bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A radical change in our autism research strategy is needed: Back to prototypes
Authors: Mottron Laurent
Published: June 2021

The evolution of autism diagnosis, from its discovery to its current delineation using standardized instruments, has been paralleled by a steady increase in its prevalence and heterogeneity. In clinical settings, the diagnosis of autism is now too vague to specify the type of support required by the concerned individuals. In research, the inclusion of individuals categorically defined by over‐inclusive, polythetic criteria in autism cohorts results in a population whose heterogeneity runs contrary to the advancement of scientific progress. Investigating individuals sharing only a trivial resemblance produces a large‐scale type‐2 error (not finding differences between autistic and dominant population) rather than detecting mechanistic differences to explain their phenotypic divergences. The dimensional approach of autism proposed to cure the disease of its categorical diagnosis is plagued by the arbitrariness of the dimensions under study. Here, we argue that an emphasis on the reliability rather than specificity of diagnostic criteria and the misuse of diagnostic instruments, which ignore the recognition of a prototype, leads to confound autism with the entire range of neurodevelopmental conditions and personality variants. We propose centering research on cohorts in which individuals are selected based on their expert judged prototypicality to advance the theoretical and practical pervasive issues pertaining to autism diagnostic thresholds. Reversing the current research strategy by giving more weight to specificity than reliability should increase our ability to discover the mechanisms of autism.

Lay Summary

Scientific research into the causes of autism and its mechanisms is carried out on large cohorts of people who are less and less different from the general population. This historical trend may explain the poor harvest of results obtained. Services and intervention are provided according to a diagnosis that now encompasses extremely different individuals. Last, we accept as a biological reality the constant increase over the years in the proportion of autistic people among the general population. These drifts are made possible by the attribution of a diagnosis of autism to people who meet vague criteria, rather than to people who experienced clinicians recognize as autistic. We propose to change our research strategy by focusing on the study of the latter, fewer in number, but more representative of the “prototype” of autism. To do this, it is necessary to clearly distinguish the population on which the research is carried out from that to which we provide support. People must receive services according to their needs, and not according to the clarity of their diagnosis.
Lipase immobilization on biodegradable film with sericin
Authors: de Castro Michael da Conceição , Garcia Patrícia Salomão , Andrade Milena Martins , Grossmann Maria Victória Eiras , Simões Bruno Matheus , Samulewski Rafael Block , Baron Alessandra Machado
Published: May 2021

An ecofriendly and low‐cost film composed by cassava starch, polyvinyl alcohol, and sericin blend (CS–PVA–SS) was synthesized, characterized, and applied as a novel support for Botryosphaeria ribis EC‐01 lipase immobilization by enzyme–film–enzyme adsorption. Film revealed thickness between 230 and 309 μm and higher flexibility and malleability in comparison with film without SS. Based on p‐nitrophenyl palmitate hydrolysis reaction, the activity retention of immobilized lipase was 987%. For optimal conditions, the yield in ethyl oleate was 95% for immobilized enzyme. Maximum yield was obtained at 49°C, molar ratio oleic acid:ethanol of 1:3, 1.25 g lipase film or 50 U (1.03 ± 0.03 mg protein) and 30 h. Even after seven cycles of use, immobilized lipase showed 52% reduction in ester yield. Biodegradable and biorenewable film is a promising material as a support to immobilize lipases and application in biocatalysis.
Production and stability of pigments by Talaromyces purpurogenus LC128689 in an alternating air phase–liquid phase cultivation system
Authors: Ugwu Cosmas T. , Ogbonna Christiana N. , Ogbonna James C. , Aoyagi Hideki
Published: May 2021

Effects of carbon source, nitrogen source, and alternatingly submerging the cells and exposing to gaseous oxygen on pigment production by Talaromyces purpurogenus LC128689, as well as pH, temperature, and UV stability of the pigments were investigated. Although fructose supported higher cell growth, a mixture of glucose and glycerol resulted in higher pigment production. Out of the organic and inorganic nitrogen sources investigated, peptone gave the highest cell concentration (7.2 ± 1.1 g/L) and pigment production (p ≤ 0 .05). The cells were then immobilized in loofa sponge and cultivated under alternating liquid phase–air phase (ALAP) system whereby the cells were alternatingly submerged and exposed to gaseous oxygen. After 20 days of cultivation, the concentrations of the red, orange, and yellow pigments were 30.15 AU500 nm, 15 AU460 nm, and 6.25 AU400 nm, respectively. In comparison with submerged culture in flasks, the red and orange pigments were 100% and 50% higher (p ≤ 0.05) in ALAP system. On the other hand, the yellow pigment was 100% higher in flask cultures than in ALAP. The three pigments were stable within a pH range of 2–12, retained more than 80% of their color intensity after autoclaving at (121°C and 1.0 atm) for 15 min and exposure to UV (3 uW/cm2) for 24 h.
Stable overexpression of mutated PTEN in Chinese hamster ovary cells enhances their performance and therapeutic antibody production
Authors: Zhou Qin , Zhang Yujie , Lu Xiaoxiang , Wang Chang , Pei Xinxin , Lu Yafang , Cao Cheng , Xu Changzhi , Zhang Buchang
Published: May 2021

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells with a high viable cell density (VCD), resilience to culture stress, and the capacity to continuously express recombinant proteins are highly desirable. Phosphatase and tension homology deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) functions as a key negative regulator of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, mediating cell growth and survival. Its oncogenic mutant endows cells with an enhanced proliferation rate and resistance to death. In this study, the role of oncogenic PTEN C124S or G129E on the performance of CHO‐K1 and CHO‐IgG cells was investigated. Our results showed that CHO‐K1 cells stably expressing PTEN C124S or G129E exhibited enhanced proliferation, reduced apoptosis rate, and increased transient expression of therapeutic antibodies compared to the control cells. Moreover, the stable overexpression of PTEN C124S or G129E endowed CHO‐IgG cells with higher cell viability, VCD, and antibody titers (yield increased by approximately 0.77‐fold) in the fed‐batch culture process and enhanced their performance in response to the addition of sodium lactate. Moreover, the engineering of mutated PTEN in CHO‐IgG cells did not alter antibody quality. Collectively, our data suggest that mutated PTEN is a potential target for improving the manufacture of therapeutic antibodies.
An improved lentiviral system for efficient expression and purification of β‐defensins in mammalian cells
Authors: Ahmed Shiraz , Tao Jiang , Wang Miaochen , Zhai Yue , Liu Wenhai , Jayachandran Muthukumaran , Chu Chen , Qu Shen , Zhang Jin , Zhang Yonglian , Fei Zhaoliang
Published: May 2021

β‐Defensins are a family of conserved small cationic antimicrobial peptides with different significant biological functions. The majority of mammalian β‐defensins are expressed in epididymis, and many of them are predicted to have post‐translational modifications. However, only a few of its members have been well studied due to the limitations of expressing and purifying bioactive proteins with correct post‐translational modifications efficiently. Here we developed a novel Fc tagged lentiviral system and Fc tagged prokaryotic expression systems provided new options for β‐defensins expression and purification. The novel lentiviral system contains a secretive signal peptide, an N‐terminal IgG Fc tag, a green fluorescent protein (GFP), and a puromycin selection marker to facilitate efficient expression and fast purification of β‐defensins by protein A magnetic or agarose beads. It also enables stable and large‐scale expression of β‐defensins with regular biological activities and post‐translational modification. Purified β‐defensins such as Bin1b and a novel human β‐defensin hBD129 showed antimicrobial activity, immuno‐regulatory activity, and expected post‐translational phosphorylation, which were not found in Escherichia coli (E. coli) in expressed form. Furthermore, we successfully applied the novel system to identify mBin1b interacting proteins, explaining Bin1b in a better way. These results suggest that the novel lentiviral system is a powerful approach to produce correct post‐translational processed β‐defensins with bioactivities and is useful to identify their interacting proteins. This study has laid the foundation for future studies to characterize function and mechanism of novel β‐defensins.
Efficacy of combination therapy of steroid and methotrexate for refractory pemphigus
Authors: Kanaoka Miwa , Matsukura Setsuko , Okawa Tomoko , Nakamura Kazuko , Takahashi Kazuo , Aihara Michiko
Published: May 2021

The first line of treatment for pemphigus is systemic corticosteroids. When steroids alone do not result in remission, additional immunosuppressants are recommended. Twenty‐two patients with pemphigus vulugris were treated with steroids and other immunomodulators. However, they were refractory, and hence, methotrexate (MTX) was administered. The efficacy of MTX was assessed for 16 patients who were able to continue MTX therapy for 1 year. Steroid dose reduction was possible in 11 patients. One patient with severe infections had diabetes and was elderly. Our results suggested that MTX was useful as a steroid‐sparing agent in treating recalcitrant pemphigus, when an initial immunosuppressant treatment had failed. However, adverse effects should be closely monitored.
Influences of adversity across the lifespan on respiratory sinus arrhythmia during pregnancy
Authors: Kaliush Parisa R. , Terrell Sarah , Vlisides‐Henry Robert D. , Lin Betty , Neff Dylan , Shakiba Nila , Conradt Elisabeth , Crowell Sheila E.
Published: May 2021

There is limited understanding of factors across the lifespan that influence pregnant women's respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), which could have implications for their health and offspring development. We examined associations among 162 English‐ and Spanish‐speaking pregnant women's childhood maltreatment history, emotion dysregulation, recent life stress, and resting RSA during the third trimester. Moderated mediation analyses indicated that more severe childhood maltreatment history (95% confidence interval (CI) [0.26, 0.63]) and higher emotion dysregulation (95% CI [0.001, 0.006]) predicted more stress during pregnancy, and childhood maltreatment history interacted with emotion dysregulation to predict resting RSA (95% CI [−0.04, −0.0003]). Exploratory analyses revealed that women's health‐related stress during pregnancy mediated the relation between emotion dysregulation and RSA regardless of childhood maltreatment severity (95% CI [−0.007, −0.002]). These findings suggest that women's resting RSA during pregnancy may reflect physical and emotional stress accumulation across the lifespan and that relations between early life adversity and prenatal psychophysiology may be buffered by protective factors, such as emotion regulation. In addition, these findings underscore the importance of distinguishing between types of prenatal stress. Given the implications for women's health and offspring development, we urge researchers to continue exploring factors associated with pregnant women's psychophysiology.
Pubertal transition with current life stress and support alters longitudinal diurnal cortisol patterns in adolescents exposed to early life adversity
Authors: Reid Brie M. , DePasquale Carrie E. , Donzella Bonny , Leneman Keira B. , Taylor Heather , Gunnar Megan R.
Published: May 2021

Current and early life stress (ELS) are associated with diurnal cortisol patterns, which themselves are associated with mental and physical health. The pubertal recalibration hypothesis suggests that the social environment can impact dysregulated cortisol patterns for previously ELS‐exposed youth as they transition through puberty. This study examined longitudinal change in cortisol awakening response (CAR) and diurnal slope (DS) across puberty as a function of ELS in infancy, current stress, and social support (N = 290, 7–17 years). The CAR and DS were examined thrice annually with an accelerated longitudinal design with nurse‐assessed puberty to assess associations between diurnal cortisol and pubertal recalibration with ELS and the current social environment. Exposure to ELS was associated with less steep DS but not changes in CAR, and no evidence of pubertal calibration was found. The DS became less steep for youth in later pubertal stages and as youth progressed through puberty. The CAR was steeper for youth in later pubertal stages. Across the cohort, current life stress and support were associated with changes in the DS and the CAR through the pubertal transition. The pubertal stage and the peripubertal and pubertal social environment may have important implications for adrenocortical functioning with or without exposure to ELS.
Treatment patterns and clinical outcomes among patients <65 years with a worsening heart failure event
Authors: Butler Javed , Yang Mei , Sawhney Baanie , Chakladar Sreya , Yang Lingfeng , Djatche Laurence M.
Published: May 2021

Aims

Data regarding patients with chronic heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) following a worsening HF event (WHFE) are largely driven by findings from elderly patients. Younger patients are not well studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in commercially insured chronic HFrEF patients <65 years old during 1‐year periods before and after a WHFE.

Methods and results

A retrospective claims analysis was performed using the IBM® MarketScan® Commercial Database on HFrEF patients aged <65 years during the year before and after a WHFE, defined as HF hospitalization or outpatient intravenous diuretic use. Treatment patterns, rehospitalizations, health care resource utilization, and costs were assessed. A total of 4460 HFrEF patients with WHFE were included. Guideline‐recommended HF therapy was initially underutilized, increased pre‐WHFE, and peaked 0–3 months post‐WHFE. The proportions of patients using dual and triple therapy were 31.5% and 9.8% pre‐WHFE, 41.5% and 17.4% 0–3 months post‐WHFE, and 34.6% and 13.9% 10–12 months post‐WHFE, respectively. Within 30 and 90 days after a WHFE, 12% and 23% of patients had HF‐related and 16% and 30% had all‐cause rehospitalizations, respectively. HF‐related and all‐cause hospitalizations and outpatient visits peaked 0–3 months post‐WHFE, whereas emergency department visits peaked 0–3 months pre‐WHFE.

Conclusions

Use of HF medications increased pre‐WHFE but decreased post‐WHFE, despite recurrent hospitalizations. These findings suggest that age and insurance status may not totally explain the suboptimal treatment of HFrEF patients before and after a WHFE. Reasons for these trends need further study.
Concentration‐dependent clinical and prognostic importance of high‐sensitivity cardiac troponin T in heart failure and a reduced ejection fraction and the influence of empagliflozin: the EMPEROR‐Reduced trial
Authors: Packer Milton , Januzzi James L. , Ferreira Joao Pedro , Anker Stefan D. , Butler Javed , Filippatos Gerasimos , Pocock Stuart J. , Brueckmann Martina , Jamal Waheed , Cotton Daniel , Iwata Tomoko , Zannad Faiez ,   for the EMPEROR‐Reduced Trial Committees and Investigators
Published: May 2021

Aims

Circulating troponin is an important measure of risk in patients with heart failure, but it has not been used to determine if disease severity influences the responses to drug treatments in randomized controlled trials.

Methods and results

In the EMPEROR‐Reduced trial, patients with class II–IV heart failure and a reduced ejection fraction were randomly assigned to placebo or empagliflozin 10 mg daily and followed for the occurrence of serious heart failure and renal events. High‐sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs‐cTnT) was measured in 3636 patients (>97%) at baseline, and patients were divided into four groups based on the degree of troponin elevation. With increasing concentrations of hs‐cTnT, patients were progressively more likely to have diabetes and atrial fibrillation, to have New York Heart Association class III–IV symptoms and been hospitalized for heart failure within the prior year, and to have elevated levels of natriuretic peptides and worse renal function (P‐trend < 0.0001 for all comparisons), but importantly, the troponin groups did not differ with respect to ejection fraction. A linear relationship was observed between the logarithm of hs‐cTnT and the combined risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure (P = 0.0015). When treated with placebo, patients with the highest levels of hs‐cTnT had risks of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure that were 3–5 fold greater than those with values in the normal range. Patients with higher levels of hs‐cTnT were also more likely to experience worsening of renal function and serious adverse renal events and showed the least improvement in health status (as measured by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire). When compared with placebo, empagliflozin reduced the combined risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure, regardless of the baseline level of hs‐cTnT, whether the effects of treatment were analysed as hazard ratios or absolute risk reductions.

Conclusions

Elevations in hs‐cTnT reflect the clinical severity, stability and prognosis of patients with heart failure and a reduced ejection fraction, with biomarkers, comorbidities, clinical course and risks that are proportional to the magnitude of hs‐cTnT elevation. Empagliflozin exerted favourable effects on heart failure and renal outcomes, regardless of the baseline concentration of hs‐cTnT.
Conjunctive use of green and blue water resources in agriculture: Methodology and application for supplemental irrigation*
Authors: Hessari Behzad , Oweis Theib
Published: June 2021

Supplemental irrigation (SI) ensures an efficient conjunctive use of green and blue water resources in dryland cropping by alleviating the negative impacts of precipitation shortages and drought spells on plant growth and production. The management of SI at the field level is well documented but little is known about planning at basin scale. This work uses a geographic information system‐based modelling approach together with suitability criteria to identify potential areas for expanding SI at scale. A spatial water allocation algorithm is developed to model SI water allocation using data layers consisting of climate surfaces, classified land‐use maps, and a digital elevation model. Areas are prioritized stepwise, according to land suitability, until the available water is fully utilized.

The analysis was applied in a watershed in western Iran. The analysis revealed that, with SI, available water resources in the winter season can supplementally irrigate a new land area of about 2,900 ha, about twice the area conventionally irrigated in the dry season. However, adopting a deficit SI strategy allows irrigation of additional 3,220 ha, more than double of the current water allocation efficiency. The approach can be applied in any rainfed area with available water without major modifications, but further analysis is needed to evaluate its economics at scale.
Challenges in scale‐up of electrochemical CO2 reduction to formate integrated with product extraction using electrodialysis
Authors: Kaur Amandeep , Kim Bongkyu , Dinsdale Richard , Guwy Alan , Yu Eileen , Premier Giuliano
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND

The concept of carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion to formate has attracted increasing interest in recent years and various small‐scale studies are present in the literature. However, upscaling of electrochemical CO2 reduction comes with many challenges and there are very few reports available on it. In this study, we present a scalable three‐chamber reactor system for electrochemical CO2 reduction to formate, a precursor suitable for the production of fuels, pharmaceuticals and fertilizers and its extraction as pure formic acid by electrodialysis.

RESULTS

The reactor produced 11.7 g L–1 formic acid in 6 h, i.e. 1.95 g L–1 h–1 at −1.8 V applied potential, 5 mol L–1 KOH as an electrolyte, GDE (gas diffusion electrode) cathode with SnO2 catalyst and Nafion™ 200 membrane. The maximum Faradaic efficiency achieved was 38%. In addition, recovery of the formate is equally important as its production for use as feedstock to form chemicals. We therefore also investigated the extraction of formic acid through conventional electrodialysis (CED) and bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED). The formic acid was extracted with 88% recovery using CED and 46% with BMED. Furthermore, BMED resulted in recovery of >95% K+ as base and 12 L pure CO2 for possible recycling to the electrochemical cell.

CONCLUSION

We consider this study to provide essential empirical evidence on factors influencing the scale‐up and subsequent performance of a liquid electrolyte‐based electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) system to formate and its extraction at scale. However, optimized systems and operating strategies still need further investigation, and constituent materials, particularly in terms of membranes and cathode catalyst, need to be developed. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Synthesis, characterization, and biological activities of some novel thienylpyrido[3′,2′:4,5]thieno[3,2‐d]pyrimidines and related heterocycles
Authors: Abuelhassan Suzan , Bakhite Etify A.‐G. , Abdel‐Rahman Abdu E. , El‐Mahdy Ahmed F. M.
Published: May 2021

3‐Cyano‐5‐ethoxycarbonyl‐6‐methyl‐4‐(2′‐thienyl)‐pyridine‐2(1H)‐thione (1) is synthesized and reacted with chloroacetamide or chloroacetonitrile to give 3‐amino‐5‐ethoxycarbonyl‐6‐methyl‐4(2′‐thienyl)‐thieno[2,3‐b]pyridine‐2‐carboxamide 3a or its 2‐carbonitrile analog 3b, respectively. Cyclocondensation of 3a with triethylorthoformate produced the corresponding pyridothienopyrimidineone 4, which on heating with phosphorus oxychloride gave 4‐chloropyrimidine derivative 5. Compound 5 was used as key intermediate for synthesizing compounds 6, 9, 10, 11, and 12 upon treatment with some nucleophilic reagents such as thiourea, 5‐phenyl‐s‐triazole‐3(1H)‐thione, piperidine, morpholine, or hydrazine hydrate, respectively. Reaction of pyridothienopyrimidinethione 6 with N‐(4‐tolyl)‐2‐chloroacetamide or ethyl bromoacetate afforded the corresponding S‐substituted methylsulfanylpyrimidines 7 or 8. The condensation of 3b with triethylorthoformate gave azomethine derivative 13, which was reacted with hydrazine hydrate to give ethyl 3‐amino‐3,4‐dihydro‐4‐imino‐7‐methyl‐9‐(2′‐thienyl)pyrido[3′,2′:4,5]thieno[3,2‐d]pyrimidine‐8‐carboxylate (14). Compounds 12 and 14 were used as precursors for synthesizing other new thienylpyridothienopyrimidines as well as isomeric thienyl‐s‐triazolopyridothieno‐ pyrimidines. All synthesized compounds were characterized by elemental and spectral analyses such as IR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR. In addition, majority of synthesized compounds were tested for their antifungal activity against five strains of fungi. Moreover, compounds 3a, 5, 6, 8, and 22 were screened for their anticancer activity against HEPG‐2 and MCF‐7 cell lines.
Synthesis of novel benzo naphtho naphthyridines from 2,4‐dicloroquinolines
Authors: Kolandaivel Prabha , Rajendran Satheeshkumar , Karnam Jayarampillai Rajendra Prasad
Published: May 2021

A schematic study on the condensation of 2,4‐dichloroquinolines (1) with 1‐naphthyamine (2) in the presence of CuI as a catalyst to functionalized mono (3) and di (4) substituted naphthylamino quinolines was described. Consequently, these mono‐ and di‐substituted amines on polyphosphoric acid‐catalyzed cyclization reaction with p‐toluic acid and acetic acid to yield the linear benzo[b]naphtho[2,1‐g][1,8]naphthyridines (5) and angular benzo[b]naphtho[2,1‐h] naphthyridines (6) in good yields. In addition to descried the similar synthesis of benzo[g]naphtho [2,1‐b][1,8]naphthyridines (12) and benzo[h]naphtho[2,1‐g][1,8]naphthyridines (13) from 2,4‐dichlorobenzo[h]quinoline (8) with various anilines (9) through my intermediates (10 and 11).
3‐Aminothieno[2,3‐b]pyridine‐2‐carboxylate: Effective precursor for microwave‐assisted three components synthesis of new pyrido[3′,2′:4,5]thieno[3,2‐d]pyrimidin‐4(3H)‐one hybrids
Authors: Mohamed Teleb Mohamed A. , Mekky Ahmed E. M. , Sanad Sherif M. H.
Published: May 2021

In this study, ethyl 3‐aminothieno[2,3‐b]pyridine‐2‐carboxylate was taken as a versatile precursor for the one‐pot three‐component synthesis of related fused pyrimidine hybrids. The tandem protocol involved the reaction of 3‐aminothieno[2,3‐b]pyridine, dimethylformamide‐dimethylacetal, and amines. The reaction afforded a new series of the target pyrimidine hybrids, linked to different arene units, in good to excellent yields. The prior reaction was evaluated in different solvents under traditional heating or microwave irradiation. Moreover, the influence of reaction temperature was also examined. The optimal conditions were obtained under microwave irradiation in dioxane at 110°C for 40 to 60 min. Additionally, by repeating the previous tandem reaction using the appropriate amines at reaction times of 20 to 60 min, a new series of pyrimidine hybrids linked to alkyl, arylthiazole, and benzo[d]thiazole units has been prepared in good to excellent yields. Furthermore, the utility of bis(amines) was examined to conduct the synthesis of new bis(pyrimidine) hybrids linked to aliphatic cores, in excellent yields, using the same protocol at 30 min reaction time.
Performance analysis of Z‐shaped gate dielectric modulated (DM) tunnel field‐effect transistor‐(TFET) based biosensor with extended horizontal N+ pocket
Authors: Reddy N. Nagendra , Panda Deepak Kumar
Published: May 2021

In this paper, a Z‐shaped gate dielectric modulated (DM) tunnel field‐effect transistor‐(TFET) based biosensor with extended horizontal n+ pocket in the source region is proposed and different performances were investigated. Effective structural modification has been done by considering the filed induced quantum confinements effects to enhance the various performances of the device in terms of ON current (Ion) and threshold voltage. The horizontal pocket beneath the source region of the ZHP‐DM‐TFET biosensor enables the vertical tunneling besides the lateral tunneling which leads to enhancement of device performance in terms of short channel effects, low OFF the current. A comparative study is also carried with existing biosensors and it is observed that the ZHP‐DM‐TFET biosensor shows superiority over the other biosensors due to its irregular arrangement of the gate and the horizontal n+ pocket provides. The sensitivity analysis of the device was further investigated by varying the dielectric constant of the biomolecules inside the nanocavity for the value from K = 1 to K = 10. The ZHP‐DM‐TFET biosensor shows a significant improvement in threshold voltage sensitivity 20% (k = 2), 35%(K = 4) and a 102 improvement in Ion/Ioff ratio. The impact of the thickness of the n+ pocket (pocket) over the sensitivity of the biosensor is also investigated.
Exploring the eudaimonic game experience through purchasing functional and nonfunctional items in MMORPGs
Authors: Wang Weisha , Hang Haiming
Published: June 2021

The consumption of virtual items and other forms of in‐game content is rapidly increasing in the Massively Multiple Player Online Role‐Playing Games market. While psychological need satisfaction obtained through purchasing virtual items to achieve hedonic game experience remains at the center of the debate, most of these studies neglect the eudaimonic game experience and do not differentiate between the psychological experiences from functional items and nonfunctional items. Our research employs the eudaimonic game experience perspective to explore the psychological need satisfaction individuals achieve through purchasing functional and nonfunctional items. From interviews with 25 players, a novel finding is that, while competence, autonomy, relatedness, and purpose in life contribute to one's eudaimonic game experience, each psychological need has its own unique dimensions for different virtual product types. Competence and purpose in life are needs driven by two factors: inner‐directed consumption intention, emphasizing aspiration for authenticity and personal growth; and other‐directed consumption intention, focusing on motivations that elicit, for example, positive responses from others and receiving social awards. Such results are only apparent for functional items but not for nonfunctional items. In contrast, autonomy and relatedness are needs explained by one's inner‐directed consumption intention, across both product types.
Sub‐ppm sulfur dioxide detection using MoS2 modified multi‐wall carbon nanotubes at room temperature
Authors: Jha Ravindra Kumar , Nanda Aman , Bhat Navakanta
Published: May 2021

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is highly toxic to environment and has an adverse effect on a living being. In this report, a chemiresistive SO2 gas sensor based on carboxylic‐acid functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes/molybdenum disulfide nanocomposite sensing film is reported. The receptor film was characterized with various morphological, microstructural, and compositional tools such as transmission electron microscope, X‐ray diffraction, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. The systematic investigation of gas sensing with this film suggests its selectivity towards SO2 gas with an absolute response of 0.22‐1.81% in the concentration range of 500ppb–3 ppm. The room temperature operation of the device at a low biasing voltage (i.e., 100 mV) makes the device energy efficient. Response and recovery time of the device were found to be of the order of tens of seconds without applying any external stimuli. A plausible sensing mechanism is proposed based on active sites present in the nanocomposite is also proposed.
Experiences of quality of life in people with Multiple Sclerosis who are in a wheelchair
Authors: Løkkeberg Stine Torp , Thoresen Gunnar
Published: May 2021

Aim

The study includes health‐related quality of life for people in Norway with multiple sclerosis who live at home and are in a wheelchair (N = 6). The purpose is to show how they experience living with a chronic disease such as MS and how they perceive their own situation. How they value their own health and what leads to positive consequences is central to this study.

Design

The study has a qualitative design to show what health‐related experiences they had while living with MS.

Method

The interviews were conducted in their home and later transcribed. An interview guide with open‐ended questions was used. The transcribed material was analysed with a thematic analysis.

Results

Key themes were being free and independent, threat to the self and one's identity, and adaptation to MS. Free and independent in everyday life was essential for all the informants. Being dependent on others for basic needs was something they sought to avoid. Adapting to the new situation of changing roles was a challenge that required a lot of them.
Data‐driven personalization of a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model for caffeine: A systematic assessment
Authors: Fendt Rebekka , Hofmann Ute , Schneider Annika R. P. , Schaeffeler Elke , Burghaus Rolf , Yilmaz Ali , Blank Lars Mathias , Kerb Reinhold , Lippert Jörg , Schlender Jan‐Frederik , Schwab Matthias , Kuepfer Lars
Published: May 2021

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models have been proposed as a tool for more accurate individual pharmacokinetic (PK) predictions and model‐informed precision dosing, but their application in clinical practice is still rare. This study systematically assesses the benefit of using individual patient information to improve PK predictions. A PBPK model of caffeine was stepwise personalized by using individual data on (1) demography, (2) physiology, and (3) cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A2 phenotype of 48 healthy volunteers participating in a single‐dose clinical study. Model performance was benchmarked against a caffeine base model simulated with parameters of an average individual. In the first step, virtual twins were generated based on the study subjects' demography (height, weight, age, sex), which implicated the rescaling of average organ volumes and blood flows. The accuracy of PK simulations improved compared with the base model. The percentage of predictions within 0.8‐fold to 1.25‐fold of the observed values increased from 45.8% (base model) to 57.8% (Step 1). However, setting physiological parameters (liver blood flow determined by magnetic resonance imaging, glomerular filtration rate, hematocrit) to measured values in the second step did not further improve the simulation result (59.1% in the 1.25‐fold range). In the third step, virtual twins matching individual demography, physiology, and CYP1A2 activity considerably improved the simulation results. The percentage of data within the 1.25‐fold range was 66.15%. This case study shows that individual PK profiles can be predicted more accurately by considering individual attributes and that personalized PBPK models could be a valuable tool for model‐informed precision dosing approaches in the future.
Reinforcement of polylactic acid with bioceramics (alumina and YSZ composites) and their thermomechanical and physical properties for biomedical application
Authors: Choudhary Neha , Sharma Varun , Kumar Pradeep
Published: June 2021

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is one of the most popular Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques widely used in different fields, including the medical sector. FDM uses different thermoplastic polymers to fabricate the desired shapes. However, there is a need to enhance the mechanical properties of neat biopolymers with the help of reinforcements that can be used in medical applications. This work investigates the thermomechanical, physical, and biological properties of PLA‐based composites fabricated using FDM. PLA‐based bio‐ceramics (Al2O3 and Yttria Stabilized Zirconia [YSZ]) filaments have been used to prepare tensile, compression, and flexural specimens. Scanning electron microscopy has been performed to reveal the fracture characteristics of the composite specimens. Besides this, the feasibility of the polymer composite for biomaterial applications has also been analyzed. The results show that PLA/Al2O3 has 30.44, 55.2, and 83.73 MPa tensile, compressive, and flexural strength, respectively. The present study also shows that the reinforcement of PLA with bioceramics also led to a reduction in wear and Coefficient Of Friction (COF) at varying loads.
Erratum zu: Akzidentelle Atemkalkingestion im Rahmen eines Tauchganges
Authors: Michael Mark , Freise Noemi , Keitel Verena , Schaper Andreas , Plettenberg Christian , Dreyer Sven , Bernhard Michael
Published: June 2021

Ein Erratum zu dieser Publikation wurde veröffentlicht: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00101-021-00920-z
Care improves self-reported daily functioning of adolescents with emotional and behavioural problems
Authors: Verhage Vera , Reijneveld Sijmen. A. , Wunderink Charlotte , Grietens Hans , Almansa Josue , Jansen Danielle E. M. C.
Published: May 2021

Emotional and behavioural problems (EBP) have a negative impact on various life domains of adolescents. Receiving care for EBP may improve the functioning of adolescents with EBP, but evidence on long-term outcomes in real-life settings is lacking. We, therefore, investigated self-reported functioning in different life domains of adolescents with various EBP, and the role of care during a three-year period. We used data from the TAKECARE study, which consist of a care and community cohort. We followed adolescents aged 12 and over (n = 733) during 3 years over five assessment rounds. Using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, self-reported functioning was measured in four life domains: home life, friendships, classroom learning and leisure activities. We categorized the respondents into four groups: (1) adolescents without emotional and behavioural problems (n = 298); (2) adolescents with emotional problems (n = 192); (3) adolescents with behavioural problems (n = 80); and (4) adolescents with both emotional and behavioural problems (n = 163). The development of functioning over time was analyzed using longitudinal ordinal (probit) regression analyses. Adolescents with both emotional and behavioural problems reported poorer functioning at baseline in all domains and adolescents who received care reported poorer functioning at baseline compared to adolescents who did not receive care. Regarding the change in functioning during the 3 years, adolescents who received care showed improved functioning in all domains. We found improved functioning after care, even if the problems may not have been solved. Psychosocial care can contribute to the functioning of adolescents with EBP, which can have major effects on their future life.
CrashNet: an encoder–decoder architecture to predict crash test outcomes
Authors: Belaid Mohamed Karim , Rabus Maximilian , Krestel Ralf
Published: May 2021

Destructive car crash tests are an elaborate, time-consuming, and expensive necessity of the automotive development process. Today, finite element method (FEM) simulations are used to reduce costs by simulating car crashes computationally. We propose CrashNet, an encoder–decoder deep neural network architecture that reduces costs further and models specific outcomes of car crashes very accurately. We achieve this by formulating car crash events as time series prediction enriched with a set of scalar features. Traditional sequence-to-sequence models are usually composed of convolutional neural network (CNN) and CNN transpose layers. We propose to concatenate those with an MLP capable of learning how to inject the given scalars into the output time series. In addition, we replace the CNN transpose with 2D CNN transpose layers in order to force the model to process the hidden state of the set of scalars as one time series. The proposed CrashNet model can be trained efficiently and is able to process scalars and time series as input in order to infer the results of crash tests. CrashNet produces results faster and at a lower cost compared to destructive tests and FEM simulations. Moreover, it represents a novel approach in the car safety management domain.
Applying machine learning to optical coherence tomography images for automated tissue classification in brain metastases
Authors: Möller Jens , Bartsch Alexander , Lenz Marcel , Tischoff Iris , Krug Robin , Welp Hubert , Hofmann Martin R. , Schmieder Kirsten , Miller Dorothea
Published: May 2021

Purpose

A precise resection of the entire tumor tissue during surgery for brain metastases is essential to reduce local recurrence. Conventional intraoperative imaging techniques all have limitations in detecting tumor remnants. Therefore, there is a need for innovative new imaging methods such as optical coherence tomography (OCT). The purpose of this study is to discriminate brain metastases from healthy brain tissue in an ex vivo setting by applying texture analysis and machine learning algorithms for tissue classification to OCT images.

Methods

Tumor and healthy tissue samples were collected during resection of brain metastases. Samples were imaged using OCT. Texture features were extracted from B-scans. Then, a machine learning algorithm using principal component analysis (PCA) and support vector machines (SVM) was applied to the OCT scans for classification. As a gold standard, an experienced pathologist examined the tissue samples histologically and determined the percentage of vital tumor, necrosis and healthy tissue of each sample. A total of 14.336 B-scans from 14 tissue samples were included in the classification analysis.

Results

We were able to discriminate vital tumor from healthy brain tissue with an accuracy of 95.75%. By comparing necrotic tissue and healthy tissue, a classification accuracy of 99.10% was obtained. A generalized classification between brain metastases (vital tumor and necrosis) and healthy tissue was achieved with an accuracy of 96.83%.

Conclusions

An automated classification of brain metastases and healthy brain tissue is feasible using OCT imaging, extracted texture features and machine learning with PCA and SVM. The established approach can prospectively provide the surgeon with additional information about the tissue, thus optimizing the extent of tumor resection and minimizing the risk of local recurrences.
Allergens from Edible Insects: Cross-reactivity and Effects of Processing
Authors: De Marchi Laura , Wangorsch Andrea , Zoccatelli Gianni
Published: May 2021

Purpose of Review

The recent introduction of edible insects in Western countries has raised concerns about their safety in terms of allergenic reactions. The characterization of insect allergens, the sensitization and cross-reactivity mechanisms, and the effects of food processing represent crucial information for risk assessment.

Recent Findings

Allergic reactions to different insects and cross-reactivity with crustacean and inhalant allergens have been described, with the identification of new IgE-binding proteins besides well-known pan-allergens. Depending on the route of sensitization, different potential allergens seem to be involved. Food processing may affect the solubility and the immunoreactivity of insect allergens, with results depending on species and type of proteins. Chemical/enzymatic hydrolysis, in some cases, abolishes immunoreactivity.

More studies based on subjects with a confirmed insect allergy are necessary to identify major and minor allergens and the role of the route of sensitization. The effects of processing need to be further investigated to assess the risk associated with the ingestion of insect-containing food products.
A review on Deep Learning approaches for low-dose Computed Tomography restoration
Authors: Kulathilake K. A. Saneera Hemantha , Abdullah Nor Aniza , Sabri Aznul Qalid Md , Lai Khin Wee
Published: May 2021

Computed Tomography (CT) is a widely use medical image modality in clinical medicine, because it produces excellent visualizations of fine structural details of the human body. In clinical procedures, it is desirable to acquire CT scans by minimizing the X-ray flux to prevent patients from being exposed to high radiation. However, these Low-Dose CT (LDCT) scanning protocols compromise the signal-to-noise ratio of the CT images because of noise and artifacts over the image space. Thus, various restoration methods have been published over the past 3 decades to produce high-quality CT images from these LDCT images. More recently, as opposed to conventional LDCT restoration methods, Deep Learning (DL)-based LDCT restoration approaches have been rather common due to their characteristics of being data-driven, high-performance, and fast execution. Thus, this study aims to elaborate on the role of DL techniques in LDCT restoration and critically review the applications of DL-based approaches for LDCT restoration. To achieve this aim, different aspects of DL-based LDCT restoration applications were analyzed. These include DL architectures, performance gains, functional requirements, and the diversity of objective functions. The outcome of the study highlights the existing limitations and future directions for DL-based LDCT restoration. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no previous reviews, which specifically address this topic.
The Influence of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga on Sleep Quality in Indian Adults: An Open Trial Pilot Study
Authors: Kanchibhotla Divya , Parekh Sheel Galada , Harsora Prateek , Kulkarni Shashank
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) is an advanced yogic breathing technique with a demonstrated impact on human physical and mental health. Even so, very few studies have observed its effect on sleep. This is the first study evaluating the impact of SKY as an intervention on sleep quality among Indian population. This study assessed both the immediate and prolonged effect of SKY on sleep quality. The secondary objective of the study was to evaluate the association between frequency of SKY practice and sleep quality.

Methods

This was a single arm open-trial study, which included 473 participants. All participants underwent a 3-day SKY workshop offered by the Art of Living, and were assessed for sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire, administered to the participants before the program (pre-intervention), immediately after the program (post-intervention), and at Day 40 (D40) after the program. Responses were grouped according to age, gender, and frequency of practice. The impact of the frequency of SKY practice on sleep quality was also investigated.

Results

The quality of sleep improved with SKY practice across the study population. Women recorded inferior quality of sleep at the beginning of the study, but experienced a greater improvement in sleep quality after the SKY practice, as compared to men. The younger population seemed to benefit over the long-term, while the older population had an immediate improvement in sleep quality, however, they were not able to sustain it. The effect size varied with the frequency of practice. Sleep quality improved markedly among those who practiced SKY daily, indicating an association between the frequency of SKY practice and its efficiency in improving sleep quality.

Conclusion

The results demonstrate the efficacy of SKY in improving sleep quality across populations, irrespective of gender or age. This is indicative of the beneficial role of SKY in treating psychological disorders such as insomnia. The effect varies with the frequency of practice, with more frequent practice yielding better quality of sleep.