bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A strategy for the detection of benzodiazepine drugs using low‐resolution paper‐spray mass spectrometry for harm reduction drug checking
Authors: Miskulin Allie , Wallace Bruce , Gill Chris , Hore Dennis
Published: December 2023

The ability to detect newly emerging substances is of great importance in reducing harms for people who use drugs. New psychoactive substances including novel benzodiazepines in the illicit drug supply have been linked to high rates of overdose deaths while complicating drug checking as an overdose prevention strategy. Paper‐spray mass spectrometry (PS‐MS) has emerged as a novel strategy to rapidly detect trace components in street drug samples. While targeted, low‐resolution PS‐MS methods have proven effective, newly emerging substances are often missed. To address this, a method was applied to low‐resolution full‐scan PS‐MS data to aid in the early detection and identification of novel benzodiazepines in the unregulated drug supply. Using the developed method, true positives rates of 0.89 and 0.75 were achieved for bromazolam and etizolam in street samples obtained in a community drug checking service. The applicability of the method was further demonstrated for a novel benzodiazepine, desalkylgidazepam, that has recently emerged in the illicit drug supply.
On frequency‐domain estimation of increase in design yield force levels of SDOF structures due to multiplicity of earthquake events
Authors: Naqvi Arshil A. , Gupta Vinay K. , Das Sandip
Published: December 2023

The current earthquake design philosophy based on only the most critical earthquake may prove inadequate when the smaller events occurring before this event cause significant damage to the structure and repairs become infeasible. The design force levels may therefore be raised using the modified design force ratio, defined as the ratio of the yield force level for a specified damage level under all the seismic events to the yield force level for the same damage level under only the most critical event. This study considers the updating of the existing frequency‐based approach, using the power spectral density function (PSDF)‐based characterization of design ground motion, for the estimation of modified design force ratio spectrum. First, an empirical expression developed in the companion paper for modifying the damping of the equivalent linear oscillator is used such that the use of the PSDF compatible with 5%‐damping response spectrum leads to correct peak response, even when the equivalent damping ratio exceeds 5%. Next, the frequency‐domain design force ratio estimates are benchmarked in the case of steel and reinforced concrete oscillators by comparing those with the time‐domain estimates of equivalent Bouc–Wen oscillators over various sequences of events and by suitably adjusting the stiffness degradation parameter. It is shown in the case of a hypothetical seismic scenario that the optimal values of this parameter as 2.0 and 1.7 work well for the steel structures and reinforced concrete structures with high stiffness degradation respectively. Also, the proposed approach needs to be improved further for applicability in the case of reinforced concrete structures exhibiting significant pinching behavior.
Analytical plasticity‐based model for soil–structure interaction of lumped system on heterogeneous soil media
Authors: Bahuguna Ashish , Firoj Mohd
Published: December 2023

In the present study, an analytical approach is developed for the soil–structure interaction for the linear, eq. linear and elastic‐perfectly plastic layered soil strata. The amplification factor is calculated at the top of a lumped structure incorporating layered soil, foundation, and super‐structure deformation. The equation of motion of the system under the normalized earthquake excitation is solved using the direct integration method. MATLAB script is developed to carry out the parametric study, and nonlinear time history analysis is performed. The present methodology is compared with the finite element model (FEM), which shows good agreement. The computational time is much less than the FEM method. A parametric study is carried out in terms of soil heterogeneity, mass ratio, slenderness ratio, excitation frequency, and material model. The results indicate that due to the heterogeneity of the soil, the response of the structure is increased significantly; with the increase in the mass ratio, the amplification factor decreases with excitation frequency up to resonance, and the effect of mass ratio is negligible at the higher frequency range; with the increase in slenderness ratio, the amplification factor increases up to resonance, however, at higher frequency ranges there is no effect of slenderness ratio.
CNN‐based damage detection of buildings from wave propagation between two adjacent floors
Authors: Zhang Aijia , Wang Xin , Dang Ji
Published: December 2023

Structural damages are expected to be detected from the changes in shear‐wave propagation in the vertical direction of the building. In the previous study, we constructed a convolutional neural network (CNN) model to recognize the changes in impulse responses at the inter‐floor with the virtual source at the top. However, it is difficult to tell the exact damaged stories, because it contains the information of all the stories between the virtual source and the receiver. In this study, to perform the story‐by‐story damage detection, wave propagation between two adjacent floors was proposed. The virtual source of the impulse response was changed from the top floor to the determined inter‐floor of the building. By recognizing the changes in the wavefield between the determined floor where the virtual source is located and its upper and lower adjacent floor, damages between two adjacent stories can be identified. The CNN model was used to automatically recognize the changes in the visualized impulse responses over time and validated using the data of a shake‐table test on a one‐third scaled 18‐story steel frame building.
An efficient and accurate fragility approach for seismic performance assessment of structures
Authors: Pang Yutao , Wei Kai , Wang Jianguo , Zhang Shengbin
Published: December 2023

In seismic risk assessment of bridges, developing fragility function is a fundamental step to characterize the structural vulnerability, which is usually derived based on the relationship between the engineering demand parameter (EDP) and intensity measure (IM). The EDP‐IM relationships are generally developed through three approaches, namely Cloud analysis (Cloud), incremental dynamic analysis (IDA), and multiple strip analysis (MSA). It is known that the Cloud method is computationally efficient while the IDA and MSA can provide the accurate fragility estimates. Thus, the present paper proposes an efficient and accurate fragility (EAF) approach which has similar computational demand as Cloud but keeps the same level of accuracy as IDA or MSA. In this proposed EAF procedure, the nonlinear time‐history responses at the intensifying duration of ground motions were used to develop the EDP‐IM curves. And these EDP‐IM curves are accurate enough to replace the IDA curves in developing fragility curves. To illustrate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed EAF method, two typical bridges (a two‐span single‐frame bridge and a single‐pylon cable‐stayed bridge) were selected and modeled in OpenSees and employed as case studies. By comparing the fragility estimates of these bridges to IDA and MSA, it is demonstrated that the proposed EAF approach leads to reliable fragility results, while has similar computational time as Cloud.
Statistical evaluation of a long‐memory process using the generalized entropic value‐at‐risk
Authors: Yoshioka Hidekazu , Yoshioka Yumi
Published: December 2023

The modeling and identification of time series data with a long memory are important in various fields. The streamflow discharge is one such example that can be reasonably described as an aggregated stochastic process of randomized affine processes where the probability measure, we call it reversion measure, for the randomization is not directly observable. Accurate identification of the reversion measure is critical because of its omnipresence in the aggregated stochastic process. However, the modeling accuracy is commonly limited by the available real‐world data. We resolve this issue by proposing the novel upper and lower bounds of a statistic of interest subject to ambiguity of the reversion measure. Here, we use the Tsallis value‐at‐risk (TsVaR) as a convex risk functional to generalize the widely used entropic value‐at‐risk (EVaR) as a sharp statistical indicator. We demonstrate that the EVaR cannot be used for evaluating key statistics, such as mean and variance, of the streamflow discharge due to the blowup of some exponential integrand. We theoretically show that the TsVaR can avoid this issue because it requires only the existence of some polynomial moment, not exponential moment. As a demonstration, we apply the semi‐implicit gradient descent method to calculate the TsVaR and corresponding Radon–Nikodym derivative for time series data of actual streamflow discharges in mountainous river environments.
Evaluation of the Fischer‐Tropsch synthesis product selectivity over iron‐based silica‐supported catalyst under mild temperatures
Authors: Stanke Agija , Lazdovica Kristine , Laipniece Lauma
Published: December 2023

The circular economy is considered a keystone of sustainable development, and its implementation requires analyzing both product and by‐products, as well as process waste. In this study Fischer‐Tropsch synthesis product selectivity over Fe/SiO2 catalyst was investigated in the reaction temperature range of 240 to 300°C. The composition of the gas, liquid hydrocarbon, and wax products is discussed alongside the aqueous phase, which is rarely addressed. It was found that 280°C is the optimal temperature for condensable hydrocarbon production over Fe/SiO2 catalyst. The increase in reaction temperature led to a decrease in the selectivity of 1‐olefins and alcohols in the liquid hydrocarbon phase and waxes, but at the same time contributed to an increase in the content of alcohols in the aqueous phase products.
Energy storage: Status and future perspective in Arab countries
Authors: Hasan Afif Akel , Hanieh Ahmed Abu , Juaidi Adel
Published: December 2023

In this paper, the present status of energy storage implementation and research in Arab countries (ACs) is investigated. The different technologies of energy storage are reviewed then projects and capacities of installed or planned energy storage systems in the ACs are summarized based on published literature. In ACs, the installed and planned capacity of pumped hydro storage is 4365 MW, while for battery storage it is 5597 MW. No compressed energy storage projects are installed or planned in the near future. Green hydrogen as a fuel is planned in Egypt, Algeria, and Morocco. Renewable energy as a main employer of energy storage is predicted for the next 30 years; similarly, energy storage capacity is forecasted for the next 30 years. To enhance energy storage implementation it is recommended to include energy storage in all new commercial renewable energy projects. In addition to creating a regulatory framework that encourages the development of energy storage schemes. To advance research in the energy storage, modeling and simulation of energy storage systems in residential, commercial, and industrial sectors are recommended. In addition, cold energy storage for cooling and air‐conditioning using phase change material to be investigated.
Effects of Age and Exposure Duration on the Sensitivity of Early Life Stage Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas) to Waterborne Propranolol Exposure
Authors: Biales Adam D. , Bencic David C. , Flick Robert W. , Toth Gregory P.
Published: December 2023

Propranolol is a heavily prescribed, nonspecific beta-adrenoceptor (bAR) antagonist frequently found in wastewater effluents, prompting concern over its potential to adversely affect exposed organisms. In the present study, the transcriptional responses of 4, 5, and 6 days postfertilization (dpf) ±1 h fathead minnow, exposed for 6, 24, or 48 h to 0.66 or 3.3 mg/L (nominal) propranolol were characterized using RNA sequencing. The number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was used as an estimate of sensitivity. A trend toward increased sensitivity with age was observed; fish >7 dpf at the end of exposure were particularly sensitive to propranolol. The DEGs largely overlapped among treatment groups, suggesting a highly consistent response that was independent of age. Cluster analysis was performed using normalized count data for unexposed and propranolol-exposed fish. Control fish clustered tightly by age, with fish ≥7 dpf clustering away from younger fish, reflecting developmental differences. When clustering was conducted using exposed fish, in cases where propranolol induced a minimal or no transcriptional response, the results mirrored those of the control fish and did not appreciably cluster by treatment. In treatment groups that displayed a more robust transcriptional response, the effects of propranolol were evident; however, fish <7 dpf clustered away from older fish, despite having similar numbers of DEGs. Increased sensitivity at 7 dpf coincided with developmental milestones with the potential to alter propranolol pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics, such as the onset of exogenous feeding and gill functionality as well as increased systemic expression of bAR. These results may have broader implications because toxicity testing often utilizes fish <4 dpf, prior to the onset of these potentially important developmental milestones, which may result in an underestimation of risk for some chemicals. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:807–820. Published 2023. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Assessing Contamination Profiles in Livers from Road-Killed Owls
Authors: Dulsat-Masvidal Maria , Lourenço Rui , Mateo Rafael , Lacorte Silvia
Published: December 2023

Raptors are recognized as valuable sentinel species for monitoring environmental contaminants owing to their foraging behavior across terrestrial and aquatic food webs and their high trophic position. The present study monitored environmental contaminants in livers from road-killed owls to evaluate differences in the exposure patterns due to factors such as species, age, and sex of individuals. Carcasses of road-killed individuals of eagle owl (Bubo bubo), long-eared owl (Asio otus), little owl (Athene noctua), tawny owl (Strix aluco), and barn owl (Tyto alba) were collected in Alentejo (Portugal). Eighty-one organic contaminants were analyzed, including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pharmaceuticals, in-use pesticides, and organophosphate esters (OPEs). Overall, 21 contaminants were detected. In all species ∑OCPs were prevalent at concentrations from 3.24 to 4480 ng/g wet weight, followed by perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), the only PFASs detected (from 2.88 to 848 ng/g wet wt) and ∑PCBs (1.98–2010 ng/g wet wt); ∑PAHs were ubiquitous but detected at the lowest concentrations (7.35–123 ng/g wet wt). Differences among species were observed according to principal component analysis. Eagle owl and long-eared owl presented the highest levels of ∑OCPs, ∑PCBs, and PFOS, consistent with its higher trophic position, while ∑PAHs prevailed in tawny owl, barn owl, and little owl, related to their frequent use of urban areas for nesting and roadsides for hunting. Adults presented higher concentrations of ∑OCPs and ∑PCBs than juveniles, while no differences were observed for PFOS and ∑PAHs. Pharmaceuticals, in-use pesticides, and OPEs were not detected. Overall, the present study shows specific contamination patterns in five species with similar diet but with differences in habitat preferences. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:821–832. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
Biodilution of Organic Species of Arsenic in Freshwater Food Webs
Authors: Lepage Adam T. , Lescord Gretchen L. , Lock Alan , Johnston Thomas A. , Gandhi Jay , Gunn John M.
Published: December 2023

Arsenic can accumulate in freshwater biota, sometimes reaching potentially harmful levels. However, the toxicity of arsenic strongly depends on which arsenic species are present. Although organic species are considered less harmful than inorganic ones, they have not been extensively studied in freshwater environments, and drivers of variation in arsenic speciation among sites and taxa remain unclear. We assessed concentrations of two organic arsenic species, arsenobetaine (AsB) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), in fish and invertebrates from three lakes near Sudbury, Ontario, Canada—a region with widespread mining impacts. Both AsB and DMA were detected in most samples (n = 212), varying across a wide range of concentrations (<0.001–30.144 and <0.006–5.262 mg/kg dry wt, respectively). The lake with the most severe mining impacts typically had the highest concentrations (designated by square brackets []) of AsB and DMA. In contrast, the percentage of total arsenic made up by AsB (%AsB) and DMA (%DMA) did not vary significantly between lakes. Arsenic speciation in fish muscle varied with fish size, selenium concentrations, and trophic elevation (inferred from nitrogen stable isotope ratios δ15N), but relationships with dietary carbon source (inferred from carbon stable isotope ratios δ13C) were more varied. Within all three lake food webs, [AsB] and [DMA] typically underwent biodilution, decreasing with trophic elevation (i.e., δ15N). Although the aforementioned factors explained some variation in arsenic speciation, there remains considerable unexplained variation. Further studies on arsenic speciation in freshwater biota should target a wider diversity of taxa to better understand drivers of variation in arsenic speciation. In addition, research emphasizing the percentage of inorganic arsenic and other organic arsenic species is needed to improve environmental and human health risk assessments. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:833–846. © 2024 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
Examining China's rural fire protection within the rural revitalization strategy: An in‐depth policy research
Authors: Li Yang , Du Xiaorong
Published: December 2023

Currently, rural fire protection issues in China loom large, resulting in frequent fire incidents due to an inadequate rural fire infrastructure and insufficient firefighting resources. Consequently, prompt fire suppression becomes challenging, leading to significant casualties and economic losses. To address these challenges and align with the national rural revitalization strategy, our research team dedicated 5 years to meticulously scrutinizing fire incident data in China spanning from 2012 to 2022, alongside an extensive review of international documents. We conducted on‐site investigations in rural areas across 63 cities in 11 provinces, including Anhui and Jiangsu. By analyzing fire data and field investigation results, we identified the causes and percentages of 11 types of rural fires, as well as summarized five types of rural fire hazards and six types of rural fires. Drawing from insights gleaned from the experiences of countries such as the United States, Australia, Canada, and South America, we have formulated eight policy recommendations for rural fire protection, encompassing aspects like organization, responsibility, planning, construction, operation, and maintenance, as well as public awareness. Therefore, we anticipate that this study will catalyze enhancing rural fire protection efforts in China and other developing nations.
Beneficial effect of Lactobacillus fermentum GLF‐217 on hyperlipidemia in high‐fat diet golden hamsters by regulating gut microbiota
Authors: Wang Jun , Wang Ruimin , Li Ao , Liu Aijie , Luo Pengfei , Zhan Meng , Zhou Xiaoli , Chen Lihao , Zhang Jiachao , Cai Kun , Huo Dongxue
Published: December 2023

To investigate the hypolipidemic and modulation effects of probiotics, the golden hamster of hyperlipidemia model was established and intervened with Lactobacillus fermentum GLF‐217 (GLF‐217) and lovastatin (LOV) for 6 weeks. Body weight and serum biochemical indexes were measured, and liver, colonic contents, and feces were collected after autopsy for pathological and gut microbiota analysis. The results showed that the intervention of GLF‐217 and LOV could significantly reduce serum lipid levels and liver fat accumulation in golden hamsters on a high‐fat diet, more importantly, the LOV intervention could cause damage to the liver. The LOV intervention significantly reduced the contents of short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the colonic and downregulated the abundance of SCFAs‐producing bacteria, but GLF‐217 intake increased butyric acid, thus reducing blood lipids and protected the liver. This study elucidates the possible mechanism of the hypolipidemic effect of probiotics in terms of regulating gut microbiota.
The phenotype of delirium based on a close reading of diagnostic criteria
Authors: Oldham Mark A. , Weber Miriam T.
Published: December 2023

Objective

Although delirium is well known to acute care clinicians, the features required for its diagnosis and how to understand and operationalize them remain sticking points in the field. To clarify the delirium phenotype, we present a close reading of past and current sets of delirium diagnostic criteria.

Methods

We first differentiate the delirium syndrome (i.e., features evaluated at bedside) from additional criteria required for diagnosis. Next, we align related features across diagnostic systems and examine them in context to determine intent. Where criteria are ambiguous, we review common delirium instruments to illustrate how they have been interpreted.

Results

An acute disturbance in attention is universally attested across diagnostic systems. A second core feature denotes confusion and has been included across systems as disturbance in awareness, impaired consciousness, and thought disorganization. This feature may be better understood as a disturbance in thought clarity and operationalized in terms of neuropsychological domains thereby clearly linking it to global neurocognitive disturbance. Altered level of activity describes a third core feature, including motor and sleep/wake cycle disturbances. Excluding stupor (wherein mental content cannot be assessed due to reduced arousal) from delirium, as in DSM‐5‐TR, is appropriate for a psychiatric diagnosis, but the brain injury exclusion in ICD‐11 is unjustified.

Conclusions

The delirium phenotype involves a disturbance in attention, qualitative thought clarity, and quantitative activity level, including in relation to expected sleep/wake cycles. Future diagnostic systems should include a severity threshold and specify that delirium diagnosis refers to a 24‐h period.
Quality of life and swallowing outcomes following major glossectomy: A prospective single‐center experience
Authors: Mitra Sandipta , Panda Smriti , Thakar Alok , Gautam Vimmi , Talukdar Kaustav M. , Mani Suresh , Singh Chirom Amit , Sikka Kapil , Kumar Rajeev , Das Sumit Kumar , Singh Anup
Published: December 2023

Background

There exists a lacuna in the structured reporting of swallowing dysfunction and quality of life (QoL) outcome following major glossectomy.

Methods

Prospective cohort study to assess the swallowing dysfunction and QoL following STG (subtotal glossectomy) or NTG (near total glossectomy) over a 6‐month period using FEES and PAS scale, MDADI, and FACT‐HN.

Results

Twenty‐four patients were available for analysis. The pre‐ and post‐adjuvant evaluation revealed a statistically significant improvement in the composite MDADI and FACT‐HN scores. Subscale analysis of FACT‐HN scores revealed maximum deficit in the head and neck cancer‐specific score domain followed by functional domain and social well‐being domain, with serial improvement noted in the post‐adjuvant setting.

Conclusion

This study showed serial improvement in terms of swallowing dysfunction although social and functional well‐being domains related to QoL continued to reveal major deficits. Better outcomes were seen with preservation of bilateral base of tongue and mandible.
Performance during object retrieval tasks in young children with and without Down syndrome: A pilot study
Authors: Kaur Maninderjit , Needham Amy Work
Published: December 2023

Object retrieval skills requiring means‐end exploration are an area of relative weakness in young children with Down syndrome (DS). The current pilot study examined the object retrieval skills of a small sample of young children with DS for tasks with varying level of complexity. Thirteen children with DS (31.55 ± 4.14 months) and 13 mental age‐matched typically developing (TD) children (17.31 ± 1.64 months) completed three tasks involving retrieving a toy from a transparent box (Task 1), an opaque box (Task 2) and a transparent box hidden inside an opaque box (Task 3). Both DS and TD group performed similarly for the simpler Task 1, but for Tasks 2 and 3, the DS group had a lower success rate, less frequent use of complex asymmetric hand actions and/or longer execution times compared to the TD group. Future studies should examine the developmental trends and specificity of means‐end exploratory behaviours in children with DS.
Medical grade 3D printable bioabsorbable PLDL/Mg and PLDL/Zn composites for biomedical applications
Authors: Thompson Cillian , Domínguez Guillermo , Bardisa Pilar , Liu Yuyao , Fernández‐Blázquez Juan Pedro , del Río José Sánchez , Echeverry‐Rendon Monica , González Carlos , Llorca Javier
Published: December 2023

Medical grade PLDL, PLDL/Mg and PLDL/Zn filaments were manufactured by a dual extrusion method and used to prepare coupons and scaffolds with controlled porosity by fused filament fabrication. The mechanical properties, degradation mechanisms and biological performance were carefully analyzed. It was found that the presence of 4 vol.% of Mg and Zn particles did not substantially modify the mechanical properties but accelerated the degradation rate of PLDL. Moreover, the acidification of the pH due to degradation of the PLDL was reduced in the presence of metallic particles. Finally, cell adhesion and proliferation were excellent in the medical grade PLDL as well as in the polymer/metal composites. These results demonstrate the potential of bioabsorbable metal/polymer composites to tailor the mechanical properties, degradation rate and biocompatibility for specific clinical applications.
Transglutaminase enables highly hydrolytically and proteolytically stable crosslinking of collagen on titanium surfaces and promotes osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Palkowitz Alena L. , Rüger Sascha , Ziegler Maximilian , Buhl Eva Miriam , Fischer Horst
Published: December 2023

Collagen with its bioactive ligand motives would be predestined as coating on bone implant surfaces like titanium hip stems to facilitate receptor‐mediated cell adhesion and thereby improve early osseointegration. Unfortunately, collagen as coating exhibits very low proteolytic resistance in vivo. To overcome this limitation, different crosslinking methods of collagen (transglutaminase, GTA, EDC/NHS, riboflavin, and lysyl oxidase) with silanized titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) were investigated in terms of degradation resistance, hydrolysis stability, tensile strength, and metabolic cell activity. The in vitro osteogenic differentiation ability of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) induced by the surface modification was evaluated by immunofluorescence of early osteogenic markers, Alizarin red staining, and energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. The expression of the adhesion‐related protein vinculin was analyzed on the different functionalized surfaces. The results revealed that the enzymatic crosslinker transglutaminase offered high degradation resistance, tensile strength, and hydrolysis stability compared to the other crosslinking reagents tested. Remarkably, the adhesion sequences within the collagen were accessible to the hMSCs despite the transglutaminase crosslinking procedure. In conclusion, the organochemical functionalization of Ti6Al4V surfaces with collagen using transglutaminase holds great potential to facilitate an enhanced interaction with attached bone cells and thereby could potentially improve and accelerate osseointegration of a titanium‐based bone implant in vivo.
Nasopharyngeal neutrophilic‐retention signatures could predict disease progression in early SARS‐CoV‐2 infection
Authors: Qi Furong , Cao Yingyin , Shen Yunyun , Wang Haiyan , Li Dapeng , Yang Qianting , Li Zhiyan , Zhang Zheng
Published: December 2023

The nasopharynx is the initial site of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection, and neutrophils play a critical role in preventing viral transmission into the lower airways or lungs during the early phases of infection. However, neutrophil dynamics, functional signatures, and predictive roles in the nasopharynx of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) patients have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we carried out RNA sequencing of nasopharyngeal swabs from a cohort of COVID‐19 patients with mild, moderate, severe outcomes and healthy donors as controls. Over 32.7% of the differentially expressed genes associated with COVID‐19 severity were neutrophil‐related, including those involved in migration, neutrophil extracellular traps formation, and inflammasome activation. Multicohort single‐cell RNA sequencing analysis further confirmed these findings and identified a population of neutrophils expressing Vacuolar‐type ATPase (V‐ATPase) and the chemokine receptor CXCR4 in the nasopharynx. This population of neutrophils preferentially expressed pro‐inflammatory genes relevant to phagosomal maturation as well as local reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species production in the nasopharynx of patients with severe outcomes. A four‐gene panel defined as a neutrophil signature associated with COVID‐19 progression (NSAP) was identified as an early diagnostic predictor of severe COVID‐19, which potentially distinguished severe patients from mild cases with influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, dengue virus, or hepatitis B virus infection. NSAP is mainly expressed on CXCR4high neutrophils and exhibits a significant association with the cell fraction of this neutrophil population. This study highlights novel potential therapeutic targets or diagnostic tools for predicting patients at a higher risk of severe outcomes.
The 2023 Orthopedic Research Society's international consensus meeting on musculoskeletal infection: Summary from the in vitro section
Authors: Hickok Noreen J. , Li Bingyun , Oral Ebru , Zaat Sebastian A. J. , Armbruster David A. , Atkins Gerald J. , Chen Antonia F. , Coraça‐Huber Débora C. , Dai Tianhong , Greenfield Edward M. , Kasinath Rajendra , Libera Matthew , Marques Cláudia N. H. , Moriarty T. Fintan , Scott Phillips K. , Raghuraman Kapil , Ren Dacheng , Rimondini Lia , Saeed Kordo , Schaer Thomas P. , Schwarz Edward M. , Spiegel Christopher , Stoodley Paul , Truong Vi Khanh , Tsang Shao‐Ting Jerry , Wildemann Britt , Zelmer Anja R. , Zinkernagel Annelies S.
Published: December 2023

Antimicrobial strategies for musculoskeletal infections are typically first developed with in vitro models. The In Vitro Section of the 2023 Orthopedic Research Society Musculoskeletal Infection international consensus meeting (ICM) probed our state of knowledge of in vitro systems with respect to bacteria and biofilm phenotype, standards, in vitro activity, and the ability to predict in vivo efficacy. A subset of ICM delegates performed systematic reviews on 15 questions and made recommendations and assessment of the level of evidence that were then voted on by 72 ICM delegates. Here, we report recommendations and rationale from the reviews and the results of the internet vote. Only two questions received a ≥90% consensus vote, emphasizing the disparate approaches and lack of established consensus for in vitro modeling and interpretation of results. Comments on knowledge gaps and the need for further research on these critical MSKI questions are included.
A framework for assessing the impacts of land‐use/cover change and climate change on wheat productivity under 1.5 and 2.0 °C warming at watershed scale
Authors: Sun Haowei , Wang Li
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Irrigation is used extensively to enhance grain production and ensure food security. Many studies have used crop models and global climate models to study the variation of irrigated crop yield in the context of climate change. But most considered the influence of direct climate change but neglected the influence of irrigation water availability, which is affected by land‐use/cover change (LUCC) and indirect climate change, on irrigated crop yield. This study therefore developed a framework including Patch‐generating Land Use Simulation model, Soil and Water Assessment Tool, Agricultural Production Systems sImulator Model, and global climate models for exploring the impacts of LUCC, direct climate change, and indirect climate change on wheat yield in a typical watershed.

RESULTS

Both LUCC and climate change caused increased runoff from October to May, and thus increased the irrigation water availability, by 51.6 and 30.7 mm per growing season under 1.5 and 2.0 °C warming, respectively. The combined influence of LUCC, direct, and indirect climate change increased wheat yield by about 18.5% and 15.5% in the context of 1.5 and 2.0 °C warming, respectively. The relative contribution of LUCC, indirect climate change and direct climate change to yield was 4.7%, 41.2%, and 54.1% under 1.5 °C warming, and 13.1%, 28.7%, and 58.2% under 2.0 °C warming, respectively.

CONCLUSION

We suggest that changes in irrigation water availability should be considered from a watershed perspective when simulating the influence of climate change on crop yield, especially regional crop production estimation. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Alteration of volatile profiles in heat‐sterilized cloudy muskmelon juice as affected by pectin fractions
Authors: Pan Xin , Bi Shuang , Xu Yingying , Cai Yanpei , Lao Fei , Wu Jihong
Published: December 2023

Background

Flavor is considered as a key quality attribute of fruit juice affecting consumer acceptance. During processing, the flavor loss of cloudy juice always occurs due to the variations of juice cloud particles. Pectin, a major component of cloud particles, plays an important role in cloud stability. In this work, we focused on the effects of variation of three pectin fractions caused by gentle centrifugation and clarification on the physicochemical properties, volatile content and sensory profile of heat‐sterilized muskmelon cloudy juice.

Results

Centrifugation treatment reduced the total soluble solids and viscosity of cloudy juice and increased cloud stability. With centrifugation increased, the contents of most monosaccharides in the three pectin fractions were reduced. Most aroma‐active aldehydes and alcohols, such as (2E,6Z)‐nonadienal, 1‐octen‐3‐ol and (E)‐non‐2‐enal, after gentle centrifugation and clarification, were maintained, but most esters were decreased. The volatile compositions were highly related to the three pectin fractions. The addition of chelator‐soluble pectin and sodium carbonate‐soluble pectin could decrease the formation of dimethyl trisulfide and dimethyl disulfide in clarified juice, thereby improving the sensory profile.

Conclusion

The results suggested that endogenous chelator‐soluble pectin and sodium carbonate‐soluble pectin can be used in heat‐sterilized fruit juice to improve flavor quality, with an emphasis on a significant reduction in volatile sulfur compounds. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Synergistic effects of ferulic acid esterase‐producing lactic acid bacteria, cellulase and xylanase on the fermentation characteristics, fibre and nitrogen components and microbial community structure of Broussonetia papyrifera during ensiling
Authors: Yu Qiang , Xu Jinyi , Li Mengxin , Xi Yulong , Sun Hong , Xie Yixiao , Cheng Qiming , Li Ping , Chen Chao , Yang Fuyu , Zheng Yulong
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

The high fibre content of whole plants of Broussonetia papyrifera limits its efficient utilization. Ferulic acid esterase (FAE), in combination with xylanase, can effectively cleave the lignin–carbohydrate complex, promoting the function of cellulase. However, little is known about the impact of these additives on silage. To effectively utilize natural woody plant resources, FAE‐producing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum RO395, xylanase (XY) and cellulase (CE) were used to investigate the dynamic fermentation characteristics, fibre and nitrogen components and microbial community structure during B. papyrifera ensiling.

RESULTS

Broussonetia papyrifera was either not treated (CK) or treated with FAE‐producing lactic acid bacteria (LP), CE, XY, LP + CE, LP + XY or LP + CE + XY for 3, 7, 15, 30 or 60 days, respectively. In comparison with those in the CK treatment, the L. plantarum and enzyme treatments (LP + CE, LP + XY and LP + XY + CE), especially the LP + XY + CE treatment, significantly increased the lactic acid concentration and decreased the pH and the contents of acid detergent insoluble protein and NH3‐N (P < 0.05). Enzyme addition improved the degradation efficiency of lignocellulose, and a synergistic effect was observed after enzyme treatment in combination with LP; in addition, the lowest acid detergent fibre, neutral detergent fibre, hemicellulose and cellulose contents were detected after the LP + CE + XY treatment (P < 0.05). Moreover, CE, XY and LP additions significantly improved the microbial community structure, increased the relative abundance of Lactiplantibacillus and Firmicutes, and effectively inhibited undesirable bacterial (Enterobacter) growth during ensiling.

CONCLUSION

FAE‐producing L. plantarum and the two tested enzymes exhibited synergistic effects on improving the quality of silage, which indicates that this combination can serve as an efficient method for improved B. papyrifera silage utilization. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Improvement of the viability of Tetragenococcus halophilus under acidic stress by forming the biofilm cell structure based on RNA‐Seq and iTRAQ analyses
Authors: Yao Shangjie , Tu Rongkun , Jin Yao , Zhou Rongqing , Wu Chongde , Qin Jiufu
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Tetragenococcus halophilus is a halophilic lactic acid bacterium (LAB) isolated from soya sauce moromi. During the production of these fermented foods, acid stress is an inevitable environmental stress. In our previous study, T. halophilus could form biofilms and the cells in the biofilms exhibited higher cell viability under multiple environmental stresses, including acid stress.

RESULTS

In this study, the effect of preformed T. halophilus biofilms on cell survival, cellular structure, intracellular environment, and the expression of genes and proteins under acid stress was investigated. The result showed that acid stress with pH 4.30 for 1.5 h reduced the live T. halophilus cell count and caused cellular structure damage. However, T. halophilus biofilm cells exhibited greater cell survival under acid stress than the planktonic cells, and biofilm formation reduced the damage of acid stress to the cell membrane and cell wall. The biofilm cells maintained a higher level of H+‐ATPase activity and intracellular ammonia concentration after acid stress. The RNA‐Seq and iTRAQ technologies revealed that the genes and proteins associated with ATP production, the uptake of trehalose and N‐acetylmuramic acid, the assembly of H+‐ATPase, amino acid biosynthesis and metabolism, ammonia production, fatty acid biosynthesis, CoA biosynthesis, thiamine production, and acetoin biosynthesis might be responsible for the stronger acid tolerance of T. halophilus biofilm cells together.

CONCLUSION

These findings further explained the mechanisms that allowed LAB biofilm cells to resist environmental stress. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Normalized solutions of the Schrödinger equation with potential
Authors: Zhao Xin , Zou Wenming
Published: December 2023

In this paper, for dimension and prescribed mass , we consider the following nonlinear scalar field equation with constraint:
where is a Lagrange multiplier, . In particular, satisfies mass supercritical and Sobolev subcritical growth. We prove the existence results of the normalized solution and infinitely many normalized solutions to the above system under some proper assumptions on the functions by the mountain pass argument.
How to Use the New European Academy of Neurology/Movement Disorder Society European Section Guideline for Invasive Therapies in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Brinker Dana , Smilowska Katarzyna , Paschen Steffen , Antonini Angelo , Moro Elena , Deuschl Günther
Published: December 2023

Background

The decision to choose invasive treatments for Parkinson's disease (PD) is complex and needs careful consideration.

Objectives

Although the recommendations of the European Academy of Neurology/Movement Disorder Society European Section guideline for invasive therapies of PD are useful, the different clinical profiles of people with PD who seek advice for possible invasive therapy need further attention.

Methods and Results

Here we describe 8 clinical standard situations of people with PD unsatisfied with their current oral treatment where invasive therapies may be considered. These are PD patients presenting with the following symptoms: (1) severe motor fluctuations, (2) beginning of levodopa‐responsive fluctuations, severe tremor at (3) young or (4) advanced age, (5) impulse control disorders and related behavioral disorders, (6) hallucinations and psychosis, (7) minimal cognitive impairment or mild dementia, and (8) patients in need of palliative care. For some of these conditions, evidence at lower level or simple clinical considerations exist.

Conclusions

There are no one‐fits‐all answers, but physician and patient should discuss each option carefully considering symptom profile, psychosocial context, availability of therapy alternatives, and many other factors. The current paper outlines our proposed approach to these circumstances.
Gut microbiota research nexus: One Health relationship between human, animal, and environmental resistomes
Authors: Fu Yuhao , Dou Qingyuan , Smalla Kornelia , Wang Yu , Johnson Timothy A. , Brandt Kristian K. , Mei Zhi , Liao Maoyuan , Hashsham Syed A. , Schäffer Andreas , Smidt Hauke , Zhang Tong , Li Hui , Stedtfeld Robert , Sheng Hongjie , Chai Benli , Virta Marko , Jiang Xin , Wang Fang , Zhu Yong‐Guan , Tiedje James M.
Published: December 2023

The emergence and rapid spread of antimicrobial resistance is of global public health concern. The gut microbiota harboring diverse commensal and opportunistic bacteria that can acquire resistance via horizontal and vertical gene transfers is considered an important reservoir and sink of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). In this review, we describe the reservoirs of gut ARGs and their dynamics in both animals and humans, use the One Health perspective to track the transmission of ARG‐containing bacteria between humans, animals, and the environment, and assess the impact of antimicrobial resistance on human health and socioeconomic development. The gut resistome can evolve in an environment subject to various selective pressures, including antibiotic administration and environmental and lifestyle factors (e.g., diet, age, gender, and living conditions), and interventions through probiotics. Strategies to reduce the abundance of clinically relevant antibiotic‐resistant bacteria and their resistance determinants in various environmental niches are needed to ensure the mitigation of acquired antibiotic resistance. With the help of effective measures taken at the national, local, personal, and intestinal management, it will also result in preventing or minimizing the spread of infectious diseases. This review aims to improve our understanding of the correlations between intestinal microbiota and antimicrobial resistance and provide a basis for the development of management strategies to mitigate the antimicrobial resistance crisis.
Stationary distribution and near‐optimal control of a stochastic reaction–diffusion HIV model
Authors: Shi Dan , Zhang Mengqing , Zhang Qimin
Published: December 2023

Considering stochastic perturbations and spatial diffusion in both virus‐to‐cell and cell‐to‐cell transmissions, a stochastic reaction–diffusion HIV model is developed. Firstly, the existence and uniqueness of a global positive solution and stationary distribution are demonstrated. Secondly, considering the effect of drug therapy on the disease, the control strategy is introduced into the stochastic HIV model. By employing Pontryagin's stochastic maximum principle, the sufficient and necessary conditions are obtained for near‐optimal control. Finally, numerical simulations are reported to support and supplement our theoretical results.
Ancient genomes reveal the origin and kinship burial patterns of human remains during the 11th to 13th centuries in northern China
Authors: Zhang Fan , Liu Yan , Ning Chao , Zhang Jiashuo , Ma Pengcheng , Zhang Ruojing , Yun Zerong , Duan Chen , Cai Dawei , Yuan Haibing
Published: December 2023

The analysis of familial relationships among individuals co‐buried in a shared tomb is crucial for understanding burial practices and the underlying social organization of ancient human society. However, archaeological interpretation of these relationships has traditionally relied on conjecture and circumstantial evidence. The development of next‐generation sequencing technologies makes it possible to obtain genomic data from ancient individuals and thus can further estimate the genetic relatedness among these individuals in an accurate manner. In this study, we obtained the genomes of four individuals excavated from a single tomb in northern China. We found that three out of the four individuals were from a nuclear family, including the parents and their son, while the remaining female individual was genetically unrelated to the others. Our study not only shows that the burial custom was organized based on both biological relatedness and social kinship ties but also suggests the presence of likely female exogamy in ancient China. Finally, we find the genetic profile of these individuals carried a majority ancestry from the sedentary agriculturalists from the Central Plains of China and subtle ancestry that derived a gene pool associated with nomadic pastoralism, implying a long‐standing genetic continuity among ancient populations in northern China, but with genetic and cultural connections with nomadic groups during the 11th to 13th centuries.
Maximum principle for the weak solutions of the Cauchy problem for the fourth‐order hyperbolic equations
Authors: Buryachenko Kateryna
Published: December 2023

We investigate the maximum principle for the weak solutions to the Cauchy problem for the hyperbolic fourth‐order linear equations with constant complex coefficients in the plane bounded domain.
Missing the mark? Exploratory analysis of the 10‐year‐old cutoff as an independent marker of high‐risk disease in pediatric B‐ALL
Authors: George Paul E. , DeGroote Nicholas P. , Henderson Michaela , Jordan Katherine , Ziworitin‐Ogola Christiana , Castellino Sharon M. , Miller Tamara P.
Published: December 2023

This single‐center, retrospective study evaluated age as a risk factor for relapsed/refractory disease and/or death in 153 children with B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The study sample included children near the 10‐year age cutoff for high‐risk disease (6.0‐13.9 years at diagnosis) and without other high‐risk features (high white cell count, unfavorable cytogenetics). Children 10.0‐13.9 years treated per high‐risk protocols did not have inferior outcomes compared with children aged 6.0‐9.9 years initiating treatment per standard‐risk protocols. The study indicates that, in the era of cytogenetics, an age threshold of 10 years might not be an independent prognostic marker. Multicenter analyses are needed.