bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trophic structure of a pond community dominated by an invasive alien species: Insights from stomach content and stable isotope analyses
Authors: Bissattini Alessandra Maria , Haubrock Phillip J. , Buono Vincenzo , Balzani Paride , Borgianni Nicolò , Stellati Luca , Inghilesi Alberto Francesco , Tancioni Lorenzo , Martinoli Marco , Tricarico Elena , Vignoli Leonardo
Published: February 2021

Invaders affect native species across multiple trophic levels, influencing the structure and stability of freshwater communities. Based on the ‘trophic position hypothesis’, invaders at the top of the food web are more harmful to native species via direct and indirect effects than trophically analogous native predators are.

However, introduced and native predators can coexist, especially when non‐native species have no ecological and behavioural similarities with natives, occupy an empty niche, or natives show generalist anti‐predator strategies that are effective at the community level.

At present, conservation efforts are focused on eradicating invaders; however, their removal may lead to unwanted and unexpected outcomes, especially when invaders are well established and strongly interspersed with natives. This highlights the need to consider invaders in a whole‐ecosystem context and to consider the evolutionary history and behavioural ecology of natives and invaders before active management is applied.

Here, stomach content and stable isotope analyses were combined to investigate a pond system dominated by invaders in order to understand the effects of the interactions among upper level predators and lower level members of the food web on the whole community structure.

Both diet and isotope analyses showed that several invaders contributed to the diet of natives and invaders. A significant isotope overlap was found among upper level predators. However, stomach content analysis suggested that predators reduced the potential competition differentiating the food spectrum by including additional prey in their diet. Both native and non‐native upper level predators, by preying on invaders, seem not to exert a strong suppressive effect through predation and competition on native species.

This research confirms the importance of studying food webs to identify ecological conditions that forecast the potential for deleterious impacts before management is applied. In cases where invaders cannot be eradicated, management efforts should follow a conciliatory approach promoting the coexistence of native species with invaders.
Ontogenetic changes of hindlimb muscle mass in Cabot's tragopan (Galliformes, Phasianidae) and their functional implications
Authors: Wang Lin , Wei Xinsen , Liang Xinxin , Zhang Zihui
Published: February 2021

Cabot's tragopan (Tragopan caboti) is a vulnerable species, endemic to south‐east China. It usually nests in trees and is more arboreal than other pheasants, but the myological features related to its arboreal habits are not well known. In the present study, 10 carcasses of this pheasant including hatchling chicks, juveniles, and adults, were dissected to obtain measurements of leg muscle mass, which is an important determinant of force‐generation capacity. The results showed that isometry prevailed for growth in muscle mass. Scaling patterns of individual muscles were presumed to correlate with the more arboreal habits of the species. Comparison of muscle mass distribution across age groups demonstrated a distal to proximal gradient in muscle development. A higher percentage of hip and thigh muscles in the adult should be favorable for the birds to maintain an upright standing posture, and to increase speed by means of additional use of femoral retraction. Knee extensors were found to be the most massive among eight functional groups, suggesting that they have a very important role during terrestrial movement. Greater relative mass of digital flexors in hatchling chicks is correlated with breeding ecology, further revealing the importance of grasping ability in the early stages of postnatal development.
Chiral Interlocked Corrole Dimers Directly Linked at Inner Carbon Atoms of Confused Pyrrole Rings
Authors: Kumar Maurya Yogesh , Wei Pingchun , Shimada Takahide , Yamasumi Kazuhisa , Mori Shigeki , Furukawa Ko , Kusaba Hajime , Ishihara Tatsumi , Xie Yongshu , Ishida Masatoshi , Furuta Hiroyuki
Published: February 2021

A facile synthetic strategy towards conformationally stable chiral chromophores based on dimeric porphyrinoids has been established. A peculiar class of face‐to‐face intramolecularly interlocked corrole dimers were formed by the oxidative C−C coupling linked at the inner carbon sites upon simple treatment of copper(II) ions. Their intrinsic electronic structures were modulated by the peripheral corrole ring annulations, which lead to distinct optical properties and redox profiles. The stereogenic carbon centers implemented in the confused corrole skeleton provided a rationale for designing novel chiral materials.
Unit vector control of an unbalanced three‐axis gimbal for application to inertially stabilized platforms
Authors: Battistel Andrei , Oliveira Tiago Roux
Published: February 2021

Camera stabilization systems are employed in several types of mobile robots. The objective is to maintain the attitude of the camera constant despite the movements of the host vehicle. This paper deals with the problem of stabilizing a platform using a three‐degree‐of‐freedom gimbal as mechanical actuator. Mechanical unbalances are considered and a multivariable version of the unit vector control (UVC) is employed. The algorithm employs a newly proposed differentiator based on higher order sliding modes that is global and exact. This differentiator can also be used for monitoring and estimation purposes in mechatronic systems. Simulation results are presented using data acquired from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in autonomous flight.
Examining factors related to the age of diagnosis of children with autism spectrum disorder from immigrant and non‐immigrant backgrounds in a diverse clinical sample
Authors: Vanegas Sandra B.
Published: February 2021

A timely diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is important for children as that may help inform the best services and supports needed for optimal outcomes. However, disparities in the identification of ASD have been consistently documented for racial/ethnic minority and immigrant populations. The majority of studies of immigrant populations have focused on the qualitative experience of ASD, however, greater knowledge about the predictors of the age of initial ASD diagnosis is needed. This study examined the child, maternal, and family‐level factors that predicted the age of initial ASD diagnosis in a diverse clinical sample through a retrospective medical record review. Medical records of clinical evaluations conducted between 2004 and 2014 were reviewed for children with ASD born to immigrant and non‐immigrant mothers. Regression analyses found that for both groups of children with ASD, using verbal language to communicate and having another diagnosis (attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder or another condition) predicted an older age of initial ASD diagnosis. For children with ASD born to immigrant mothers, residing in a multilingual household was associated with a younger age of diagnosis. These results highlight the complexities of an ASD diagnosis among diverse children and families, particularly among immigrant communities.

Lay Summary

This research looked at predictors of when children received their first autism spectrum disorder diagnosis across children born to immigrant mothers and children born to U.S.‐born mothers. Living in a multilingual home was related to a younger age of diagnosis for children of immigrant mothers; being verbal and having another diagnosis was related to an older age of diagnosis for both groups of children. This highlights the need to improve diagnostic services for diverse children.
Missing data: A statistical framework for practice
Authors: Carpenter James R. , Smuk Melanie
Published: February 2021

Missing data are ubiquitous in medical research, yet there is still uncertainty over when restricting to the complete records is likely to be acceptable, when more complex methods (e.g. maximum likelihood, multiple imputation and Bayesian methods) should be used, how they relate to each other and the role of sensitivity analysis. This article seeks to address both applied practitioners and researchers interested in a more formal explanation of some of the results. For practitioners, the framework, illustrative examples and code should equip them with a practical approach to address the issues raised by missing data (particularly using multiple imputation), alongside an overview of how the various approaches in the literature relate. In particular, we describe how multiple imputation can be readily used for sensitivity analyses, which are still infrequently performed. For those interested in more formal derivations, we give outline arguments for key results, use simple examples to show how methods relate, and references for full details. The ideas are illustrated with a cohort study, a multi‐centre case control study and a randomised clinical trial.
Analyzing companies' interactions with the Sustainable Development Goals through network analysis: Four corporate sustainability imperatives
Authors: van Zanten Jan Anton , van Tulder Rob
Published: February 2021

The alignment between corporate strategies and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be an indicator of long‐term sustainability success. But which types of companies are most, and which are least, aligned with the SDGs? This paper scores how 67 economic activities—as a proxy for companies' operations and the goods or services they deliver—interact with 59 SDG targets. It then uses network analysis to define which activities are most and least aligned with the SDG Agenda. The results reveal four types of corporate activities, each having a strategic sustainability imperative: (i) “core activities” predominantly generate positive, while having few negative, impacts on the SDGs, challenging companies to scale their contributions to further align with the SDG Agenda; (ii) “mixed activities” have moderate/high degrees of both negative/positive impacts, posing a decoupling imperative; (iii) “opposed activities” provide few benefits yet cause significant adverse impacts, implying that companies must transform in order to better align with the SDGs; and (iv) “peripheral activities” have immaterial positive and negative impacts, creating an imperative to explore innovative avenues for creating SDG contributions. Detailed network graphs are presented that map companies' interactions with the SDGs and guide the creation of corporate sustainability strategies. Policy implications include the potential for using companies' activities as a lever for adopting a “nexus approach” to the SDGs.
Discovery and validation of novel biomarkers for detection of cervical cancer
Authors: Li Zigang , Chen Jianhua , Zhao Shaobo , Li Yajun , Zhou Jie , Liang Jianghong , Tang Huifang
Published: February 2021

Aims

To investigate novel biomarker for diagnosis of cervical cancer, we analyzed the datasets in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and confirmed the candidate biomarker in patient sample.

Materials and methods

We collected major datasets of cervical cancer in GEO, and analyzed the differential expression of normal and cancer samples online with GEO2R and tested the differences, then focus on the GSE63514 to screen the target genes in different histological grades by using the R‐Bioconductor package and R‐heatmap. Then human specimens from the cervix in different histological grades were used to confirm the top 8 genes expression by immunohistochemical staining using Ki67 as a standard control.

Results

We identified genes differentially expressed in normal and cervical cancer, 274 upregulated genes and 206 downregulated genes. After intersection with GSE63514, we found the obvious tendency in different histological grades. Then we screened the top 24 genes, and confirmed the top 8 genes in human cervix tissues. Immunohistochemical (IHC) results confirmed that keratin 17 (KRT17) was not expressed in normal cervical tissues and was over‐expressed in cervical cancer. Cysteine‐rich secretory protein‐2 (CRISP2) was less expressed in high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) than in other histological grades.

Conclusion

For the good repeatability and consistency of KRT17 and CRISP2, they may be good candidate biomarkers. Combined analysis of KRT17, CRISP2 expression at both genetic and protein levels can determine different histological grades of cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Such combined analysis is capable of improving diagnostic accuracy of cervical cancer.
Long‐standing hypercalcemia in a 78‐years old woman
Authors: Kiriakopoulos Andreas , Linos Dimitrios
Published: February 2021

A 78 years‐old woman was found with worsening hypercalcemia, osteopenia and memory loss during the past 2 years. Multiple, repeated imaging studies failed to reveal the etiology of the primary hyperparathyroidism. Bilateral neck exploration revealed a 4.5 × 2.3 cm right superior parathyroid adenoma in an ectopic position.
Experimental methods in chemical engineering: High throughput catalyst testing — HTCT
Authors: Ortega Carlos , Otyuskaya Daria , Ras Erik‐Jan , Virla Luis D. , Patience Gregory S. , Dathe Hendrik
Published: February 2021

The conventional one‐at‐a‐time strategy to evaluate catalysts is inefficient and resource intensive. Even a fractional factorial design takes weeks to control for temperature, pressure, composition, and stability. Furthermore, quantifying day‐to‐day variability and data quality exacerbates the time sink. High‐throughput catalyst testing (HTCT) with as many as 64 parallel reactors reduces experimental time by two orders of magnitude and decreases the variance, as it is capable of quantifying random errors. This approach to heterogeneous catalyst development requires dosing each reactor precisely with the same flow and composition, controlling the temperature and identifying the isothermal zone, on‐line analysis of the gas‐phase, and a common back pressure regulator to maintain constant pressure. Silica capillary or microfluidic distribution chip manifolds split a common feed stream precisely (standard deviation <0.5%), thus guaranteeing reproducibility. With these systems, experimenters shift their focus from operating a single reactor to careful catalyst synthesis, sometimes delicate catalytic reactor loadings, and the handling, processing, and analysis of massive amounts of data. This review presents an overview of the main elements of HTCT, its applications, potential sources of uncertainty, and a set of best practises derived from scientific literature and research experience. A bibliometric analysis of articles Web of Science indexed from 2015–2020 grouped research into five clusters: (1) discovery, directed evolution, enzymes, and complexes; (2) electrocatalysis, reduction, adsorption, and nanoparticles; (3) hydrogen, oxidation, and stability; (4) DFT, combinatorial chemistry, and NH3; and (5) graphene and carbon.
HPV and lung cancer: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Karnosky Julia , Dietmaier Wolfgang , Knuettel Helge , Freigang Viola , Koch Myriam , Koll Franziska , Zeman Florian , Schulz Christian
Published: February 2021

Background

Lung cancer has emerged as a global public health problem and is the most common cause of cancer deaths by absolute cases globally. Besides tobacco, smoke infectious diseases such as human papillomavirus (HPV) might be involved in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. However, data are inconsistent due to differences in study design and HPV detection methods.

Aim

A systematic meta‐analysis was performed to examine the presence of HPV‐infection with lung cancer.

Methods and Results

All studies in all languages were considered for the search concepts “lung cancer” and “HPV” if data specific to HPV prevalence in lung cancer tissue were given. This included Journal articles as well as abstracts and conference reports. As detection method, only HPV PCR results from fresh frozen and paraffin‐embedded tissue were included. Five bibliographic databases and three registers of clinical trials including MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched through February 2020. A total 4298 publications were identified, and 78 publications were selected, resulting in 9385 included lung cancer patients. A meta‐analysis of 15 case‐control studies with n = 2504 patients showed a weighted overall prevalence difference of 22% (95% CI: 12%‐33%; P < .001) and a weighted overall 4.7‐fold (95% CI: 2.7‐8.4; P < .001) increase of HPV prevalence in lung cancer patients compared to controls. Overall, HPV prevalence amounted to 13.5% being highest in Asia (16.6%), followed by America (12.8%), and Europe (7.0%). A higher HPV prevalence was found in squamous cell carcinoma (17.9%) compared to adenocarcinoma (P < .01) with significant differences in geographic patterns. HPV genotypes 16 and 18 were the most prevalent high‐risk genotypes identified.

Conclusion

In conclusion, our review provides convincing evidence that HPV infection increases the risk of developing lung cancer.
Differentially private locality sensitive hashing based federated recommender system
Authors: Hu Hongsheng , Dobbie Gillian , Salcic Zoran , Liu Meng , Zhang Jianbing , Lyu Lingjuan , Zhang Xuyun
Published: February 2021

Recommender systems are important applications in big data analytics because accurate recommendation items or high‐valued suggestions can bring high profit to both commercial companies and customers. To make precise recommendations, a recommender system often needs large and fine‐grained data for training. In the current big data era, data often exists in the form of isolated islands, and it is difficult to integrate the data scattered due to privacy security concerns. Moreover, privacy laws and regulations make it harder to share data. Therefore, designing a privacy‐preserving recommender system is of paramount importance. Existing privacy‐preserving recommender system models mainly adapt cryptography approaches to achieve privacy preservation. However, cryptography approaches have heavy overhead when performing encryption and decryption operations and they lack a good level of flexibility. In this paper, we conduct privacy analysis on the existing locality sensitive hashing (LSH) approach based privacy‐preserving recommender system and show how an attacker can retrieve user's information under such a recommender system. Given such privacy risks, we propose differentially private LSH approach to build recommender system that can offer differential privacy guarantees for users. Our proposed efficient and scalable federated recommender system can make full use of multiple source data from different data owners while guaranteeing privacy preservation of users' data in contributing parties. Extensive experiments on real‐world benchmark datasets show that our approach can achieve both high time efficiency and accuracy under small privacy budgets.
Response Similarity Assessment Between Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and Adult Rheumatoid Arthritis for Biologics
Authors: Singh Renu , Ivaturi Vijay D. , Penzenstadler Justin , Liu Tao , Chen Jianmeng , Marathe Anshu , Ji Ping , Glaser Rachel , Nikolov Nikolay , Sahajwalla Chandrahas
Published: February 2021

Polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) is a pediatric chronic inflammatory arthritis, much like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults. Drug development for pJIA can potentially be expedited by using extrapolation of efficacy from adult RA; however, the lack of understanding of the response and exposure relationship between pJIA and RA to therapeutic interventions has been a major roadblock. To address this, the objective of our analysis was to conduct a systematic response and exposure comparison between pJIA and RA trials for biologic products. Data from registration RA and pJIA clinical trials (parallel or withdrawal design) for infliximab, tocilizumab, golimumab, and adalimumab were utilized. First, exposure was compared between the pJIA trials and RA pivotal trials. Subsequently, the pJIA vs. RA response similarity was assessed by comparing similar individual subcomponents of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) scores between the two populations. The exposure comparison demonstrated that at the pJIA trial dose, exposure in pediatric patients was similar to or higher than adults for all biologics evaluated except infliximab, where lower exposure was observed in pJIA patients ≤ 35 kg. Response comparison for individual subcomponents indicated that in a majority of the cases, pJIA response was similar or higher as compared with response from RA trials. Overall, this analysis suggests response similarity between pJIA and RA across the biologic products when exposures are matched between the two populations. These analyses provide support for the use of pharmacokinetic exposure‐matching for extrapolation of efficacy from adult RA to pediatric pJIA for the products with established mechanism(s) of action.
Moving From Point‐Based Analysis to Systems‐Based Modeling: Integration of Knowledge to Address Antimicrobial Resistance Against MDR Bacteria
Authors: Garcia Estefany , Ly Neang , Diep John K. , Rao Gauri G.
Published: February 2021

The emerging discipline of Quantitative Systems Pharmacology (QSP) enables the integration of quantitative experimental data describing the interactions between the various biological processes within the system using mathematical modeling to gain better insights into the factors that drive disease pathogenicity and influence antibiotic pharmacokinetics (PKs)/pharmacodynamics (PDs). Through our perspective we consider the evolution from PK/PD models to mechanism‐based and systems‐based models and then finally QSP. We further emphasize the need to invest in ambitious research that takes into consideration: (i) the antibiotic PK/PD activity, (ii) the time course of the host immune response to understand the progression of the infection, (iii) and a growing appreciation of the cellular and molecular networks using multi‐omics analysis to understand the modulation of antimicrobial therapy at a true systems level.
Oblique interaction of electrostatic nonlinear structures in relativistically degenerate dense magnetoplasmas
Authors: Hasan Usman , Masood Waqas , Jahangir Rabia , Majid Mirza Arshad
Published: February 2021

We have investigated the interaction of obliquely propagating ion acoustic solitary waves in a magnetoplasma with relativistically degenerate electrons. Using the quantum hydrodynamics model and by employing the extended Poincaré–Lighthill–Kuo technique, we have derived a set of Korteweg de Vries equations for two solitons. We have observed that the system under consideration allows the formation of only compressive solitons and their velocities remain in the sub‐acoustic limit. Furthermore, phase shifts of solitons as a result of their interaction have been calculated. The phase shifts have been observed to be dependent on the obliqueness and the physical parameters of plasma. It has also been noticed that phase shifts remain negative for the whole range of parameters generally found in white dwarf stars. We have observed that the phase shifts enhance with the enhancement in number density, however, the converse happens when the magnetic field is enhanced. It has also been observed that the phase shift is slightly greater for the solitons that are less oblique as compared to their more oblique counterparts. Furthermore, we have estimated the spatial scales of interaction of solitons using the parameters found in white dwarf stars.
Electrochemical profiling and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry characterization of synthetic cathinones: From methodology to detection in forensic samples
Authors: Schram Jonas , Parrilla Marc , Sleegers Nick , Van Durme Filip , van den Berg Jorrit , van Nuijs Alexander L. N. , De Wael Karolien
Published: February 2021

The emergence of new psychoactive drugs in the market demands rapid and accurate tools for the on‐site classification of illegal and legal compounds with similar structures. Herein, a novel method for the classification of synthetic cathinones (SCs) is presented based on their electrochemical profile. First, the electrochemical profile of five common SC (i.e., mephedrone, ethcathinone, methylone, butylone, and 4‐chloro‐alpha‐pyrrolidinovalerophenone) is collected to build calibration curves using square wave voltammetry on graphite screen‐printed electrodes (SPEs). Second, the elucidation of the oxidation pathways, obtained by liquid chromatography–high‐resolution mass spectrometry, allows the pairing of the oxidation products to the SC electrochemical profile, providing a selective and robust classification. Additionally, the effect of common adulterants and illicit drugs on the electrochemical profile of the SC is explored. Interestingly, a cathodic pretreatment of the SPE allows the selective detection of each SC in presence of electroactive adulterants. Finally, the electrochemical approach is validated with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry by analyzing 26 confiscated samples from seizures and illegal webshops. Overall, the electrochemical method exhibits a successful classification of SC including structural derivatives, a crucial attribute in an ever‐diversifying drug market.
Drivers of population divergence and species differentiation in a recent group of indigenous orchids (Vanilla spp.) in Madagascar
Authors: Andriamihaja Cathucia F. , Ramarosandratana Aro V. , Grisoni Michel , Jeannoda Vololoniaina H. , Besse Pascale
Published: February 2021

With over 25,000 species, orchids are among families with remarkable high rate of diversification. Since Darwin's time, major advances attributed the exceptional diversity of orchids to plant–pollinator interactions. However, unraveling the processes and factors that determine the phenotypic and genotypic variation of natural orchid populations remains a challenge. Here, we assessed genetic population structure and floral differentiation in recently diverged leafless Vanilla species in a world biodiversity hotspot, Madagascar, using seven microsatellite loci and 26 morphometric variables. Additionally, analyses were performed to test for the occurrence of any patterns of isolation by distance, isolation by environment, and isolation by adaptation and to detect possible physical barriers that might have caused genetic discontinuities between populations. Positive inbreeding coefficients detected in 22 populations were probably due to the presence of null alleles, geitonogamy and/or some admixture (sympatric species). In contrast, the only high‐altitude population showed an important rate of clonality leading to heterozygote excess. Genetic diversity was maximum in western populations, suggesting a postglacial colonization to the north and south. Clustering analyses identified seven genetic groups characterized by specific floral traits that matched five botanical descriptions in the literature. A contribution of montane refugia and river barriers on population differentiation was detected. We also detected combined effects of IBD/IBE and IBE/IBA on genetic differentiation and suggested this pattern is more likely determined by ecological isolation, although pollinator‐mediated divergent selection could not be ruled out for some of the species. Overall, this study provides further insights on speciation in orchids, a group for which Madagascar shows one of the world's highest level of endemism and confirms the importance of the peculiar biogeography of the island in shaping species differentiation.
A Stretchable Ionic Conductive Elastomer for High‐Areal‐Capacity Lithium‐Metal Batteries
Authors: Li Kejia , Zhu Zhenglu , Zhao Ruirui , Du Haoran , Qi Xiaoqun , Xu Xiaobin , Qie Long
Published: February 2021

Developing high‐areal‐capacity and dendrite‐free lithium (Li) anodes is of significant importance for the practical applications of the Li‐metal secondary batteries. Herein, an effective strategy to stabilize the high‐areal‐capacity Li electrodeposition by modifying the Li metal with a stretchable ionic conductive elastomer (ICE) is demonstrated. The ICE layer prepared via an instant photocuring process shows a promising Li+‐ion conductivity at room temperature. When being used in Li‐metal batteries, the thin ICE coating (~0.27 μm) acts as both a stretchable constraint to minimize the Li loss and a protective layer to facilitate the uniform flux of Li ions. With this ICE‐modifying strategy, the reversibility and cyclability of the Li anodes under high‐areal‐capacity condition in carbonate electrolyte are significantly improved, leading to a stable Li stripping/plating for 500 h at an ultrahigh areal capacity of 20 mAh cm−2 in commercial carbonate electrolyte. When coupled with industry‐level thick LiFePO4 electrodes (20.0 mg cm−2), the cells with ICE‐Li anodes show significantly enhanced rate and cycling capability.
Photo‐assisted Rechargeable Metal Batteries for Energy Conversion and Storage
Authors: Yan Nanfu , Gao Xueping
Published: February 2021

Solar cells hold a function of photovoltaic conversion, while rechargeable metal batteries have an advantage of high energy storage. The conventional charge mode of batteries is made based on complete utilization of electric energy. The combination of solar cells and rechargeable metal batteries brings a new opportunity for the development of photo‐assisted rechargeable batteries, in which the solar energy can be utilized to partially achieve photo‐charging with or without external electrical bias. This review highlights the working mechanism and structure design of photo‐assisted rechargeable metal batteries according to the characteristics of rechargeable metal batteries and advantage of the photovoltaic technology. In particular, the recent advances are introduced for photo‐assisted rechargeable batteries based on light‐weight metal anodes, including metal lithium, metal sodium, and metal zinc. The working features of the integrated devices are also discussed for energy saving under photo‐assisted charging mode. Finally, a future outlook is provided for further improving the performance of photo‐assisted rechargeable metal batteries.
COVID‐19: Learning from the HIV/AIDS pandemic response in Africa
Authors: Olufadewa Isaac , Oduguwa Ifeoluwa , Adesina Miracle , Ibiang Koton , Eke Nnenne , Adewumi Blessing , Ebong Inimfon , Abudu Funmilayo , Adeyelu Nancy
Published: February 2021

About 74.9 million persons were infected during the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome HIV/AIDS global pandemic with nearly half of them succumbing to the disease. In 2018 alone, Africa recorded over 400,000 AIDS‐related deaths which is more than half of the global total. This reflects years of inequality in the global pandemic response. Also, the international response to AIDS in the early years was very slow, with a global programme only developed 6 years into the pandemic. Many African countries still lack pandemic preparedness plans to handle a global pandemic. Thus, this paper highlights the important lessons that can be learnt from the response to the AIDS pandemic and recommends how they can be applied during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. Some of the important lessons include: HIV reversed the previous success recorded in health systems of developing countries; the antiretroviral drug development process was prolonged and required long term commitment; and primary healthcare was crucial in preventing and controlling the disease. These lessons can be utilised in the fight against COVID‐19 pandemic. It is recommended that: there should be solidarity among the nations of the world to fight COVID‐19; health authorities should be proactive in curbing misinformation; and interventions should prioritise human rights and focus on vulnerable communities. HIV treatment services should not be discontinued as it is still an ongoing pandemic. A balance needs to be achieved in combating both pandemics as discontinuation of HIV treatment during the coronavirus pandemic could result in more than 500,000 deaths.
Combined effect of chrysin and apigenin on inhibiting the development and progression of colorectal cancer by suppressing the activity of P38‐MAPK/AKT pathway
Authors: Zhang Xiaozhan , Zhang Wen , Chen Fei , Lu Zhaohui
Published: February 2021

Either apigenin or chrysin alone has been found to exert anti‐inflammatory and tumor suppressive effect. However, the combined effect of apigenin and chrysin on colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been fully clarified. We attempted to explore the effect of chrysin and apigenin on CRC and its related mechanism. SW480 and HCT‐116 cells were treated with either apigenin or chrysin alone or two‐drug combination at different doses of 5, 25, 50, 100 μM for optimal concentration determination. Then, we focused on the individual and combined effect of apigenin and chrysin on clonogenicity, apoptosis, metastasis‐related behaviors of CRC cells by colony formation assay, cell scratch assay, flow cytometry, and transwell assay. The changes of the activation of P38‐MAPK/AKT pathway were evaluated underlying apigenin and chrysin intervention, further after co‐treated with P38‐MAPK agonist anisomycin. Apigenin (25 μM) combined with chrysin (25 μM) were determined to be optimal. Treatment with the combination of apigenin (25 μM) and chrysin (25 μM) significantly reduced cell clone numbers, migration, and invasion ability, while increased the cell apoptosis in both CRC cell lines. The combined effect was higher than chrysin or apigenin alone. Meanwhile, p‐P38 and p‐AKT were significantly downregulated by chrysin and apigenin treatment. The tumor inhibitive effect of apigenin combined with chrysin was obviously reversed by adding P38 agonist, anisomycin. Apigenin (25 μM) combined with chrysin (25 μM) showed synergetic effect in inhibiting the growth and metastasis of CRC cells by suppressing the activity of P38‐MAPK/AKT pathway.
A case study of the iodine‐mediated cyclization of C2′‐OH‐ and C2‐OH‐chalcones toward the synthesis of flavones: Reinvestigation of the mechanisms
Authors: Tsai Hsin Yen , Huang Yu‐Tzu , Kuo Cing‐Ling , Kuo Chia‐Jou , Hu Anren , Chen Jih‐Jung , Shih Tzenge‐Lien
Published: February 2021

Synthesis of flavones from chalcones via the iodine‐mediated cyclization required at least one hydroxy group at their C2′‐positions. On the contrary, the ring oxidative cyclization from C2‐OH‐chalcones under the same condition was unusual and reported only once. We evaluated the aforementioned method and found different results. The mechanisms in detail were discussed.
The interaction of exposure to adverse childhood and combat experiences on the current mental health of new post‐9/11 veterans
Authors: Morgan Nicole R. , Aronson Keith R. , Perkins Daniel F. , Doucette Carly E. , Bleser Julia A. , Davenport Katie , Vogt Dawne , Copeland Laurel A. , Finley Erin P. , Gilman Cynthia L.
Published: February 2021

Military veterans have greater exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) than civilians and many also encounter warfare exposures, which can increase the likelihood of mental health problems. The purpose of this study was to test an interaction between childhood traumas and warfare exposures on the mental health of a sample of nearly 10,000 new post‐9/11 veterans. Results revealed that male veterans exposed to one or two ACEs, but no warfare, were more likely to experience anxiety, depression, suicidal thinking, and angry outbursts than the reference group (i.e., no ACEs and no warfare exposure). Female veterans exposed to one or two ACEs, but no warfare, were only more likely to experience suicidal thinking. Male and female veterans exposed to three or more ACEs and no warfare were more likely to experience probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, suicidality, and angry outbursts. Among those veterans who experienced corollaries of combat only (e.g., seeing someone killed or seriously wounded), male, but not female veterans were more likely to have probable PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Veterans exposed to warfare (i.e., combat and the corollaries of combat), irrespective of ACEs exposure, were the most likely to report mental health symptoms. Implications for community‐based mental health services are discussed.
Fabrication of ternary CoO/g‐C3N4/Co3O4 nanocomposite with p‐n‐p type heterojunction for boosted visible‐light photocatalytic performance
Authors: Zhang Wenqiang , Shi Weilong , Sun Haoran , Shi Yuxing , Luo Hao , Jing Shirong , Fan Yingqiang , Guo Feng , Lu Changyu
Published: February 2021

BACKGROUND

Photocatalytic water treatment by using semiconductor material with low‐cost, along with green and environmental features, is the main candidate for the actual application of photocatalytic reactions.

RESULTS

The ternary CoO/g‐C3N4/Co3O4 nanocomposite with p‐n‐p type heterojunction was fabricated through a one‐step solvothermal method follow‐up water washing process. The as‐prepared CoO/g‐C3N4/Co3O4 nanocomposite photocatalyst exhibited high visible‐light photocatalytic efficiency (92% within 80 min) during the degradation of tetracycline (TC). The degradation rate constant of CoO/g‐C3N4/Co3O4 nanocomposite is 0.025 min−1, which is 8.3, 4.3 and 2.3 times higher than that of single CoO, g‐C3N4 and binary CoO/g‐C3N4, respectively.

CONCLUSION

A series of characterization experiments further confirmed that the photocatalytic performance of the synthesized CoO/g‐C3N4/Co3O4 composite materials was improved due to the following two points: (i) improved separation and migration ability of photo‐induced electron–hole pairs, and (ii) enhanced visible light absorption range. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Molecular characterization of two Chinese pedigrees with maternally inherited hypertension
Authors: Ding Yu , Yu Jinfang , Guo Qinxian , Gao Beibei , Huang Jinyu
Published: February 2021

Background

Mutations in mitochondrial tRNA (mt‐tRNA) genes are associated with hypertension, although their pathogenic mechanisms remain poorly understood.

Methods

In the present study, two Han Chinese families with maternally transmitted hypertension were interviewed. The mtDNA mutations of matrilineal relatives were screened by polymerase chain reaction‐Sanger sequencing. Mitochondrial ATP, membrane potential and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were also analyzed in polymononuclear leukocytes carrying these mt‐tRNA mutations. Additionally, the levels of oxidative stress‐related biomarkers [malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) and 8‐hydroxy‐2‐deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG)] were analyzed.

Results

Nine of 13 adult matrilineal relatives of these pedigrees exhibited a wide range of severity of hypertension. The age at onset of hypertension was 30–62 years (average 46 years). Mutational screening of mitochondrial genomes revealed tRNAArg T10410C and T10454C mutations. Indeed, the m.T10454C and m.T10410C mutations occurred at conserved bases of TΨC‐loop and acceptor arm of tRNAArg (positions 55 and 6), which are critical for tRNAArg post‐transcriptional modification. Thus, the defects in tRNA modification may cause failure in tRNA metabolism, impairing mitochondrial translation. Biochemical analysis revealed that m.T10454C or m.T10410C mutation significantly reduced mitochondrial ATP and membrane potential and also increased ROS production in mutant cell lines (all p < 0.05). In addition, the levels of MDA and 8‐OHdG in hypertensive patients markedly increased, whereas those of SOD and GSH‐Px decreased (all p < 0.05).

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate that m.T10410C and m.T10454C mutations affect the structure and function of tRNAArg and consequently alter mitochondrial function and lead to oxidative stress, which are involved in the pathogenesis of maternally inherited hypertension.
Systematic Review of Magnetic Resonance Lymphangiography From a Technical Perspective
Authors: Mills Michael , van Zanten Malou , Borri Marco , Mortimer Peter S. , Gordon Kristiana , Ostergaard Pia , Howe Franklyn A.
Published: February 2021

Background

Clinical examination and lymphoscintigraphy are the current standard for investigating lymphatic function. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) facilitates three‐dimensional (3D), nonionizing imaging of the lymphatic vasculature, including functional assessments of lymphatic flow, and may improve diagnosis and treatment planning in disease states such as lymphedema.

Purpose

To summarize the role of MRI as a noninvasive technique to assess lymphatic drainage and highlight areas in need of further study.

Study Type

Systematic review.

Population

In October 2019, a systematic literature search (PubMed) was performed to identify articles on magnetic resonance lymphangiography (MRL).

Field Strength/Sequence

No field strength or sequence restrictions.

Assessment

Article quality assessment was conducted using a bespoke protocol, designed with heavy reliance on the National Institutes of Health quality assessment tool for case series studies and Downs and Blacks quality checklist for health care intervention studies.

Statistical Tests

The results of the original research articles are summarized.

Results

From 612 identified articles, 43 articles were included and their protocols and results summarized. Field strength was 1.5 or 3.0 T in all studies, with 25/43 (58%) employing 3.0 T imaging. Most commonly, imaging of the peripheries, upper and lower limbs including the pelvis (32/43, 74%), and the trunk (10/43, 23%) is performed, including two studies covering both regions. Imaging protocols were heterogenous; however, T2‐weighted and contrast‐enhanced T1‐weighted images are routinely acquired and demonstrate the lymphatic vasculature. Edema, vessel, quantity and morphology, and contrast uptake characteristics are commonly reported indicators of lymphatic dysfunction.

Data Conclusion

MRL is uniquely placed to yield large field of view, qualitative and quantitative, 3D imaging of the lymphatic vasculature. Despite study heterogeneity, consensus is emerging regarding MRL protocol design. MRL has the potential to dramatically improve understanding of the lymphatics and detect disease, but further optimization, and research into the influence of study protocol differences, is required before this is fully realized.

Level of Evidence

2

Technical Efficacy

Stage 2
Reliability of Changes in Brain Volume Determined by Longitudinal Voxel‐Based Morphometry
Authors: Takao Hidemasa , Amemiya Shiori , Abe Osamu ,   for the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: February 2021

Background

Longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have become increasingly important to assess the changes in brain morphology during normal aging and neurodegenerative disorders. However, the reliability of longitudinal morphometric changes has not been fully evaluated.

Purpose

To examine the reliability of longitudinal (2‐year) changes in brain morphology determined by longitudinal voxel‐based morphometry (VBM) in healthy elderly subjects, patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Study Type

Retrospective analysis.

Subjects

Twenty‐four healthy elderly subjects, 28 MCI patients, and 16 AD patients.

Field Strength/Sequence

A 1.5 T, magnetization‐prepared rapid gradient‐echo.

Assessment

Longitudinal (2‐year) changes in gray matter volume determined by longitudinal VBM processing, and visual assessment of image quality.

Statistical Tests

Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Kruskal–Wallis test.

Results

The ICC maps differed among the three groups. The mean ICC was 0.81 overall (0.86 for healthy elderly subjects, 0.75 for MCI patients, and 0.76 for AD patients). The reliability was good to excellent (ICC, 0.60–1.00) for 92% of voxels (99% for healthy elderly subjects, 83% for MCI patients, and 83% for AD patients). The image quality differed significantly among the three groups (P < 0.05).

Data Conclusion

These results indicate that the reliability of longitudinal gray matter volume changes by VBM is good to excellent for most voxels. However, reliability may be affected by the disease, possibly due to differences in head motion during imaging.

Evidence Level

3

Technical Efficacy

Stage 1
Biogeochemical control points of connectivity between a tidal creek and its floodplain
Authors: Regier Peter , Ward Nicholas D. , Indivero Julia , Wiese Moore Cora , Norwood Matt , Myers‐Pigg Allison
Published: February 2021

As global climates shift, coastal systems experience changes that alter function within the tidal zone. However, it remains uncertain how changes in tidal extent and magnitude will alter coastal biogeochemical cycling. We present high‐frequency data collected in situ along two transects across a tidal creek and floodplain to capture how vertical and lateral connectivity changes act as biogeochemical control points. Using wavelet coherence analysis, we identified short periods of vertical tide–floodplain connectivity during spring tides followed by extended periods of floodplain isolation from tides. During a drier period, neap tides were linked to lateral creek–floodplain connectivity, detected by discharge of saline, oxygen‐depleted groundwater to the creek on ebb tides. We estimate that up to half of creek water throughout the tidal cycle was associated with floodplain drainage. From point measurements of carbon, nitrogen, and greenhouse gases along the creek–floodplain transect, we infer that lateral connectivity functions as a biogeochemically significant control point.
Learning Enabled Continuous Transmission of Spatially Distributed Information through Multimode Fibers
Authors: Fan Pengfei , Ruddlesden Michael , Wang Yufei , Zhao Luming , Lu Chao , Su Lei
Published: February 2021

Multimode fibers (MMF) are high‐capacity channels and are promising to transmit spatially distributed information, such as an image. However, continuous transmission of randomly distributed information at a high‐spatial density is still a challenge. Here, a high‐spatial‐density information transmission framework employing deep learning for MMFs is proposed. A proof‐of‐concept experimental system is presented to demonstrate up to 400‐channel simultaneous data transmission with accuracy close to 100% over MMFs of different types, diameters, and lengths. A scalable semi‐supervised learning model is proposed to adapt the convolutional neural network to the time‐varying MMF information channels in real‐time to overcome the instabilities in the lab environment. The preliminary results suggest that deep learning has the potential to maximize the use of the spatial dimension of MMFs for data transmission.
Preparation of 3D Printed Chitosan/Polyvinyl Alcohol Double Network Hydrogel Scaffolds
Authors: Liu Fei , Li Wenyu , Liu Hongting , Yuan Teng , Yang Yu , Zhou Wen , Hu Yang , Yang Zhuohong
Published: February 2021

In this work, a 3D printed double‐network (DN) hydrogel scaffold is designed with chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the framework matrix. The addition of PVA into the CS‐based hydrogel clearly enhances the mechanical properties and lowers the swelling behaviors of the hydrogels. The crosslinking of CS with genipin can perform the pre‐crosslinking to improve the viscosity and 3D printability of the hydrogel precursor, while increasing the PVA content results in lowering the viscosity and 3D printability of the pre‐crosslinked hydrogel. The antibacterial property results of the DN hydrogel display that the hydrogel have favorable long‐lasting antibacterial ability. The appropriate pre‐crosslinked hydrogel with the CS/PVA mass ratio of 3:10 and pre‐crosslinking time of 7 h is used for 3D printing to prepare the 3D printed porous DN hydrogels. Moreover, the anti‐tumor drug doxorubicin (DOX) is loaded into the 3D printed porous DN hydrogels and the in vitro release study displays the sustainable drug release behavior. And the DOX release from hydrogel scaffold can be adjusted by the pH value of release environment. All of the results indicate that the porous DN CS/PVA hydrogel scaffolds have great application potential for tissue regeneration.