bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stratification at the health district level for targeting malaria control interventions in Mali
Authors: Cissoko Mady , Magassa Mahamadou , Sanogo Vincent , Ouologuem Abdoulaye , Sangaré Lansana , Diarra Modibo , Bationo Cedric Stephane , Dolo Mathias , Bah Mamadou Djoulde , Doumbia Sidy , Coulibaly Mamadou B. , Traoré Diahara , Sidibé Boubacar , landier Jordi , Cissé Idrissa , Sacko Moussa , Gaudart Jean , Sagara Issaka
Published: May 2022

Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Mali. Between 2017 and 2020, the number of cases increased in the country, with 2,884,827 confirmed cases and 1454 reported deaths in 2020. We performed a malaria risk stratification at the health district level in Mali with a view to proposing targeted control interventions. Data on confirmed malaria cases were obtained from the District Health Information Software 2, data on malaria prevalence and mortality in children aged 6–59 months from the 2018 Demographic and Health Survey, entomological data from Malian research institutions working on malaria in the sentinel sites of the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), and environmental data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. A stratification of malaria risk was performed. Targeted malaria control interventions were selected based on spatial heterogeneity of malaria incidence, malaria prevalence in children, vector resistance distribution, health facility usage, child mortality, and seasonality of transmission. These interventions were discussed with the NMCP and the different funding partners. In 2017–2019, median incidence across the 75 health districts was 129.34 cases per 1000 person-years (standard deviation = 86.48). Risk stratification identified 12 health districts in very low transmission areas, 19 in low transmission areas, 20 in moderate transmission areas, and 24 in high transmission areas. Low health facility usage and increased vector resistance were observed in high transmission areas. Eight intervention combinations were selected for implementation. Our work provides an updated risk stratification using advanced statistical methods to inform the targeting of malaria control interventions in Mali. This stratification can serve as a template for continuous malaria risk stratifications in Mali and other countries.
Genetic variation and structure of complete chloroplast genome in alien monoecious and dioecious Amaranthus weeds
Authors: Xu Han , Xiang Ning , Du Wei , Zhang Junhua , Zhang Yongjiang
Published: May 2022

Amaranthus is a complex taxon with economic importance as well as harmful weeds. We studied the genetic variation and structure of the chloroplast genomes of 22 samples from 17 species of three subgenera. It was found that the length of the chloroplast genome of Amaranthus varied from 149,949 bp of A. polygonoides to 150,757 bp of A. albus. The frequencies of SNPs and InDels in chloroplast genomes were 1.79% and 2.86%, and the variation mainly occurred in the non-coding regions. The longest InDel was 387 bp, which occurred on ycf2, followed by 384 bp InDel on psbM-trnD. Two InDels in ndhE-I on the SSC make the three subgenera clearly distinguished. In LSC, SSC and IRs regions, there were four 30 bp forward and reverse repeats, and the repeats in SSC and LSC were in nearly opposite positions in circular genome structure, and almost divided the circular genome into symmetrical structures. In the topological tree constructed by chloroplast genome, species in subgen. Amaranthus and subgen. Acnida form monophyletic branches separately and cluster together. A. albus, A. blitoides and A. polygonoides were separated from subgen. Albersia, and the rest of subgen. Albersia were clustered into a monophyletic branch. The rpoC2, ycf1, ndhF-rpl32 were good at distinguishing most amaranths. The trnk-UUU-atpF, trnT-UGU-atpB, psbE-clpP, rpl14-rps19, and ndhF-D can distinguish several similar species. In general, the chloroplast genome is of certain value for the identification of the similar species of Amaranthus, which provides more evidence for clarifying the phylogenetic relationships within the genus.
A single faecal bile acid stool test demonstrates potential efficacy in replacing SeHCAT testing for bile acid diarrhoea in selected patients
Authors: Kumar Aditi , Al-Hassi Hafid O. , Jain Manushri , Phipps Oliver , Ford Clare , Gama Rousseau , Steed Helen , Butterworth Jeffrey , McLaughlin John , Galbraith Niall , Brookes Matthew J. , Hughes Lauren E.
Published: May 2022

This study examines the validity of measuring faecal bile acids (FBA) in a single stool sample as a diagnostic tool for bile acid diarrhoea (BAD) by direct comparison to the 75selenium-homotaurocholic acid (SeHCAT) scan. A prospective observational study was undertaken. Patients with chronic diarrhoea (> 6 weeks) being investigated for potential BAD with SeHCAT scan provided stool samples for measurement of FBA, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients were characterised into four groups: SeHCAT negative control group, post-cholecystectomy, idiopathic BAD and post-operative terminal ileal resected Crohn’s disease. Stool samples were collected at baseline and 8-weeks post treatment to determine whether FBA measurement could be used to monitor therapeutic response. 113 patients had a stool sample to directly compare with their SeHCAT result. FBA concentrations (μmol/g) and interquartile ranges in patients in the control group (2.8; 1.6–4.2), BAD (3.6; 1.9–7.2) and post-cholecystectomy cohort 3.8 (2.3–6.8) were similar, but all were significantly lower (p < 0.001) compared to the Crohn’s disease cohort (11.8; 10.1–16.2). FBA concentrations in patients with SeHCAT retention of < 15% (4.95; 2.6–10.5) and < 5% (9.9; 4.8–15.4) were significantly higher than those with a SeHCAT retention > 15% (2.6; 1.6–4.2); (p < 0.001 and p < 0.0001, respectively). The sensitivity and specificity using FBA cut-off of 1.6 μmol/g (using ≤ 15% SeHCAT retention as diagnostic of BAD) were 90% and 25% respectively. A single random stool sample may have potential use in diagnosing severe BAD or BAD in Crohn’s patients. Larger studies are now needed to confirm the potential efficacy of this test to accurately diagnose BAD in the absence of SeHCAT testing.
Subchondral tibial bone texture of conventional X-rays predicts total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Almhdie-Imjabbar Ahmad , Toumi Hechmi , Harrar Khaled , Pinti Antonio , Lespessailles Eric
Published: May 2022

Lacking disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs) for knee osteoarthritis (KOA), Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) is often considered an important clinical outcome. Thus, it is important to determine the most relevant factors that are associated with the risk of TKA. The present study aims to develop a model based on a combination of X-ray trabecular bone texture (TBT) analysis, and clinical and radiological information to predict TKA risk in patients with or at risk of developing KOA. This study involved 4382 radiographs, obtained from the OsteoArthritis Initiative (OAI) cohort. Cases were defined as patients with TKA on at least one knee prior to the 108-month follow-up time point and controls were defined as patients who had never undergone TKA. The proposed TKA-risk prediction model, combining TBT parameters and Kellgren–Lawrence (KL) grades, was performed using logistic regression. The proposed model achieved an AUC of 0.92 (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.90, 0.93), while the KL model achieved an AUC of 0.86 (95% CI 0.84, 0.86; p < 0.001). This study presents a new TKA prediction model with a good performance permitting the identification of at risk patient with a good sensitivy and specificity, with a 60% increase in TKA case prediction as reflected by the recall values.
Prion protein gene mutation detection using long-read Nanopore sequencing
Authors: Kroll François , Dimitriadis Athanasios , Campbell Tracy , Darwent Lee , Collinge John , Mead Simon , Vire Emmanuelle
Published: May 2022

Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative conditions that affect humans and animals. Rapid and accurate sequencing of the prion gene PRNP is paramount to human prion disease diagnosis and for animal surveillance programmes. Current methods for PRNP genotyping involve sequencing of small fragments within the protein-coding region. The contribution of variants in the non-coding regions of PRNP including large structural changes is poorly understood. Here, we used long-range PCR and Nanopore sequencing to sequence the full length of PRNP, including its regulatory region, in 25 samples from blood and brain of individuals with inherited or sporadic prion diseases. Nanopore sequencing detected the same variants as identified by Sanger sequencing, including repeat expansions/deletions. Nanopore identified additional single-nucleotide variants in the non-coding regions of PRNP, but no novel structural variants were discovered. Finally, we explored somatic mosaicism of PRNP’s octapeptide repeat region, which is a hypothetical cause of sporadic prion disease. While we found changes consistent with somatic mutations, we demonstrate that they may have been generated by the PCR. Our study illustrates the accuracy of Nanopore sequencing for rapid and field prion disease diagnosis and highlights the need for single-molecule sequencing methods for the detection of somatic mutations.
Altered performance monitoring in Tourette Syndrome: an MEG investigation
Authors: Metzlaff Jacqueline , Finis Jennifer , Münchau Alexander , Müller-Vahl Kirsten , Schnitzler Alfons , Bellebaum Christian , Biermann-Ruben Katja , Niccolai Valentina
Published: May 2022

The error-related negativity (ERN) is an event-related potential component indexing processes of performance monitoring during simple stimulus-response tasks: the ERN is typically enhanced for error processing and conflicting response representations. Investigations in healthy participants and different patient groups have linked the ERN to the dopamine system and to prefrontal information processing. As in patients with Tourette Syndrome (TS) both dopamine release and prefrontal information processing are impaired, we hypothesized that performance monitoring would be altered, which was investigated with magnetencephalography (MEG). We examined performance monitoring in TS patients by assessing the magnetic equivalent of the ERN (mERN). The mERN was investigated in tic-free trials of eight adult, unmedicated TS patients without clinically significant comorbidity and ten matched healthy controls while performing a Go/NoGo task in selected frontocentral channels. The analysis of the response-related amplitudes of the event-related magnetic field showed that TS patients, in contrast to controls, did not show earlier amplitude modulation (between 70 and 105 ms after response onset) depending on response type (errors or correct responses). In both groups significant mERN amplitudes in the time-window between 105 and 160 ms after response onset were detected thus pointing at only later error processing in TS patients. In TS patients, early error-related processing might be affected by an enhanced motor control triggered by a conflict between the targeted high task performance and tic suppression. TS patients seem to tend to initially process all responses as erroneous responses.
Correlated expression of the body, face, and voice during character portrayal in actors
Authors: Berry Matthew , Lewin Sarah , Brown Steven
Published: May 2022

Actors are required to engage in multimodal modulations of their body, face, and voice in order to create a holistic portrayal of a character during performance. We present here the first trimodal analysis, to our knowledge, of the process of character portrayal in professional actors. The actors portrayed a series of stock characters (e.g., king, bully) that were organized according to a predictive scheme based on the two orthogonal personality dimensions of assertiveness and cooperativeness. We used 3D motion capture technology to analyze the relative expansion/contraction of 6 body segments across the head, torso, arms, and hands. We compared this with previous results for these portrayals for 4 segments of facial expression and the vocal parameters of pitch and loudness. The results demonstrated significant cross-modal correlations for character assertiveness (but not cooperativeness), as manifested collectively in a straightening of the head and torso, expansion of the arms and hands, lowering of the jaw, and a rise in vocal pitch and loudness. These results demonstrate what communication theorists refer to as “multichannel reinforcement”. We discuss this reinforcement in light of both acting theories and theories of human communication more generally.
Peptidomics analysis reveals changes in small urinary peptides in patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome
Authors: Abid Md Shadman Ridwan , Qiu Haowen , Tripp Bridget A. , de Lima Leite Aline , Roth Heidi E. , Adamec Jiri , Powers Robert , Checco James W.
Published: May 2022

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a chronic and debilitating pain disorder of the bladder and urinary tract with poorly understood etiology. A definitive diagnosis of IC/BPS can be challenging because many symptoms are shared with other urological disorders. An analysis of urine presents an attractive and non-invasive resource for monitoring and diagnosing IC/BPS. The antiproliferative factor (APF) peptide has been previously identified in the urine of IC/BPS patients and is a proposed biomarker for the disorder. Nevertheless, other small urinary peptides have remained uninvestigated in IC/BPS primarily because protein biomarker discovery efforts employ protocols that remove small endogenous peptides. The purpose of this study is to investigate the profile of endogenous peptides in IC/BPS patient urine, with the goal of identifying putative peptide biomarkers. Here, a non-targeted peptidomics analysis of urine samples collected from IC/BPS patients were compared to urine samples from asymptomatic controls. Our results show a general increase in the abundance of urinary peptides in IC/BPS patients, which is consistent with an increase in inflammation and protease activity characteristic of this disorder. In total, 71 peptides generated from 39 different proteins were found to be significantly altered in IC/BPS. Five urinary peptides with high variable importance in projection (VIP) coefficients were found to reliably differentiate IC/BPS from healthy controls by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. In parallel, we also developed a targeted multiple reaction monitoring method to quantify the relative abundance of the APF peptide from patient urine samples. Although the APF peptide was found in moderately higher abundance in IC/BPS relative to control urine, our results show that the APF peptide was inconsistently present in urine, suggesting that its utility as a sole biomarker of IC/BPS may be limited. Overall, our results revealed new insights into the profile of urinary peptides in IC/BPS that will aid in future biomarker discovery and validation efforts.
Effect of the duty cycle of the ultrasonic processor on the efficiency of extraction of phenolic compounds from Sorbus intermedia
Authors: Kobus Zbigniew , Krzywicka Monika , Starek-Wójcicka Agnieszka , Sagan Agnieszka
Published: May 2022

This paper studies the effect of different ultrasonic parameters on the yield of extraction and antioxidant activity of selected phenolic compounds from Sorbus intermedia berries. The sonication was carried out in two modes: continuous and pulse. In the pulse mode, the samples were sonicated with the following processor settings: 1 s on–2 s off. The effective ultrasonic processor times were 5, 10, and 15 min, and the total extraction times were 15, 30, and 45 min. The results showed that the duty cycle significantly affected the antioxidant activity of the extracts and the yield of chlorogenic acid, rutin, and total flavonoids. Compared to the continuous mode, the pulse ultrasound increased the extraction yield of rutin by 5–27%, chlorogenic acid by 12–29%, and total flavonoids by 8–42%. The effect of the duty cycle on the extraction yield was dependent on the intensity and duration of the ultrasound treatment. The mechanism of the influence of the pulsed ultrasound field on the extraction process has been elucidated. This research clearly demonstrated the superiority of pulsed ultrasound-assisted extraction for production of antioxidants from Sorbus intermedia berries.
Simultaneous determination of gross alpha/beta activities in water by liquid scintillation counting and its applications in the environmental monitoring
Authors: Li Xiaoyun , Wang Shaolin , Lou Hailin , Pan Jingshun , Dong Qian , Zheng Yifan , Chen Ling
Published: May 2022

Based on the standards of ISO11704-2018 and ASTM D7283-17, a method for simultaneous determination of gross alpha and gross beta activity concentrations in water by liquid scintillation counting (LSC) was established, which can be applied to various types of water samples in routine monitoring, such as drinking water, groundwater, geothermal water, seawater, and radioactive wastewater. The sample’s pH value and concentrated volume must be controlled to avoid quenching as much as possible. The validation tests show that the deviations of gross alpha and gross beta activities can satisfy quality control requirements in a wide range of activity ratios from 1:102 to 67:1. For the actual samples, the measurement results of the LSC method are in good agreement with those of the thick source method, in which the relative deviations of gross alpha and gross beta are both less than 15% for these two methods. Moreover, the LSC method performs better in detection limit and has a simpler pretreatment process than the thick source method.
Modeling the systemic risks of COVID-19 on the wildland firefighting workforce
Authors: Belval Erin J. , Bayham Jude , Thompson Matthew P. , Dilliott Jacob , Buchwald Andrea G.
Published: May 2022

Wildfire management in the US relies on a complex nationwide network of shared resources that are allocated based on regional need. While this network bolsters firefighting capacity, it may also provide pathways for transmission of infectious diseases between fire sites. In this manuscript, we review a first attempt at building an epidemiological model adapted to the interconnected fire system, with the aims of supporting prevention and mitigation efforts along with understanding potential impacts to workforce capacity. Specifically, we developed an agent-based model of COVID-19 built on historical wildland fire assignments using detailed dispatch data from 2016–2018, which form a network of firefighters dispersed spatially and temporally across the US. We used this model to simulate SARS-CoV-2 transmission under several intervention scenarios including vaccination and social distancing. We found vaccination and social distancing are effective at reducing transmission at fire incidents. Under a scenario assuming High Compliance with recommended mitigations (including vaccination), infection rates, number of outbreaks, and worker days missed are effectively negligible, suggesting the recommended interventions could successfully mitigate the risk of cascading infections between fires. Under a contrasting Low Compliance scenario, it is possible for cascading outbreaks to emerge leading to relatively high numbers of worker days missed. As the model was built in 2021 before the emergence of the Delta and Omicron variants, the modeled viral parameters and isolation/quarantine policies may have less relevance to 2022, but nevertheless underscore the importance of following basic prevention and mitigation guidance. This work could set the foundation for future modeling efforts focused on mitigating spread of infectious disease at wildland fire incidents to manage both the health of fire personnel and system capacity.
A study of transformer-based end-to-end speech recognition system for Kazakh language
Authors: Orken Mamyrbayev , Dina Oralbekova , Keylan Alimhan , Tolganay Turdalykyzy , Mohamed Othman
Published: May 2022

Today, the Transformer model, which allows parallelization and also has its own internal attention, has been widely used in the field of speech recognition. The great advantage of this architecture is the fast learning speed, and the lack of sequential operation, as with recurrent neural networks. In this work, Transformer models and an end-to-end model based on connectionist temporal classification were considered to build a system for automatic recognition of Kazakh speech. It is known that Kazakh is part of a number of agglutinative languages and has limited data for implementing speech recognition systems. Some studies have shown that the Transformer model improves system performance for low-resource languages. Based on our experiments, it was revealed that the joint use of Transformer and connectionist temporal classification models contributed to improving the performance of the Kazakh speech recognition system and with an integrated language model it showed the best character error rate 3.7% on a clean dataset.
Plasma levels of S100B and neurofilament light chain protein in stress-related mental disorders
Authors: Wallensten Johanna , Mobarrez Fariborz , Åsberg Marie , Borg Kristian , Beser Aniella , Wilczek Alexander , Nager Anna
Published: May 2022

The pathophysiological changes underlying stress-related mental disorders remain unclear. However, research suggests that alterations in astrocytes and neurons may be involved. This study examined potential peripheral markers of such alterations, including S100B and neurofilament light chain (NF-L). We compared plasma levels of S100B and NF-L in patients with chronic stress-induced exhaustion disorder (SED), patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), and healthy controls. We also investigated whether levels of S100B and NF-L correlated with levels of astrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs that indicate astrocyte activation or apoptosis) and with symptom severity. Only women had measurable levels of S100B. Women with SED had higher plasma levels of S100B than women with MDD (P < 0.001) and healthy controls (P < 0.001). Self-rated symptoms of cognitive failures were positively correlated with levels of S100B (rs = 0.434, P = 0.005) as were depressive symptoms (rs = 0.319, P < 0.001). Plasma levels of astrocyte-derived EVs were correlated with levels of S100B (rs = 0.464, P < 0.001). Plasma levels of NF-L did not differ between the groups and were not correlated with symptom severity or EV levels. Thus, long-term stress without sufficient recovery and SED may be associated with raised plasma levels of S100B, which may be evidence of pathophysiological changes in astrocytes. The findings also support the hypothesis that plasma levels of S100B are associated with cognitive dysfunction.
Incremental levels of diagnostic information incentivize health-seeking in non-alcoholic fatty liver: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Chavez-Tapia Norberto C. , Barrientos-Gutierrez Tonatiuh , Torres-Ibarra Leticia , Sanchez-Jiménez Beatriz , Juarez-Hernandez Eva , Ramos-Ostos Martha , Alva-Lopez Luis F. , Uribe Misael
Published: May 2022

Patients with chronic disorders like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) face important challenges adhering to diagnostic and treatment tracks. As NAFLD increases, the need to incentivize health-seeking behaviors grows. No evidence-based interventions to address this gap exist. The aim of the study was to estimate the effect of providing increasing levels of diagnostic information on medical care-seeking in adults newly diagnosed with NAFLD. We randomly assigned adults with a sonographic diagnosis of NAFLD at a check-up unit in Mexico to one of five groups. All groups received medical consultation. A: no further interventions; B: received multimedia educational material (MEM); C: MEM + NAFLD-fibrosis-score (NFS); D: MEM + transient elastography (TE); E: MEM + NFS + TE. 1209 participants were randomized, follow-up rate 91%; 82% male, BMI 30.5 ± 4 kg/m2. There were no differences in the proportion of patients undergoing further diagnostic evaluation of liver fibrosis (A 0.4%, E 0.4%, P-for-trend = 0.269). Groups who received more information sought specialized medical care more frequently: A 22%, E 30% (P-for-trend = 0.047). A trend to receive treatment was also observed at higher levels of information: A 26.7%, E 36.3% (P-for-trend = 0.134). Increasing the amount of diagnostic information seemed to increase patient’s health-seeking. Tailoring the communication of information obtained for diagnosis could help to increase health-seeking in chronic disease patients.

Trial registration: NCT01874249 (full date of first registration 11-06-2013).
Association between sperm mitochondrial DNA copy number and deletion rate and industrial air pollution dynamics
Authors: Vozdova Miluse , Kubickova Svatava , Kopecka Vera , Sipek Jaroslav , Rubes Jiri
Published: May 2022

The effects of air pollution on men’s reproductive health can be monitored by evaluating semen quality and sperm DNA damage. We used real-time PCR to analyse the effects of air pollution on sperm mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and deletion (mtDNAdel) rates in semen samples collected from 54 men in two seasons with different levels of industrial and traffic air pollution. MtDNAdel rates were significantly higher following the high exposure period and were positively correlated with mtDNAcn. However, we did not find any difference in mtDNAcn between the two seasons. MtDNAcn was positively correlated with the DNA fragmentation index and the rates of sperm with chromatin condensation defects, previously assessed by sperm chromatin structure assay, and negatively correlated with sperm concentration, progressive motility, viability, and normal morphology. This indicates that mtDNAcn is more closely associated with male fertility than mtDNAdel rates. In contrast, mtDNAdel might be a more sensitive biomarker of air pollution exposure in urban industrial environments.
A nonendemic analysis of the patterns and prognosis of de novo metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinomas in older patients aged ≥ 65 years
Authors: Liu Baoqiu , Zhang Mingxing , Cao Yanqing , Wang Zhe , Wang Xicheng
Published: May 2022

This study aimed to investigate the prognostic factors related to overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with de novo metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) aged ≥ 65 years in nonendemic areas. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was queried for elderly patients with M1 stage NPC at initial diagnosis between 2004 and 2016. This study examined 100 patients and evaluated the relationship of sex, age, race, pathological grade, T stage, N stage, sequence number, site of metastasis, number of metastatic organs, and other related factors with OS and CSS. The median survival and follow-up time were 10 and 48 months, respectively. The survival curves for race, bone metastasis, radiation, and chemotherapy significantly affected OS on the log-rank test. Advanced N stage and liver metastasis may be associated with poor survival. Race, bone metastasis, and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors of OS. Bone metastasis was associated with poor survival. The survival curves for CSS were significantly different between races, N stage, sequence number, and bone metastasis. In Cox regression multivariate analysis, only sequence number had an independent effect on prognosis. This study revealed that chemotherapy prolonged survival in elderly patients with metastatic NPC, whereas bone metastasis shortened survival.
Preliminary assessment of the safety factors in K-DEMO for fusion compatible regulatory framework
Authors: Kim Beom Seok , Hong Suk-Ho , Kim Keeman
Published: May 2022

We open an avenue for discussing how we can pave the way for compliance with existing regulations is a far-reaching factor for settling nuclear fusion technology. Based on a model of the Korean Fusion Demonstration Reactor (K-DEMO) with a target fusion power of 2.2 GW, we assess the intrinsic safety determinants of internal energy sources, the expected radioactive waste, and the tritium management. Regarding these safety factors, we scrutinize the compatibility of the current legislative environment in Korea with K-DEMO and envisage foreseeable obstacles, such as licensing of the nuclear facilities and acceptability of the radioactive waste. Based on precedent licenses for the Korean Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) and lessons learned from the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), we examine hazardous factors that would threaten regulatory compliance of K-DEMO. This approach can help shape a fusion-compatible framework for consolidating the necessary technical provisions and regulatory baselines reflecting social acceptance with a sense of safety. Fusion-compatible aspects in the regulatory environment are discussed, from fusion philosophy to subordinate administrative and technical guidelines, facility classification, and detailed methods guaranteeing integrity and safety. This paper will contribute to the timely settlement of fusion demonstration facilities and subsequent commercial plants.
Nanocurcumin and curcumin prevent N, N'-methylenebisacrylamide-induced liver damage and promotion of hepatic cancer cell growth
Authors: Atia Mona M. , Abdel-Tawab Hanem S. , Mostafa Amna M. , Mobarak Seham A.
Published: May 2022

Acrylamide (AC) is an environmental contaminant with cancer-promoting and cytotoxic properties, while curcumin (Cur.) is a phytochemical with documented anticancer and cytoprotective efficacy. Nanoparticle formulations can increase the efficacy of phytochemicals, so we examined the anticancer and hepatoprotective efficacies of nanocurcumin (N.Cur). Curcumin and nanocurcumin reduced HepG2 and Huh-7 cancer cell viability and increased apoptosis in the presence and absence of AC, while AC alone promoted proliferation. Furthermore, the anticancer efficacy of nanocurcumin was greater than that of curcumin. In mice, AC greatly increased hepatic expression of CYP2E1, P53, cleaved caspase-3, and COL1A1 as well as serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities. These effects were reversed by nanocurcumin and curcumin. Nanocurcumin also reduced the histopathology and fibrosis caused by AC, and reversed AC-induced glycogen depletion. Nanoparticle formulation can increase the anticancer and hepatoprotective efficiencies of curcumin.
Deep learning supports the differentiation of alcoholic and other-than-alcoholic cirrhosis based on MRI
Authors: Luetkens Julian A. , Nowak Sebastian , Mesropyan Narine , Block Wolfgang , Praktiknjo Michael , Chang Johannes , Bauckhage Christian , Sifa Rafet , Sprinkart Alois Martin , Faron Anton , Attenberger Ulrike
Published: May 2022

Although CT and MRI are standard procedures in cirrhosis diagnosis, differentiation of etiology based on imaging is not established. This proof-of-concept study explores the potential of deep learning (DL) to support imaging-based differentiation of the etiology of liver cirrhosis. This retrospective, monocentric study included 465 patients with confirmed diagnosis of (a) alcoholic (n = 221) and (b) other-than-alcoholic (n = 244) cirrhosis. Standard T2-weighted single-slice images at the caudate lobe level were randomly split for training with fivefold cross-validation (85%) and testing (15%), balanced for (a) and (b). After automated upstream liver segmentation, two different ImageNet pre-trained convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures (ResNet50, DenseNet121) were evaluated for classification of alcohol-related versus non-alcohol-related cirrhosis. The highest classification performance on test data was observed for ResNet50 with unfrozen pre-trained parameters, yielding an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.82 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71–0.91) and an accuracy of 0.75 (95% CI 0.64–0.85). An ensemble of both models did not lead to significant improvement in classification performance. This proof-of-principle study shows that deep-learning classifiers have the potential to aid in discriminating liver cirrhosis etiology based on standard MRI.
Malignant transformation of oral epithelial dysplasia in Southwest Finland
Authors: Nevanpää Toni T. , Terävä Antti E. , Laine Hanna K. , Rautava Jaana
Published: May 2022

Oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) is considered a risk for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). A meta-analysis estimated a mean malignant transformation rate of 12.1% (95% CI 8.1–17.9). The main target of this study was to define how many OED patients develop OSCC in the hospital district of Southwest Finland. A total of 571 patients diagnosed with OED were identified. Their potential subsequent diagnosis of OSCC was derived from the Finnish Cancer Registry. The risk of OSCC development in OED patients was compared with that of the general population without OED. During a mean follow-up of 5.5 (range 0.1–29.0) years 10.9% of OED patients developed OSCC. OED patients had a 44.7-fold higher risk (95% CI 34.4–56.7) of developing OSCC than the general population. The risk was at its highest within two years of OED diagnosis. OED patients in Southwest Finland have a significantly increased risk of developing OSCC relative to the general population, especially within the first two years of dysplasia diagnosis.
Novel abrasive-free jet polishing for Bulk single-crystal KDP with a low viscosity microemulsion
Authors: Zhang Yan , Fan Qichao , Gao Wei , Wang Chao , Ji Fang
Published: May 2022

In present work, the abrasive-free jet polishing (AFJP) of bulk single-crystal KDP was first fulfilled, when using a newly-designed low-viscosity microemulsion as the AFJP fluid. The novel AFJP fluid shows a typical water-in-oil structure, in which the water cores uniformly distribute in the BmimPF6 IL, with a particle size of about 20–25 nm. What’s more, the AFJP fluid is a controllable and selective non-abrasive jet fluid that the shape of the removal function is regular and smooth, presenting a similar Gaussian function, meanwhile, the dispersion coefficient of the removal rate is only 1.9%. Finally, the surface quality of the bulk single-crystal KDP is further improved by AFJP, meanwhile, the subsurface damage is first obviously mitigated.
Combined kinetic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia, N-antigenemia and virus-specific antibodies in critically ill adult COVID-19 patients
Authors: Costa Rosa , Alberola Juan , Olea Beatriz , Gozalbo-Rovira Roberto , Giménez Estela , Cuevas-Ferrando Enric , Torres Ignacio , Albert Eliseo , Carbonell Nieves , Ferreres José , Sánchez Gloria , Rodríguez-Díaz Jesús , Blasco María Luisa , Navarro David
Published: May 2022

Combined kinetic analysis of plasma SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia, Nucleocapsid (N)-antigenemia and virus-specific antibodies may help ascertain the role of antibodies in preventing virus dissemination in COVID-19 patients. We performed this analysis in a cohort of 71 consecutive critically ill COVID-19 patients (49 male; median age, 65 years) using RT-PCR assay, lateral flow immunochromatography method and receptor binding domain (RBD) and N-based immunoassays. A total of 338 plasma specimens collected at a median of 12 days after symptoms onset were available for analyses. SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia and N-antigenemia were detected in 37 and 43 specimens from 26 (36.5%) and 30 (42.2%) patients, respectively. Free RNA was the main biological form of SARS-CoV-2 found in plasma. The detection rate for both viral components was associated with viral load at the upper respiratory tract. Median time to SARS-CoV-2-RBD antibody detection was 14 days (range, 4–38) from onset of symptoms. Decreasing antibody levels were observed in parallel to increasing levels of both RNAemia and N-antigenemia, yet overall a fairly modest inverse correlation (Rho = −0.35; P < 0.001) was seen between virus RNAemia and SARS-CoV-2-RBD antibody levels. The data cast doubts on a major involvement of antibodies in virus clearance from the bloodstream within the timeframe examined.
Response comparison of PLC and SLC with magnetic resonance elastography after TACE
Authors: Haas Y. , Dosch M. P. , Vogl T. J.
Published: May 2022

The aim of this study was to detect a response difference in primary (PLC) and secondary liver tumors (SLC) with magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) after TACE therapy. Thirty-one patients (25/31 male; mean age 69.6 years [range: 39–85 years]) with repeated TACE therapy of HCC were compared with twenty-seven patients (27/27 female; mean age 61.2 years [range 39–81 years]) with repeated TACE therapy of metastatic liver disease due to breast cancer. Both groups underwent either one (n = 31) or two (n = 27) repetitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MRE exams in 4- to 6-week intervals using a 1.5-T-scanner. MRE-based liver stiffness and size measurements were evaluated in tumorous lesions and in healthy liver lobe controls. PLC showed a significantly larger tumor size compared to SLC (26.4 cm2 vs. 11 cm2, p = 0.007) and a higher degree of stiffness (5.8 kPa vs. 5.1 kPa, p = 0.04). Both tumors decreased in size during the cycles (PLC: p = 0.8 and SLC: p < 0.0001) and lesions showed an increase in stiffness (PLC: p = 0.002 and SLC: p = 0.006). MRE demonstrates that PLC and SLC have similar responses to TACE therapy. PLC had a greater increase in stiffness and SLC got smaller. An increasing stiffness and decrease in size could show a good response.
Genome analysis in Avena sativa reveals hidden breeding barriers and opportunities for oat improvement
Authors: Tinker Nicholas A. , Wight Charlene P. , Bekele Wubishet A. , Yan Weikai , Jellen Eric N. , Renhuldt Nikos Tsardakas , Sirijovski Nick , Lux Thomas , Spannagl Manuel , Mascher Martin
Published: May 2022

Oat (Avena sativaL.) is an important and nutritious cereal crop, and there is a growing need to identify genes that contribute to improved oat varieties. Here we utilize a newly sequenced and annotated oat reference genome to locate and characterize quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting agronomic and grain-quality traits in five oat populations. We find strong and significant associations between the positions of candidate genes and QTL that affect heading date, as well as those that influence the concentrations of oil and β-glucan in the grain. We examine genome-wide recombination profiles to confirm the presence of a large, unbalanced translocation from chromosome 1 C to 1 A, and a possible inversion on chromosome 7D. Such chromosome rearrangements appear to be common in oat, where they cause pseudo-linkage and recombination suppression, affecting the segregation, localization, and deployment of QTLs in breeding programs.
Navigating the minefield of battery literature
Authors: Xu Kang
Published: May 2022

The field of battery research is highly active with an ever-increasing number of publications. This makes it extremely challenging for researchers to stay on top of the latest developments. In addition, and particularly challenging for those new to the battery field, a number of fundamental errors or inaccuracies frequently occur in published papers, creating additional barriers to understanding an already complicated field. Such errors and inaccuracies are potentially problematic given how battery research is focused toward those materials with promising performance metrics, which subsequently influences where research efforts are placed. This discussion seeks to clarify a few such recurring errors and inaccuracies, including electrolyte ideality, ion conduction and transference, Sand’s time and lithium-dendrite, cycle number and reversibility, and capacity and energy calculations. This discussion is intended to encourage researchers to follow rigorous reporting standards when publishing their battery research, which will help to ensure that findings can be reproduced by others.
Strontium-deficient SrxCoO2–CoO2 nanotubes as a high ampacity and high conductivity material
Authors: Roy Kankona Singha , Hettler Simon , Arenal Raul , Panchakarla Leela S.
Published: May 2022

Misfit SrxCoO2–CoO2 nanotubes are produced in high yields by hydrothermal conversion of Sr6Co5O15 crystals. The nanotubes show high conductivity, high ampacity and high breakdown power, which are highest among regularly used interconnect materials.
Effect of humic acid on phenanthrene removal by constructed wetlands using birnessite as a substrate
Authors: Shen Xiaotong , Zhang Jian , Xie Huijun , Liang Shuang , Ngo Huu Hao , Guo Wenshan
Published: May 2022

An enhanced birnessite constructed wetland for phenanthrene removal is proposed based on HA coated biochar and the strengthening mechanism is reported.
Correlation among the structural, electric and magnetic properties of Al3+ substituted Ni–Zn–Co ferrites
Authors: Jahan Nusrat , Khan M. N. I. , Hasan M. R. , Bashar M. S. , Islam A. , Alam M. K. , Hakim M. A. , Khandaker J. I.
Published: May 2022

This study explored the structural, electrical, and magnetic properties of diamagnetic aluminium (Al3+) substituted nickel–zinc–cobalt (Ni–Zn–Co) mixed spinel ferrites, though the research on this area is in the infancy stage.
Picomolar level electrochemical detection of hydroquinone, catechol and resorcinol simultaneously using a MoS2 nano-flower decorated graphene
Authors: Nair J.S Arya , S Saisree. , Sandhya K. Y.
Published: May 2022

A Graphene-Molybdenum disulphide nanocomposite was developed for the simultaneous electrochemical detection of dihydroxy benzene isomers attributed to the structural aspects.
A highly sensitive electrochemical biosensor for Hg2+ based on entropy-driven DNA walker-based amplification
Authors: Hu Liuyin , Cui Jiahua , Wang Yalin , Jia Jinping
Published: May 2022

Combining the advantages of sensitivity, miniaturization, and portability of electrochemical method with the selectivity of DNA walker, an electrochemical biosensor based on entropy-driven DNA walker amplification was developed for Hg2+ detection.
One sample fits all: a microfluidic-assisted methodology for label-free isolation of CTCs with downstream methylation analysis of cfDNA in lung cancer
Authors: Carvalho Ângela , Guimarães-Teixeira Catarina , Constâncio Vera , Fernandes Mariana , Macedo-Silva Catarina , Henrique Rui , Monteiro Fernando Jorge , Jerónimo Carmen
Published: May 2022

Combinatorial assessment of lung cancer biomarkers via microfluidics-assisted liquid biopsy.
An injectable and self-healing hydrogel with antibacterial and angiogenic properties for diabetic wound healing
Authors: Liu Xuexia , Zhou Sijie , Cai Biying , Wang Yanan , Deng Dan , Wang Xiaolei
Published: May 2022

A multifunctional platform based on simple molecules for the treatment of diabetic wounds. This platform integrates broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and vascularization, which can dramatically accelerate tissue repair.
Polyamine receptors containing anthracene as fluorescent probes for ketoprofen in H2O/EtOH solution
Authors: Romano Giammarco Maria , Mummolo Liviana , Savastano Matteo , Paoli Paola , Rossi Patrizia , Prodi Luca , Bencini Andrea
Published: May 2022

Triamine-based receptors containing 2 anthracene units are able to signal ketoprofen in H2O/EtOH solution via fluorescence emission enhancement, exploiting a proton transfer process upon substrate coordination.
Cerium-induced lattice disordering in Co-based nanocatalysts promoting the hydrazine electro-oxidation behavior
Authors: Li Jiechen , Dong Changgang , Guo Min , Gao Wen , Kang Luyao , Lei Fengcai , Hao Pin , Xie Junfeng , Tang Bo
Published: May 2022

In this work, Ce incorporation in encapsulated Co-based nanocatalysts was achieved, leading to the formation of lattice-disordered oxide nanolayers with enriched active sites and optimized intrinsic activity for hydrazine electro-oxidation.
Crystal growth of SmxY1−xCa4O(BO3)3 for piezoelectric applications at high temperature
Authors: Xiong Kainan , Tu Xiaoniu , Man Zhenyong , Wang Sheng , Zheng Yanqing , Karaki Tomoaki , Shi Erwei
Published: May 2022

Various 2 inch SmxY1−xCa4O(BO3)3 (SmxY1−xCOB) crystals with good quality were grown successfully along the <010> axis by the Czochralski method.
Where the extraordinaries meet: a cascade of isosymmetrical superionic phase transitions and negative thermal expansion in a novel silver salt-inclusion borate halide
Authors: Volkov Sergey N. , Charkin Dmitri O. , Arsentev Maxim Yu. , Aksenov Sergey M. , Manelis Lev S. , Krzhizhanovskaya Maria G. , Sinelshchikova Olga Yu. , Ugolkov Valery L. , Povolotskiy Alexey V. , Shilovskikh Vladimir V. , Antonov Andrey A. , Bubnova Rimma S.
Published: May 2022

A new silver iodide borate, Ag3B6O10I, is presented as a promising solid-state electrolyte with a δ ↔ γ ↔ β ↔ α cascade of the isosymmetric superionic phase transitions.
Three-dimensional mesoporous ultrathin monometallic cobalt layered double hydroxides nanomaterials as efficient NO2 gas sensor at room temperature
Authors: Luo Shuiting , Lv Mingyue , Tian Ye , Jiang Lin , Li Li , Shi Keying
Published: May 2022

Monometallic cobalt layered double hydroxides (Co-LDHs) are prepared using a simple one-step hydrothermal method by adjusting the amount of the functional agent MIm to obtain a NO2 gas sensor with excellent sensing characteristics.
2D lead-free organic–inorganic hybrid exhibiting dielectric and structural phase transition at higher temperatures
Authors: Shao Ting , Gong Jun Miao , Liu Jia , Han Li Jun , Chen Ming , Jia Qiangqiang , Fu Da Wei , Lu Hai-Feng
Published: May 2022

A novel switchable molecular dielectric material [3-3-difluorocyclobutylammonium]2CdCl4 was synthesized. It shows a reversible phase transition at 353.95 K and rapid switching and reversibility between high and low dielectric states for several cycles.
Similarity between the redox potentials of 3d transition-metal ions in polyanionic insertion materials and aqueous solutions
Authors: Ariyoshi Kingo
Published: May 2022

The redox potentials of the transition-metal ions in polyanionic materials with three distinct structures (olivine, NASICON, and MOXO4-type structures) were very similar to those in aqueous solution (aqua-complexes of [M(H2O)6]n+).
Nanoparticles can modulate network topological defects during multimodal elastomer formation
Authors: Sriramoju Kishore Kumar , Rath Sangram K. , Sarkar Debargha , Sudarshan Kathi , Pujari Pradeep K. , Harikrishnan G.
Published: May 2022

We ask, do nanoparticles influence topological defects during a molecularly controlled elastomeric synthesis? If so, how?
Porous organic polymers in solar cells
Authors: Zhang Tianyi , Gregoriou Vasilis G. , Gasparini Nicola , Chochos Christos L.
Published: May 2022

Porous organic polymers (POPs) are unique materials for solar cells. From photoactive layer to charge transporting layer, this review discuss the challenges and opportunities for POPs presence in organic, perovskite, and dye-sensitized solar cells.
The integration of bio-catalysis and electrocatalysis to produce fuels and chemicals from carbon dioxide
Authors: Tan Xinyi , Nielsen Jens
Published: May 2022

The integration of bio-catalysis and electrocatalysis advanced CO2 utilization.
Brønsted acid-enhanced CoMoS catalysts for hydrodeoxygenation reactions
Authors: Zhang Yijin , Liu Tangkang , Jia Hongyan , Xia Qineng , Hong Xinlin , Liu Guoliang
Published: May 2022

Brønsted solid acids greatly promote the hydrodeoxygenation activity of CoMoS catalysts through weakening Car–O bonds by protonation of the OH group.
[Mo3S13]2−as bidirectional cluster catalysts for high-performance Li–S batteries
Authors: Ma Zhiyuan , Gu Jie , Jiang Xinyuan , Yang Guang , Wu Zhen , Xie Ju , Chen Ming , Ni Lubin , Diao Guowang
Published: May 2022

[Mo3S13]2−bidirectional cluster catalysts combined with mesoporous carbon hollow spheres (MCHS) as a sulfur host material can improve the performance of Li–S batteries.
Tin-anchored Ti3C2 quantum dots with high conductivity for efficient photocatalytic reduction
Authors: Yuan Zhenting , Tian Wenrou , Ren Tingting , Han Jun , Li Najun , Chen Dongyun , Lu Jianmei
Published: May 2022

Sn-TQDs with excellent conductivity were prepared by homogeneously anchoring Sn2+ around Ti3C2 quantum dots as electron mediators for improving the photocatalytic reduction.