bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tuberculosis y hacinamiento carcelario desde la perspectiva de las inequidades sociales en salud en Colombia, 2018
Authors: López Martha Patricia , Ulloa Adriana Paola , Escobar Fabio Alberto
Published: April 2022

Introducción. La población privada de la libertad se encuentra afectada por la tuberculosis debido al hacinamiento carcelario. Esta situación refleja una inequidad en salud, entendida esta como una diferencia injusta y evitable.Objetivo. Estimar las condiciones de hacinamiento carcelario como inequidad en salud de la población privada de la libertad que padece tuberculosis en Colombia durante el 2018.Materiales y métodos. Estudio ecológico para estimar las inequidades a nivel nacional en la población privada de la libertad, utilizando la guía metodológica de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) para la medición de desigualdades. A partir de los datos del sistema de vigilancia en salud pública, la incidencia de tuberculosis sirvió como indicador y el porcentaje de hacinamiento se usó para estratificar la equidad.Resultados. La desigualdad relativa entre los quintiles de menor y mayor hacinamiento evidenció que la incidencia de la tuberculosis en la población privada de la libertad con mayor hacinamiento es 1,92 veces la del grupo con menor hacinamiento. El índice de desigualdad demostró un exceso de 724 casos de tuberculosis por cada 100.000 internos entre la población con mayor concentración de hacinamiento. El índice de concentración en salud fue de -0,121, lo que refleja que la incidencia se concentró en el grupo con más sobrepoblación.Conclusión. En Colombia, la población privada de la libertad en condiciones de hacinamiento y que padece tuberculosis, enfrenta desigualdades injustas y evitables, comparada con quienes no están en esas condiciones. Se requieren políticas que reduzcan el hacinamiento y mejoren las condiciones de vida en las cárceles.
Classification ofZophobas morioandTenebrio molitorusing transfer learning
Authors: Pratondo Agus , Bramantoro Arif
Published: April 2022

Zophobas MorioandTenebrio Molitorare popular larvae as feed ingredients that are widely used by animal lovers to feed reptiles, songbirds, and other poultry. These two larvae share a similar appearance, however; the nutritional ingredients are significantly different.Zophobas Moriois more nutritious and has a higher economic value compared toTenebrio Molitor. Due to limited knowledge, many animal lovers find it difficult to distinguish between the two. This study aims to build a machine learning model that is able to distinguish between the two. The model is trained using images that are taken from a standard camera on a mobile phone. The training is carried on using a deep learning algorithm, by adopting an architecture through transfer learning, namely VGG-19 and Inception v3. The experimental results on the datasets show that the accuracy rates of the model are 94.219% and 96.875%, respectively. The results are quite promising for practical use and can be improved for future works.
Soil metabolomics and bacterial functional traits revealed the responses of rhizosphere soil bacterial community to long-term continuous cropping of Tibetan barley
Authors: Zhao Yuan , Yao Youhua , Xu Hongyan , Xie Zhanling , Guo Jing , Qi Zhifan , Jiang Hongchen
Published: April 2022

Continuous cropping often leads to an unbalanced soil microbial community, which in turn negatively affects soil functions. However, systematic research of how these effects impact the bacterial composition, microbial functional traits, and soil metabolites is lacking. In the present study, the rhizosphere soil samples of Tibetan barley continuously monocropped for 2 (CCY02), 5 (CCY05), and 10 (CCY10) years were collected. By utilizing 16S high-throughput sequencing, untargeted metabolomes, and quantitative microbial element cycling smart chips, we examined the bacterial community structure, soil metabolites, and bacterial functional gene abundances, respectively. We found that bacterial richness (based on Chao1 and Phylogenetic Diversity [PD] indices) was significantly higher in CCY02 and CCY10 than in CCY05. As per principal component analysis (PCA), samples from the continuous monocropping year tended to share more similar species compositions and soil metabolites, and exhibited distinct patterns over time. The results of the Procrustes analysis indicated that alterations in the soil metabolic profiles and bacterial functional genes after long-term continuous cropping were mainly mediated by soil microbial communities (P < 0.05). Moreover, 14 genera mainly contributed to the sample dissimilarities. Of these, five genera were identified as the dominant shared taxa, including Blastococcus, Nocardioides, Sphingomonas, Bacillus, and Solirubrobacter. The continuous cropping of Tibetan barley significantly increased the abundances of genes related to C-degradation (F = 9.25, P = 0.01) and P-cycling (F = 5.35, P = 0.03). N-cycling significantly negatively correlated with bacterial diversity (r =  − 0.71, P = 0.01). The co-occurrence network analysis revealed that nine hub genera correlated with most of the functional genes and a hub taxon, Desulfuromonadales, mainly co-occurred with the metabolites via both negative and positive correlations. Collectively, our findings indicated that continuous cropping significantly altered the bacterial community structure, functioning of rhizosphere soils, and soil metabolites, thereby providing a comprehensive understanding of the effects of the long-term continuous cropping of Tibetan barley.
Cyborganic Living
Authors: Kuptsova Maria
Published: April 2022

Transdisciplinary artist and researcher Maria Kuptsova works in the interstices between organic and digital systems. As she seeks new ways to design landscapes that are a rich mix of biological processes and computational algorithms and tools, she generates what she calls ‘cyborganic’ or ‘bio‐machinic’ architectural languages.
Sensory Neurotransmitter Calcitonin Gene‐Related Peptide Modulates Tumor Growth and Lymphocyte Infiltration in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: McIlvried Lisa A. , Atherton Megan A. , Horan Nicole L. , Goch Tori N. , Scheff Nicole N.
Published: April 2022

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma are highly innervated by peripheral sensory neurons. Local neurotransmitter release (e.g., calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP)) from sensory neurons innervating cancer is linked to tumorigenesis. CGRP‐immunoreactive nerve presence comprised 9.53±1.9% of total nerve area across 11 HNSCC patients. A syngeneic tongue tumor transplant mouse model of oral cancer and a global Calca knockout mouse (CGRPKO) are used to investigate the impact of CGRP signaling on tumor growth and the associated immune response in vivo. In tumor‐bearing CGRPKO mice, there is a significant reduction in tumor size over time compared to wildtype mice using two different mouse oral cancer cell lines. Furthermore, tumor tissue from CGRPKO mice had a significant increase in tumor‐infiltrating CD4+ T cells, cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, and NK1.1+ NK cells compared to wildtype. Fluorescent‐activated cell sorting and real‐time qPCR are used to confirm that CD4+ T cells are isolated from tumor‐bearing wildtype mice containing a high expression of Ramp1 compared to sham mice. These data suggest that sensory neurotransmitter CGRP may modulate oral cancer progression via tumor immunosurveillance. Understanding the relationship between sensory neurons and cancer will aid in repurposing clinically available nervous system drugs for the treatment of cancer.
A High‐Performance Rotational Energy Harvester Integrated with Artificial Intelligence‐Powered Triboelectric Sensors for Wireless Environmental Monitoring System
Authors: Shrestha Kumar , Maharjan Pukar , Bhatta Trilochan , Sharma Sudeep , Rahman Muhammad Toyabur , Lee Sanghyun , Salauddin Md , Rana SM Sohel , Park Jae Y.
Published: April 2022

The prevailing energy harvester utilizes a convectional magnet that limits the output power due to the imperfect coupling of the flux linkage and the leakage of the magnetic fluxes away from the coil. Herein, a circular Halbach array magnet comprising the arc magnets is proposed as a high‐performance rotational energy harvester for preventing flux leakage by concentrating the magnetic flux in a particular path. The Halbach magnet is made up of eight individual arc magnet segments that are kept apart by 1 mm to induce a fourfold increase in magnetic flux density over a conventional magnet. The proposed rotational energy harvester can deliver an exceptional 603.2 W m−3 power density, which is attributed to a three times increase in the power density. The harvested power is utilized to charge a 30 mAh battery for driving a complete IoT system for the development of self‐powered wireless environmental monitoring systems. Furthermore, an intelligent system is designed using cutting‐edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology which accounts for Mxene/P(VDF‐TRFE)‐based triboelectric sensor output data and considers different weather parameters to accord a high accuracy of 99% in wind speed prediction.
Regulating Macrophage Polarization in High Glucose Microenvironment Using Lithium‐Modified Bioglass‐Hydrogel for Diabetic Bone Regeneration
Authors: Wu Zerui , Bai Jiaxiang , Ge Gaoran , Wang Tao , Feng Shuo , Ma Qiaoqiao , Liang Xiaolong , Li Wenming , Zhang Wei , Xu Yaozeng , Guo Kaijin , Cui Wenguo , Zha Guochun , Geng Dechun
Published: April 2022

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease with a proinflammatory microenvironment, causing poor vascularization and bone regeneration. Due to the lack of effective therapy and one‐sided focus on the direct angiogenic properties of biomaterials and osteogenesis stimulation, the treatment of diabetic bone defect remains challenging and complex. In this study, using gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) as a template, a lithium (Li) ‐modified bioglass‐hydrogel for diabetic bone regeneration is developed. It exhibits a sustained ion release for better bone regeneration under diabetic microenvironment. The hydrogel is shown to be mechanically adaptable to the complex shape of the defect. In vitro, Li‐modified bioglass‐hydrogel promoted cell proliferation, direct osteogenesis, and regulated macrophages in high glucose (HG) microenvironment, with the secretion of bone morphogenetic protein‐2 and vascular endothelial growth factor to stimulate osteogenesis and neovascularization indirectly. In vivo, composite hydrogels containing GelMA and Li‐MBG (GM/M‐Li) release Li ions to relieve inflammation, providing an anti‐inflammatory microenvironment for osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Applying Li‐modified bioglass‐hydrogel, significantly enhances bone regeneration in a diabetic rat bone defect. Together, both remarkable in vitro and in vivo outcomes in this study present an opportunity for diabetic bone regeneration on the basis of HG microenvironment.
A Better Choice to Achieve High Volumetric Energy Density: Anode‐Free Lithium‐Metal Batteries
Authors: Lin Liangdong , Qin Kun , Hu Yong‐sheng , Li Hong , Huang Xuejie , Suo Liumin , Chen Liquan
Published: April 2022

Volumetric energy density is a critical but easily neglected index of lithium‐metal batteries (LMBs). Compared with gravimetric energy density, the volumetric energy density (VED) of LMBs is much more sensitive to the anode/cathode (A/C) ratio due to the low density of lithium (Li) metal and the volume expansion of the Li‐metal anode owing to its pulverization during cycles. Anode‐free LMBs (AF‐LMBs) have high theoretical VED due to the absence of an anode and high retention with relatively low cell expansion. Because Li plating highly depends on the mother substrate, Li plating on copper (Cu) substrates is more reversible and denser than that on Li substrates during cycling, which is beneficial for maintaining high volumetric capacity and efficient Li utilization. Therefore, considering that excess Li must be strictly limited to achieve competitive energy density, AF‐LMBs (with bare Cu foil as the anode current collector) for high‐volumetric‐density batteries are recommended.
Quantification of Nucleation Site Density as a Function of Surface Wettability on Smooth Surfaces
Authors: Katselas Anthony , Parin Riccardo , Neto Chiara
Published: April 2022

Dew water is recognized as a valuable source of clean water for human consumption. Given the developing concerns over global water scarcity, great focus has been turned toward increasing the efficiency of existing dew harvesting methodologies. Droplet nucleation is a critical first stage in the condensation process – and therefore key to dew water harvesting. In this paper, the droplet nucleation site density (Ns) as a function of surface wettability on smooth thin polymer films is quantified. A custom‐built environment chamber, operated in low supersaturation conditions relevant to atmospheric water harvesting, allows strict experimental control over temperature and humidity. Droplet growth through coalescence is quantified, and an exponential increase in the rate of coalescence is seen as the test surface wettability increased. Ns declines exponentially as wettability decreases according to the fitted equation Ns = 1.1 × 1011e−0.043θ , where theta is the contact angle of the smooth surface, which can be used to predict Ns from a known contact angle, currently not available. The average distance between droplet centers is found to increase at a linear rate. This nucleation behavior is in line with those of droplets in a Rayleigh distribution.
Laser‐Induced Transitions of Azo Molecular Glass Pillar Arrays: A New Way to Fabricate Periodic Complex Surface Patterns upon Linearly Polarized Radiation
Authors: Wang Zenan , Huang Hao , Hsu Chungen , Wang Xiaogong
Published: April 2022

A new approach to fabricate ordered complex surface patterns is established upon linearly polarized light (LPL) irradiation with a continuous wave laser. Distinct from typical laser‐induced periodic surface structures, the ordered patterns are formed through unique topographical transitions of submicrometer pillar arrays of an azo molecular glass, when irradiated with LPL at 532 nm. As revealed by microscopic investigation and optical simulation, the structure formation results from the deformation of the original pillars along the electric vibration direction of LPL and growth of new structures in the regions between the pillars owing to the nonuniformly distributed light intensity. Spontaneously shaped structures are also induced by increasing LPL irradiation time. The ordered surface patterns are then formed by coalescence of the gradually erased pillars with these newly formed structures. The morphologies and orientation of the patterns are precisely controlled by adjusting the conditions, i.e., the polarization direction of LPL relative to the hexagonal lattice of the pillar arrays and the irradiation time. These observations lead to the deep understanding of unique light–matter interaction effects on the material in pillar array architecture. This new method can be used to create various complex surface patterns in submicrometer scale for many applications.
Vapor‐Phase Deposition of Highly Luminescent Embedded Perovskite Nanocrystals
Authors: Li Xiaoyue , Luo Deying , Green Philippe B. , Qiu Chenyue , Wei Mingyang , Yu Hongyu , Sargent Edward H. , Wilson Mark W. B. , Lu Zheng‐Hong
Published: April 2022

Vapor‐phase deposition (VPD), a process that can be readily scaled up for mass production, provides a cost‐effective approach to manufacture perovskite light‐emitting diodes (LEDs). The progress in device efficiency, however, has been stagnant, owing largely to the poor photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) of the VPD materials. Herein, a holistic fabrication strategy is reported that can stabilize the otherwise thermodynamically unstable cubic‐phase through the deposition of a CsBr‐rich termination on top of the CsPbBr3 films. The enhanced film reduces the electronic defects considerably resulting in near‐unity PLQY of the VPD‐based perovskites. To understand the mechanism of the improved VPD‐CsPbBr3 perovskite, advanced optical probing techniques and structural characterizations are used. For device application, the LEDs made from the VPD perovskites yield a bright luminance of ≈15 000 cd m−2 at 523 nm with a sharp full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 18 nm.
Ranking of Responsible Automotive Manufacturers According to Sustainability Reports Using PROMETHEE and VIKOR Methods
Authors: Caliskan Aylin , Ozturkoglu Omer , Ozturkoglu Yucel
Published: April 2022

Industrial activities and road transportation are the main contributors to air quality degradation and resource depletion. The automotive sector, which is one of the main players of the manufacturing industry and the supplier of road transport demand, is considered one of the most prominent symbols of pollution. Therefore, the issue of sustainability in the automotive industry is critical as it poses a wide range of challenges and negative externalities on the environment and society. This study aims to present a list of responsible consumption and production dimensions in line with the 12th United Nations Sustainable Development Goal and to rank the auto and auto part manufacturers in the Fortune Global 250. The authors use content analysis and text mining to identify 13 dimensions underlying responsible consumption and production. They then weigh each dimension according to the preferences of the experts using Delphi and the Analytical Hierarchy Process. After examining the dimensions in the sustainability reports of the selected companies, they rank them using the PROMETHEE and VIKOR techniques. They also show the robustness of the rankings.
Electrically‐Driven Oxygen Vacancy Aggregation and Displacement in YBa2Cu3O7−δ Films
Authors: Collienne Simon , Marinković Stefan , Fernández‐Rodríguez Alejandro , Mestres Narcís , Palau Anna , Silhanek Alejandro V.
Published: April 2022

Combining direct visualization of current‐induced oxygen migration through optical microscopy and finite element modeling of driven oxygen diffusion, it is possible to estimate the average activation energy of oxygen motion in the crystallographic ab‐plane of c‐axis oriented polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O7−δ films. Experiments and modeling are compared side‐by‐side for the case of constant current electromigration as well as for a train of current pulses of varying amplitude. The simulations reproduce the induced resistance changes after electromigration and confirm a high degree of spatial inhomogeneity in the stoichiometry. Assuming a temperature and oxygen concentration dependent resistivity, the authors are able to capture the change of superconducting critical temperature, normal state resistance, and the development of multistep transitions as a function of the electromigration history. The simulations are further applied to scrutinize the influence of activation energy, disorder in oxygen content, and initial oxygen concentration on the electromigration process. These results shed new light on the non‐local modifications produced by the electromigration process on oxide conductors.
An Optically, Electrically, Magnetically Controllable Dual‐Gate Phototransistor
Authors: Tsai Chia‐Lin , Hsu Fang‐Chi , Lin Jia‐Yu , Chao Yu‐Chieh , Chen Yang‐Fang
Published: April 2022

Higher data transmission rates, broader bandwidths, better privacy, and security are indispensable for the current information‐explosive age. However, to achieve the desired functionalities still remains as a great challenge. In this study, a two‐terminal, vertical dual‐gate phototransistor, which can be controlled by light, electric and magnetic fields, is proposed, fabricated, and demonstrated. This phototransistor uses a tandem structure composed of an organic solar cell (OSC) of ITO/ZnO/P3HT:PC61BM/MoO3/Ag, a resistive random access memory (RRAM) of Ag/PMMA/Au and a magnetoelectric film with micropyramid structure of PDMS:FeNi/silver nanowires (AgNWs). This device integrates and couples the properties of each individual component enabling to respond to light, electric and magnetic fields and works as a dual‐gate transistor. Compared with conventional transistors, the proposed device carries several intriguing features, such as ultrafast photoresponse time of 3 µs, controllable photocurrent with a variety of external stimuli, high ON/OFF ratio greater than 103, and touchless human–machine interaction. All of the above features are beneficial for high‐speed optical communication and circuit miniaturization. Furthermore, its unique logical characteristics show great potential for information security in the future development of Li‐Fi optical communication.
Seeing the trees for the forest: Adoption dynamics of the Forest Stewardship Council
Authors: Depoorter Charline , Marx Axel
Published: April 2022

The integration of voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) into public policy (i.e., their institutionalization) is generally considered a driver for their adoption. However, although the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a leading VSS in forest governance, has been increasingly institutionalized, its adoption has been stagnating recently. To understand what drives this stagnation, we analyze the adoption of FSC certification globally and at the country level over a 20‐year period. We show that the global stagnation in FSC adoption hides distinct adoption dynamics at country level. We highlight three types of country‐level adoption dynamics: stagnation, growth, and decline. Based on selected descriptive country case studies, we explore factors driving these dynamics, with a focus on the role of governments and competition with other VSS.
Mitochondrial genetic diversity and divergence dating of Angolan colobus monkeys (Colobus angolensis) in the eastern forests of Kenya and Tanzania: Implications for subspeciation and reconstructing historical biogeography
Authors: McDonald Monica M. , Cunneyworth Pamela M. K. , Anderson Aaron G. , Wroblewski Emily
Published: April 2022

Whether the Colobus angolensis that reside in the fragmented forests in eastern Kenya and Tanzania represent one subspecies or two has been debated for 50 years. Morphological and more recent genetic and ecological studies suggest that these populations represent two subspecies, C. a. palliatus and C. a. sharpei. However, their distribution of mitochondrial variation remains unresolved since the genetic study only characterized four populations at the range ends. Therefore, we characterized five populations in the area of the hypothesized subspecies divide. We identified eight new haplotypes which, combined with those previously identified, provided 26 haplotypes from nine populations for analysis. Haplotypes found south of the Rufiji River cluster together but separately from northern haplotypes. The largest sequence differences within cytochrome b occur between population pairs representing opposite sides of the river; their mean difference (1.5%) is more than that of other primate subspecies. Analysis of molecular variance attributes most of the variation to that north versus south of the river. These results support the previous subspecies distinction between C. a. palliatus (northern) and C. a. sharpei (southern), divided by the Rufiji River. The estimated time of the most recent common ancestor of all haplotypes indicates that the subspecies have been isolated from each other for approximately 550,000 years. The common ancestor of northern and southern haplogroups was 370,000 and 290,000 years ago, respectively. Nevertheless, the correlation between genetic and geographic distances suggests that isolation‐by‐distance contributed to population structuring. Significant variation among populations, with only three haplotypes shared between populations, also indicates that an extended period of isolation drove population distinctiveness. Considering these results, we evaluate hypotheses about the founding and differentiation of these subspecies during Pleistocene climatic fluctuations and propose a novel, more direct migration route from Central Africa to their current range navigating Lake Tanganyika, the central Tanzanian corridor, and the Rufiji River.
In Operando Identification of In Situ Formed Metalloid Zincδ+ Active Sites for Highly Efficient Electrocatalyzed Carbon Dioxide Reduction
Authors: Zhang Xin Yu , Li Wen Jing , Chen Jiacheng , Wu Xue Feng , Liu Yuan Wei , Mao Fangxin , Yuan Hai Yang , Zhu Minghui , Dai Sheng , Wang Hai Feng , Hu P. , Sun Chenghua , Liu Peng Fei , Yang Hua Gui
Published: April 2022

Electrochemical CO2‐to‐CO conversion provides a possible way to address problems associated with the greenhouse effect; however, developing low‐cost electrocatalysts to mediate high‐efficiency CO2 reduction remains a challenge on account of the limited understanding of the nature of the real active sites. Herein, we reveal the Znδ+ metalloid sites as the real active sites of stable nonstoichiometric ZnOx structure derived from Zn2P2O7 through operando X‐ray absorption fine structure analysis in conjunction with evolutionary‐algorithm‐based global optimization. Furthermore, theoretical and experimental results demonstrated that Znδ+ metalloid active sites could facilitate the activation of CO2 and the hydrogenation of *CO2, thus accelerating the CO2‐to‐CO conversion. Our work establishes a critical fundamental understanding of the origin of the real active center in the zinc‐based electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction reaction.
Sustainable Afterglow Room‐Temperature Phosphorescence Emission Materials Generated Using Natural Phenolics
Authors: Wan Keliang , Zhai Yingxiang , Liu Shouxin , Li Jian , Li Shujun , Strehmel Bernd , Chen Zhijun , James Tony D.
Published: April 2022

Long‐lived afterglow room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) from natural phenolics has seldom been reported yet this is essential for the development of sustainable afterglow RTP materials. With this research, we have prepared sustainable afterglow RTP materials (GA@SA) with a lifetime of up to ≈934.7 ms by embedding gallic acid (GA) within a Ca2+‐crosslinked sodium alginate (SA) matrix. Theoretical simulations indicate that the restricted carbonyl moieties of the GA and H‐type aggregates of GA in a SA matrix promoted the spin orbit coupling (SOC) of GA and induced afterglow emission. Moreover, afterglow RTP emission could be produced by embedding different types of natural phenolics such as, tannic acid, caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid into Ca2+‐crosslinked networks of SA. As an illustration of potential applications, GA@SA was used to prepare anti‐counterfeit afterglow clothing and paper. This work provides an innovative method for the activation of long‐lived afterglow RTP from sustainable phenolics.
Expeditious Access to Morphinans by Chemical Synthesis
Authors: White Lorenzo V. , Hu Nan , He Yu‐Tao , Banwell Martin G. , Lan Ping
Published: April 2022

Morphinans are essential medicines derived entirely from poppy supply chains rendered increasingly volatile by climate change. Here, we report a seven‐step, asymmetric chemical synthesis of (−)‐codeine from simple materials that requires a total combined reaction time of fewer than 24 hours. The efficiency of our approach arises from a double‐Heck cyclization reaction that generates two rings and two contiguous stereogenic carbon centres in the one pot. A subsequent photo‐redox hydroamination protocol provides a novel, atom‐economical means for assembling the piperidine D‐ring of codeine. Simple modifications to the closing stages of our sequence offer effective access to pharmacologically valuable derivatives of N‐demethyl codeine. Our work highlights the capacity for contemporary, stand‐alone chemical synthesis regimes to diversify access to essential opiate medicines.
Elevated symptoms of executive dysfunction predict lower adaptive functioning in 3‐year‐olds with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Powell Kelly , Macari Suzanne , Brennan‐Wydra Emma , Feiner Hannah , Butler Maureen , Goncalves Fortes Diogo , Boxberger Alexandra , Torres‐Viso Mariana , Morgan Chelsea , Lyons Megan , Chawarska Katarzyna
Published: April 2022

Executive functioning (EF) deficits co‐occur frequently with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and have a long‐term detrimental impact on quality of life of children and their families. Timely identification of risk for EF vulnerabilities may hasten access to early intervention and alleviate their long‐term consequences. This study examines (1) if EF deficits are elevated in toddlers with ASD compared to nonautistic siblings of children with ASD, typically developing (TYP) toddlers, and toddlers with atypical developmental presentation; and (2) if EF deficits have a detrimental effect on adaptive functioning in ASD. Participants were recruited between September 2014 and October 2019 and included 73 toddlers with ASD, 33 nonautistic siblings of children with ASD, 35 toddlers with atypical development, and 28 TYP toddlers matched on chronological age (M = 39.01 months, SD = 3.11). EF deficits were measured using the BRIEF‐P; adaptive skills were measured using the VABS‐II. Whenever appropriate, analyses were controlled for MSEL verbal and nonverbal developmental quotient, ADOS‐2 autism severity scores, and sex. Analyses revealed that toddlers with ASD exhibited elevated BRIEF‐P scores across all domains compared to each of the three comparison groups. Higher BRIEF‐P scores were associated with lower adaptive social, communication, and daily living skills while controlling for symptom severity, verbal and nonverbal functioning, and sex. In conclusion, marked vulnerabilities in EF are already present in 3‐year‐old toddlers with ASD and are predictive of the level of adaptive functioning in ASD. EF vulnerabilities in toddlers should be targeted for intervention to improve long‐term outcomes in ASD.

Lay Summary

Many children with autism experience vulnerabilities in executive functioning (EF), which may include challenges with inhibition, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and planning. The study shows that these vulnerabilities can already be detected at age three and that their presence is linked with lower social, communication, and daily living skills. Screening children with ASD for EF challenges and helping those who have difficulties may improve their long‐term outcomes.
Rezyklierbare Sandschalungen – Auf dem Weg zur Kreislaufproduktion leichter Betonbauteile
Authors: Kovaleva Daria , Nistler Maximilian , Blandini Lucio , Sobek Werner , Verl Alexander
Published: April 2022

In Zeiten des Klimawandels und zunehmender Ressourcenknappheit wird die Bauindustrie mit der wachsenden Dringlichkeit konfrontiert, Ressourcenverbrauch, Emissionen und Abfälle deutlich zu reduzieren. Die Anwendung von Leichtbaustrategien in Verbindung mit Kreislaufproduktionsprozessen bietet einen ganzheitlichen Ansatz für dieses Problem. In dem folgenden Beitrag wird eine Methode zur abfallfreien Produktion leichter Betonbauteile mittels wiederverwertbarer Sandschalungen präsentiert. Der Einsatz von wasserlöslichen Mischungen in einem Pulverbettdruckverfahren ermöglicht die Herstellung von Schalungen für komplexe und optimierte Betonstrukturen und die Wiederverwendung des Schalungsmaterials in nachfolgenden Produktionszyklen (Bild 1). Die einzelnen Schritte des Verfahrens werden detailliert vorgestellt und am Beispiel der Herstellung eines Betonprototyps mit komplexer räumlicher Struktur illustriert.
Development and validation of a ultraperformance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for quantifying free and total dabigatran in human plasma: An application for a bioequivalence study
Authors: Abd Allah Fathy Ibrahim , Ali Almrasy Ahmed , Abdelhmaid Ahmed , Abd‐Elmegid Osama A. , Alkashlan Akram , El‐Attar Abdul‐Aziz M. M.
Published: April 2022

Dabigatran etexilate mesylate (DABE), a prodrug, quickly changes into dabigatran (DAB) after its oral administration. Accordingly, detecting DABE in plasma is practically unmanageable. An ultraperformance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) technique was developed and validated to compute free DAB in participants. For the first time, the central composite design, a type of response surface methodology, was applied for optimizing variables affecting the cleavage of glucuronide bond. In addition, the pharmacokinetic parameters of generic medication (okanadab) were determined, and the obtained outcomes were compared with those of the branded drug (pradaxa). The sample preparation was done using methanol as a protein precipitant and the separation was achieved using an ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column (2.1 × 50 mm, 1.7 μm). The elution was isocratically conducted using 10 mM ammonium formate:methanol (72:28, v/v) as a mobile phase and the flow rate was 0.25 mL/min. Multiple reaction monitoring and positive electrospray ionization were used. The determination was performed within 1 min, and the calibration growth curve was established over a range of 1.19–475 ng/mL using DAB‐d3 as a tagged internal standard. Bioequivalence research was validated following the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) guidelines for bioanalytical procedures and acceptable outcomes were achieved. The outcomes for okanadab and pradaxa did not differ significantly.
Predicting breast cancer risk in a racially diverse, community‐based sample of potentially high‐risk women
Authors: Meadows Rachel J. , Figueroa Wilson , Shane‐Carson Kate P. , Padamsee Tasleem J.
Published: April 2022

Background

Identifying women with high risk of breast cancer is necessary to study high‐risk experiences and deliver risk‐management care. Risk prediction models estimate individuals' lifetime risk but have rarely been applied in community‐based settings among women not yet receiving specialized care. Therefore, we aimed: (1) to apply three breast cancer risk prediction models (i.e., Gail, Claus, and IBIS) to a racially diverse, community‐based sample of women, and (2) to assess risk prediction estimates using survey data.

Methods

An online survey was administered to women who were determined by a screening instrument to have potentially high risk for breast cancer. Risk prediction models were applied using their self‐reported family and medical history information. Inclusion in the high‐risk subsample required ≥20% lifetime risk per ≥1 model. Descriptive statistics were used to compare the proportions of women identified as high risk by each model.

Results

N = 1053 women were initially eligible and completed the survey. All women, except one, self‐reported the information necessary to run at least one model; 90% had sufficient information for >1 model. The high‐risk subsample included 717 women, of which 75% were identified by one model only; 96% were identified by IBIS, 3% by Claus, <1% by Gail. In the high‐risk subsample, 20% were identified by two models and 3% by all three models.

Conclusions

Assessing breast cancer risk using self‐reported data in a community‐based sample was feasible. Different models identify substantially different groups of women who may be at high risk for breast cancer; use of multiple models may be beneficial for research and clinical care.
Age stratified sex‐related differences in incidence, management, and outcomes of cardiogenic shock
Authors: Osman Mohammed , Syed Moinuddin , Kheiri Babikir , Bianco Christopher , Kalra Ankur , Cigarroa Joaquin E. , Mamas Mamas A. , Dawn Abbott Jinnette , Grines Cindy L. , Fonarow Gregg C. , Balla Sudarshan
Published: April 2022

Background

There is a lack of data on age‐stratified sex differences in the incidence, treatment, and outcomes of cardiogenic shock (CS). We sought to study these differences from a contemporary database.

Methods

Patients admitted with CS (2004–2018) were identified from the United States National Inpatient Sample. We compared CS (acute myocardial infarction‐related cardiogenic shock [AMI‐CS] and non‐acute myocardial infarction‐related cardiogenic shock [Non‐AMI‐CS]) incidence, management, and outcomes in males and females, stratified into four age groups (20–44, 45–64, 65–84, and ≥85 years of age). Propensity score matching (PSM) was used for adjustment.

Results

A total of 1,506,281 weighted hospitalizations for CS were included (AMI‐CS, 39%; Non‐AMI‐CS, 61%). Across all age groups, females had a lower incidence of CS compared with males. After PSM and among the AMI‐CS cohort, higher mortality among females compared with males was observed in the age groups 45–64 (28.5% vs. 26.3%) and 65–84 years (39.3% vs. 37.9%) (p < 0.01, for all). Among the Non‐AMI‐CS cohort, higher mortality among females compared with males was observed in the age groups 20–44 (33.5% vs. 30.5%), 45–64 (35.1% vs. 31.9%), and 65–84 years (41.7% vs. 40.3%) (p < 0.01, for all). Similar age‐dependent differences in the management of CS were also observed between females and males.

Conclusions

Females have a lower incidence of CS regardless of age. Significant disparities in the management and outcomes of CS were observed based on sex. However, these disparities varied by age and etiology of CS (AMI‐CS vs. Non‐AMI‐CS) with pronounced disparity among females in the age range of 45–84 years.
Patient with clinical celiac disease mimicking triple‐negative essential thrombocythemia
Authors: Ali Elrazi A. , Mushtaq Kamran , Abdelmahmuod Elabbass , Yassin Mohamed A.
Published: April 2022

Platelets are acute‐phase reactants, which can be elevated due to a secondary cause or less commonly because of a primary mechanism. Primary disorders include hematological conditions such as myelodysplastic syndrome, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, polycythemia vera, and essential thrombocythemia (ET). Most ET patients have a mutation in the genes regulating thrombopoiesis, JAK2, CALR, or MPL genes. But 10%–15% of ET patients are triple‐negative, where patients have no detectable mutation. We report a young patient with no significant past medical history evaluated for persistent thrombocytosis. She was initially diagnosed as triple‐negative ET based on a bone marrow biopsy. She had positive antibodies for celiac disease, and the diagnosis was confirmed by a small bowel biopsy, which is confirmatory for diagnosing celiac disease in adults. We recommend screening triple‐negative ET patients for celiac disease before going to more expensive tests.
BCG‐Induced cold abscess as a complication of inadvertent vaccine injection: A case series
Authors: Sedighi Parinaz , Sadrosadat Seyedeh Taravat , Movahedi Mahsa , Sedighi Iraj
Published: April 2022

We report a four‐month‐old girl with a right thigh swelling, an eight‐month‐old girl with a left thigh swelling, and a five‐month‐old boy with a left thigh swelling with the final diagnosis of BCG‐induced cold abscess as a result of erroneous injection of BCG vaccine into the infants’ thigh muscle.
Revealing the Influence of Diverse Secondary Metal Cations on Redox‐Active Palladium Complexes
Authors: Golwankar Riddhi R. , Kumar Amit , Day Victor W. , Blakemore James D.
Published: April 2022

Incorporation of redox‐inactive metals into redox‐active complexes and catalysts attracts attention for engendering new reactivity modes, but this strategy has not been extensively investigated beyond the first‐row of the transition metals. Here, the isolation and characterization of the first series of heterobimetallic complexes of palladium with mono‐, di‐, and tri‐valent redox‐inactive metal ions are reported. A Reinhoudt‐type heteroditopic ligand with a salen‐derived [N2,O2] binding site for Pd and a crown‐ether‐derived [O6] site has been used to prepare isolable adducts of the Lewis acidic redox‐inactive metal ions (Mn+). Comprehensive data from single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis reveal distinctive trends in the structural properties of the heterobimetallic species, including an uncommon dependence of the Pd⋅⋅⋅M distance on Lewis acidity. The reorganization energy associated with reduction of the heterobimetallic species is strongly modulated by Lewis acidity, with the slowest heterogeneous electron transfer kinetics associated with the strongest incorporated Lewis acids. This hitherto unexplored reorganization energy penalty for electron transfer contrasts with prior thermodynamic studies, revealing that kinetic parameters should be considered in studies of reactivity involving heterobimetallic species.
Renaissance of Topotactic Ion‐Exchange for Functional Solids with Close Packed Structures
Authors: Gabilondo Eric , O'Donnell Shaun , Newell Ryan , Broughton Rachel , Mateus Marcelo , Jones Jacob L. , Maggard Paul A.
Published: April 2022

Recently, many new, complex, functional oxides have been discovered with the surprising use of topotactic ion‐exchange reactions on close‐packed structures, such as found for wurtzite, rutile, perovskite, and other structure types. Despite a lack of apparent cation‐diffusion pathways in these structure types, synthetic low‐temperature transformations are possible with the interdiffusion and exchange of functional cations possessing ns2 stereoactive lone pairs (e. g., Sn(II)) or unpaired ndx electrons (e. g., Co(II)), targeting new and favorable modulations of their electronic, magnetic, or catalytic properties. This enables a synergistic blending of new functionality to an underlying three‐dimensional connectivity, i. e., [‐M−O‐M‐O‐]n, that is maintained during the transformation. In many cases, this tactic represents the only known pathway to prepare thermodynamically unstable solids that otherwise would commonly decompose by phase segregation, such as that recently applied to the discovery of many new small bandgap semiconductors.
Late‐Stage Modification of Aminoglycoside Antibiotics Overcomes Bacterial Resistance Mediated by APH(3’) Kinases
Authors: Bastian Andreas A. , Bastian Maria , Jäger Manuel , Loznik Mark , Warszawik Eliza M. , Yang Xintong , Tahiri Nabil , Fodran Peter , Witte Martin D. , Thoma Anne , Köhler Jens , Minnaard Adriaan J. , Herrmann Andreas
Published: April 2022

The continuous emergence of antimicrobial resistance is causing a threat to patients infected by multidrug‐resistant pathogens. In particular, the clinical use of aminoglycoside antibiotics, broad‐spectrum antibacterials of last resort, is limited due to rising bacterial resistance. One of the major resistance mechanisms in Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria is phosphorylation of these amino sugars at the 3’‐position by O‐phosphotransferases [APH(3’)s]. Structural alteration of these antibiotics at the 3’‐position would be an obvious strategy to tackle this resistance mechanism. However, the access to such derivatives requires cumbersome multi‐step synthesis, which is not appealing for pharma industry in this low‐return‐on‐investment market. To overcome this obstacle and combat bacterial resistance mediated by APH(3’)s, we introduce a novel regioselective modification of aminoglycosides in the 3’‐position via palladium‐catalyzed oxidation. To underline the effectiveness of our method for structural modification of aminoglycosides, we have developed two novel antibiotic candidates overcoming APH(3’)s‐mediated resistance employing only four synthetic steps.
Cost‐effectiveness of Choosing Wisely guidelines for axillary observation in women older than age 70 years with hormone receptor–positive, clinically node‐negative, operable breast tumors
Authors: Hrebinko Katherine A. , Bryce Cindy L. , Downs‐Canner Stephanie , Diego Emilia J. , Myers Sara P.
Published: April 2022

Background

The Society for Surgical Oncology's Choosing Wisely guidelines recommend against sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in favor of observation in this population. Recent analyses reveal that this has not been widely adopted. The purpose of this cost‐effectiveness analysis is to compare the costs and benefits associated with observation or SLNB in women >70 years old with hormone receptor–positive, clinically node‐negative, operable breast cancer.

Methods

A decision tree with Markov modeling was created to compare treatment strategies using long‐term follow‐up data from clinical trials in this population. Costs were estimated from published literature and publicly available databases. Breast cancer–specific health‐state utilities were derived from the literature and expert opinion. One‐way, 2‐way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted. A structural sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the effect of functional status and anxiety from nonevaluation of the axilla on cost‐effectiveness. Costs and benefits, measured in life‐years (LYs) and quality‐adjusted life‐years (QALYs), were tabulated across 10, 15, and 20 years and compared using incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios (ICERs).

Results

SLNB is not cost‐effective from the payer or societal perspectives with ICERs of $138,374/LY and $131,900/LY, respectively. When QALYs were considered, SLNB provided fewer QALYs (SLNB, 10.33 QALYs; observation, 10.53 QALYs) at a higher cost (SLNB, $15,845; observation, $4020). Structural sensitivity analysis revealed that SLNB was cost‐effective in certain patients with significant anxiety related to axillary observation (ICER, $39,417/QALY).

Conclusions

Routine SLNB in this population is not cost‐effective. The cost‐effectiveness of SLNB, however, is dependent on individual patient factors, including functional status as well as patient preference.
A deep learning model for Ottoman OCR
Authors: Dölek İshak , Kurt Atakan
Published: April 2022

The Ottoman OCR is an open problem because the OCR models for Arabic do not perform well on Ottoman. The models specifically trained with Ottoman documents have not produced satisfactory results either. We present a deep learning model and an OCR tool using that model for the OCR of printed Ottoman documents in the naksh font. We propose an end‐to‐end trainable CRNN architecture consisting of CNN, RNN (LSTM), and CTC layers for the Ottoman OCR problem. An experimental comparison of this model, called Osmanlica.com, with the Tesseract Arabic, the Tesseract Persian, Abby Finereader, Miletos, and Google Docs OCR tools or models was performed using a test data set of 21 pages of original documents. With 88.86% raw text, 96.12% normalized text, and 97.37% joined text character recognition accuracy, the Osmanlica.com Hybrid model outperforms the others with a marked difference. Our model outperforms the next best model by a clear margin of 4% which is a significant improvement considering the difficulty of the Ottoman OCR problem, and the huge size of the Ottoman archives to be processed. The hybrid model also achieves 58% word recognition accuracy on normalized text which is the only rate above 50%.
Exploring Metastable Phases During Lithiation of Organic Battery Electrode Materials
Authors: Carvalho Rodrigo P. , Alhanash Mirna , Marchiori Cleber F. N. , Brandell Daniel , Araujo C. Moyses
Published: April 2022

In this work, the Li‐ion insertion mechanism in organic electrode materials is investigated through the lens of atomic‐scale models based on first‐principles theory. Starting with a structural analysis, the interplay of density functional theory with evolutionary and potential‐mapping algorithms is used to resolve the crystal structure of the different (de)lithiated phases. These methods elucidate different lithiation reaction pathways and help to explore the formation of metastable phases and predict one‐ or multi‐electron reactions, which are still poorly understood for organic intercalation electrodes. The cathode material dilithium 2,5‐oxyterephthalate (operating at 2.6 V vs. Li/Li+) is investigated in depth as a case study, owing to its rich redox chemistry. When compared with recent experimental results, it is demonstrated that metastable phases with peculiar ring‐ring molecular interactions are more likely to be controlling the redox reactions thermodynamics and consequently the battery voltage.