivar selection. Because of limited moisture, relying on annual establishment of summer cover crops to fix N and deliver other ecosystem services in the organic system was not feasible in most years. Grain protein concentration (GPC) of the transitional organic wheat ranged from 91 to 103 g kg−1, below the 120 g kg−1 threshold for a food market organic price premium. More intensive N management, including in‐season application of a more available form of N that is organic approved, could be an effective strategy to increase GPC. This proof‐of‐concept study shows that organic dual‐purpose wheat systems can be a viable enterprise in the SGP, though additional research is needed to address challenges identified herein.
High‐density polyethylene/attapulgite (ATP) nanocomposites: Effect of the organophilization of ATP on the structural, mechanical, and thermal properties
Authors: da Silva Thais Ferreira , Morgado Guilherme Ferreira de Melo , Albers Ana Paula Fonseca , Quinteiro Eduardo , Passador Fabio Roberto
Published: May 2022

Organic–inorganic nanocomposites have attracted great interest due to the remarkable improvement in mechanical properties when compared to neat polymers. The use of a low‐cost nanofiller added to good properties becomes attractive to the industry. Attapulgite (ATP) is a very interesting nanofiller alternative, especially when used with polyolefins, as in the case of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE). However, this system is not simple, as HDPE is a nonpolar polyolefin that can cause low dispersion of ATP. One way to increase the interaction between these phases is the surface modification of ATP. In this work, the surface of ATP was modified using trimethylamine hydrochloride. HDPE/ATP nanocomposites with 1 and 5 wt% of raw ATP (ATPr) or organophilic ATP (ATPo) were prepared by extrusion. The effectiveness of the organophilization process of ATP was evaluated by X‐ray diffraction, mechanical properties (Shore D hardness and tensile test), and thermal properties (thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry), contact angle, and scanning electron microscopy. In the HDPE/ATPo nanocomposites, it was possible to observe an improvement in mechanical and thermal properties when compared to HDPE/ATPr nanocomposites. The organophilization of ATP promoted a greater interaction between the phases, contributing to a better dispersion of ATP in the HDPE matrix.
Development of optimal polymeric foams with superior sound absorption and transmission loss
Authors: Nourmohammadi Mohammad , Jahanmardi Reza , Moeenfard Hamid , Zohuri Gholam Hossein , Bazgir Saeed
Published: May 2022

The objective of the current research is to propose new polymer composites with optimal acoustic properties. To do so, the ethylene‐vinyl acetate foam is employed as the based polymer and the nano silica, nano clay and graphene nanoplatelets are used as extra ingredients. The appropriate amounts of the blowing agent and nano materials are determined using the Taguchi design technique. Using the L9(34) Taguchi array, different foams are manufactured and their specifications are determined experimentally. Most importantly, the sound absorption and transmission loss of the foams are measured and utilized to specify their noise reduction coefficient (NRC) as well as their average transmission loss (ATL). To maximize the NRC and ATL, optimal formulations are derived based on the Taguchi method. Then the optimal foams are manufactured to characterize their acoustic properties. Experimentations show that both NRC and ATL are respectively improved by 9.76% and 7.98% compared to the best NRC and ATL record of the samples of the Taguchi table. Some new samples with at most one nano material are also produced to study the synergistic effects of the nano materials. Measurements of the acoustic properties of these foams revealed that the combination of the nano materials offers superior acoustic properties.
3,6‐Diaminocarbazole doped fluorescent electrospun nanofibers for highly sensitive detection of nitroaromatics
Authors: Kumar Anshu , Kumar Vishal , Nath Prathul , Satapathi Soumitra
Published: May 2022

Electrospinning is an efficient technique to fabricate nanofibers of controlled diameter and uniform morphology. Herein, we report a low‐cost and high‐yield route to fabricate PAN/DAC composite nanofibers and its use for vapor sensing of 2,4‐Dinitrotoluene (DNT) and 2,4,6‐Trinitrotoluene (TNT) with a detection level in the range of parts‐per‐billion. Furthermore, the sensing ability and photo‐induced electron transfer mechanism of DAC towards DNT and TNT in the solution phase were also investigated in detail via absorption, steady‐state, and time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy and further supported by density function theory (DFT). The calculated Stern‐Volmer quenching constants, 810 M−1 (DNT) and 1170 M−1 (TNT), revealed that DAC is not much sensitive in solution‐phase because of the self‐condensation phenomenon of DAC molecules. This concern was addressed by the development of a fluorescent nanofiber probe constituting π‐electron‐rich carbazole (CZ) derivatives, namely 3,6‐Diaminocarbazole (DAC) as a fluorescent material and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as a support polymatrix. This fluorophore‐doped nanofiber matrix was fabricated at a relatively lower wt% ratio (PAN:DAC::10:6), obtaining an average diameter of 857 nm and exhibited promising features in the vapor detection of DNT and TNT such as fast response time, excellent sensitivity and selectivity. Reduction of self‐condensation caused DAC molecules' fluorescence self‐quenching by simply employing the electrospinning technique to cast PAN/DAC nanofibrous film. This work promises a new aspect of sensitivity enhancement of carbazole molecular unit by amine modification and further incorporation into the polymer matrix. This nanofiber‐based sensor can lead to the design and development of highly efficient and field‐deployable vapor sensors for the detection of nitroaromatic compounds, with application in both explosive sensing and environment pollution.
Glyoxal‐Based Electrolytes in Combination with Fe2O3@C‐Based Electrodes for Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Bothe Annika , Gehrlein Lydia , Fu Qiang , Li Chengping , Maibach Julia , Dsoke Sonia , Balducci Andrea
Published: May 2022

In this study, we report for the first time about using glyoxal‐based electrolytes in combination with a Fe2O3@C‐based conversion type anode for application in lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). We show that at room temperature (RT) the use of these alternative electrolytes is possible, but it is not more advantageous than that of the conventional LP30. At 60 °C, on the other hand, utilizing a glyoxal‐based electrolyte appears very promising since the Fe2O3@C‐based electrode, cycled in combination with 1 M LiTFSI in TEG:PC+2 % VC, displays a high specific capacity (800 mAh g−1) and a high stability over 500 cycles. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements indicate that these high performances are possible thanks to the generation of a thermally stable and thick SEI, which is particularly favorable for maintaining a highly reversible conversion reaction.
Social considerations for the cultivation of industrial crops on marginal agricultural land as feedstock for bioeconomy
Authors: Panoutsou Calliope , von Cossel Moritz , Ciria Pilar , Ciria Carlos S. , Baraniecki Przemysław , Monti Andrea , Zanetti Federica , Dubois Jean‐Luc
Published: May 2022

Marginal agricultural land (MAL) has received much attention in research and policy formation as a potential resource for cultivating biomass for energy and biobased products. However, it is still unclear whether biomass from MAL meets the requirements of social sustainability. This study develops a conceptual linkage between value‐chain analysis and social life‐cycle analysis (S‐LCA), and assesses both positive impacts (handprints) and negative impacts (footprints). A participatory approach including interviews and surveys was used to understand views and perceptions of the relevant stakeholders. A systemic strategy was applied to analyze value‐chain activities, understand challenges, and identify competitive advantages and disadvantages. For S‐LCA, the variety of impacts and indicators was met through a literature review and a consistent scoring system. The cultivation of perennial crops on MAL tends to cause skepticism among stakeholders, who are concerned about long‐term commitment and biodiversity risks. Annual crops, on the other hand, are perceived by all stakeholder categories as very promising opportunities across all impact categories and indicators. They can facilitate income diversification and offer smart sustainable cropping options through crop rotation, agroforestry, etc. Most of the technological pathways examined are highly innovative, have a low technological readiness level, and are still at the early market development stage. As such they are ranked by stakeholders as medium opportunities for short‐term implementation. In contrast, pyrolysis to industrial heat, ethanol from switchgrass, insulation material from hemp, and biogas/biomethane from sorghum are considered opportunities with good chances of being implemented in the short term. © 2022 The Authors. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bio‐economy for sustainable growth in developing countries: The case of oil palm in Malaysia and Indonesia
Authors: Goh Chun Sheng , Potter Lesley
Published: May 2022

Malaysia and Indonesia are two vivid examples of economic development built upon land exploitation. The concept of ‘bio‐economy’ illustrates a pathway for countries to move on to a more sustainable course of development by creating added value downstream and diversifying away from primary production. Growing a local oleochemical industry was naturally the first step for Malaysia and Indonesia as the world's largest palm‐oil producers. This was extended to biofuel production, which first aimed for export revenues. The biofuel sector later became an important buffer for the palm‐oil industry to absorb excessive stock with domestic blending targets during low price periods. Meanwhile, the utilization of biomass for power generation has grown significantly for both exports and local use. Converting biomass into second‐generation biofuels and other advanced bio‐based materials has also attracted great interest from foreign investors. However, the high cost of biomass mobilization has limited the deployment of advanced biorefineries. One interesting option is to integrate waste management with the production of high‐value bioenergy and biomaterials, adopting the model of a multi‐feedstock biorefinery. While several bio‐based industrial clusters were set up to attract investment with the consolidation of infrastructure surrounding major ports, more effort is still needed to explore and identify feasible business models with optimized supply chains. Cross‐border cooperation may open new doors for building regional bio‐based value chains. The ongoing digital revolution may provide breakthroughs in chain integration and technology deployment. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
LC–MS/MS quantification of levetiracetam, lamotrigine and 10‐hydroxycarbazepine in TDM of epileptic patients
Authors: Zhou Shan , Li Ruitong , Chen Ziyi , Ren Ruina , Wang Xueding , Dai Qilin , Wen Dingshen , Guan Yanping , Zhang Xiaoxu , Tang Siyuan , Zhou Liemin , Huang Min
Published: May 2022

Background

To minimize drug‐related toxicity and monitor dosing regimens, an ultra‐sensitive, simple and high‐throughput analytical method for therapeutic drug monitoring is required. A novel LC–MS/MS bioassay of levetiracetam, lamotrigine and 10‐hydroxycarbazepine in human plasma was established. The analytes were separated on a Hypersil GOLD™ C18 column under a 2.5 min isocratic elution after one‐step protein precipitation. MS detection was performed under electrospray ionization positive‐mode fitted with selected reaction monitoring. The validated ranges were 0.1–20 μg/ml for LTG, 0.3–60 μg/ml for 10‐hydroxycarbazepine and levetiracetam. The intra‐ and inter‐batches of precision and accuracy was within ±15%. The novel method met all other criteria. Conclusion: This method can be used to monitor drug concentrations and decision‐making in epileptic patients.
Lithium use associated with symptom severity in comorbid bipolar disorder I and migraine
Authors: Sekula Nicole M. , Yocum Anastasia K. , Anderau Steven , McInnis Melvin G. , Marshall David F.
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Bipolar disorder (BD) and migraine headaches are frequently comorbid. The common etiological features are unknown, however cortical hyperexcitability (EEG) of migraines, and the report of hyperexcitability in pluripotent stem cell‐derived neurons from lithium responsive BD subjects offers a physiological hypothesis of excitable neurons linking these disorders. However, clinical studies suggest that a history of migraine is associated with higher rates of relapse in those with BD taking lithium. Lithium use and history of migraine in this prospective longitudinal study of BD find that lithium use is associated with a greater symptom severity in BD.

Methods

Data on longitudinal outcome from 538 patients with BD I were categorized according to treatment with lithium and comorbidity with migraine. Clinical outcome measures on depression, mania, and quality of life over the most recent 2‐year period compared the BD and BD/migraine cohort according to lithium treatment status.

Results

A history of migraines was associated with worse clinical outcomes of depression (p = .002), mania (p = .005), and mental and physical quality of life (p = .004 and p = .005, respectively), independent of lithium use. The BD/migraine cohort treated with lithium was associated with worse symptoms of mania, whereas those without migraine and lithium use were associated with milder manic symptoms (p = .026).

Conclusions

Herein, we replicate the relatively worse outcome in BD with comorbid migraine. We find evidence to suggest that lithium use is associated with more severe symptoms of mania among those with BD and a history of migraine and conclude that lithium is contraindicated in BD comorbid with migraine.
Brain responses to painful electrical stimuli and cognitive tasks interact in the precuneus, posterior cingulate cortex, and inferior parietal cortex and do not vary across the menstrual cycle
Authors: Veldhuijzen Dieuwke S. , Meeker Timothy J. , Bauer Deborah , Keaser Michael L. , Gullapalli Rao P. , Greenspan Joel D.
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Bidirectional effects between cognition and pain have been extensively reported. Although brain regions involved in cognitive and pain processing seem to partly overlap, it is unknown what specific brain regions are involved in the interaction between pain and cognition. Furthermore, the role of gonadal hormones on these interacting effects has not been examined. This study investigated brain activation patterns of the interaction between pain and cognition over different phases of the naturally occurring menstrual cycle.

Methods

Fifteen healthy normally cycling females were examined over the course of 4 different cycle phases. Sensory stimulation was applied using electrical pulses and cognitive performance was assessed using the Multi‐Source Interference Task. Brain imaging consisted of functional magnetic resonance imaging using a repeated measures ANOVA group analysis approach.

Results

Sensory stimulation was found to interact with task performance in the left precuneus, left posterior cingulate cortex and right inferior parietal lobule. No effects of cycle phase were observed to interact with main effects of stimulation, task or interaction effects between task performance and sensory stimulation.

Conclusion

Potential neural correlates of shared resources between pain and cognition were demonstrated providing further insights into the potential mechanisms behind cognitive performance difficulties in pain patients and opening avenues for new treatment options including targeting specific cognitive factors in pain treatment such as cognitive interference.
Possible effects of fibroblast growth factor 21 on vascular calcification via suppressing activating transcription factor 4 mediated apoptosis and osteogenic transformation in rats
Authors: Shi Yuchen , Zheng Ze , Luo Jesse , Li Yingkai , He Songyuan , Shen Xueqian , Liu Jinghua
Published: May 2022

Vascular calcification (VC), a significant risk factor of many cardio‐cerebral vascular diseases, is a perplexing issue with no effective treatment in clinical work up to now. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) mediated apoptosis has been proved to be a significant mechanism for initiating VC process. Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), a key transcription factor of ERS, is most closely associated with VC. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), an atypical member of the FGFs family, has a protective biological function in various metabolic diseases by ERS pathways. However, the possible effects of FGF21 on VC by regulating ERS, especially through the ATF4 pathway, is still unclear. Our research provides the first evidence that exogenous FGF21 treatment can alleviate the vitamin D3 plus nicotine‐induced VC at least in part via suppressing ATF4 mediated apoptosis and osteogenic transformation in rats.
Hybrid Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of C7‐Sugars for Molecular Evidence of in vivo Shikimate Pathway Inhibition
Authors: Rath Pascal , Rapp Johanna , Brilisauer Klaus , Braun Marvin , Kolukisaoglu Üner , Forchhammer Karl , Grond Stephanie
Published: May 2022

The design of distinctive chemical synthesis strategies aims for the most efficient routes towards versatile compounds in drug target studies. Here, we establish a powerful hybrid synthetic approach of total chemical and chemoenzymatic synthesis to efficiently obtain various 7‐deoxy‐sedoheptulose (7dSh, 1) analogues, unique C7 sugars, for structure‐activity relationship studies. 7dSh (1) is a rare microbial sugar with in planta herbicidal activity. As natural antimetabolite of 3‐dehydroquinate synthase (DHQS), 7dSh (1) inhibits the shikimate pathway, which is essential for the synthesis of aromatic amino acids in bacteria, fungi, and plants, but absent in mammals. As glyphosate, the most used chemical herbicide faces restrictions worldwide, DHQS has gained more attention as valid target of herbicides and antimicrobial agents. In vitro and in vivo analyses of the C7‐deoxysugars confirm DHQS as enzymatic target, highlight the crucial role of uptake for inhibition and add molecular aspects to target mechanism studies of C7‐sugars as our contribution to global efforts for alternative weed‐control strategies.
Second Coordination Sphere Effects on the Mechanistic Pathways for Dioxygen Activation by a Ferritin: Involvement of a Tyr Radical and the Identification of a Cation Binding Site
Authors: Yeh Chieh‐Chih George , Mokkawes Thirakorn , Bradley Justin M. , Le Brun Nick E. , de Visser Sam P.
Published: May 2022

Ferritins are ubiquitous diiron enzymes involved in iron(II) detoxification and oxidative stress responses and can act as metabolic iron stores. The overall reaction mechanisms of ferritin enzymes are still unclear, particularly concerning the role of the conserved, near catalytic center Tyr residue. Thus, we carried out a computational study of a ferritin using a large cluster model of well over 300 atoms including its first‐ and second‐coordination sphere. The calculations reveal important insight into the structure and reactivity of ferritins. Specifically, the active site Tyr residue delivers a proton and electron in the catalytic cycle prior to iron(II) oxidation. In addition, the calculations highlight a likely cation binding site at Asp65, which through long‐range electrostatic interactions, influences the electronic configuration and charge distributions of the metal center. The results are consistent with experimental observations but reveal novel detail of early mechanistic steps that lead to an unusual mixed‐valent iron(III)‐iron(II) center.