bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of optimized phase locked loop for grid synchronization of solar PV system under grid disturbances
Authors: Kumar Jalan Subham , Chitti Babu B.
Published: July 2023

In this work, an optimal phase locked loop (PLL) is employed to estimate the fundamental grid frequency and phase angle under grid disturbances, which largely reduces the frequency and phase error. Conventional synchronous reference frame (SRF) offers considerable results for balanced grid conditions but has poor performance under grid disturbances with improper phase detection. In this regard, gravitational search algorithm (GSA)‐based optimization is utilized to optimally tune the proportional and integral (PI) gain values of conventional SRF PLL, which ensures the proper tracking of fundamental phase angle and frequency even during abnormal grid conditions, that is, voltage unbalance, frequency variations, high‐frequency harmonics, and phase variations. Further, integral square error (ISE) criteria, settling time, and overshoot are considered as objective functions to obtain the optimal value of current gain, present in the control loop of a grid‐tied solar photovoltaic (PV) system. The supremacy of the proposed work, compared to SRF and optimal SRF PLL, is tested with MATLAB®/Simulink studies and verified by dSPACE‐1104‐based hardware‐in‐loop (HIL) results for real‐time validation.
Mechanism of action of gut microbiota and probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG on skeletal remodeling in mice
Authors: Tyagi Abdul Malik
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Gut microbiota (GM) is the collection of small organisms such as bacteria, fungi, bacteriophages and protozoans living in the intestine in symbiotics relation within their host. GM regulates host metabolism by various mechanisms.

Methods

This review aims to consolidate current information for physicians on the effect of GM on bone health. For this, an online search of the literature was conducted using the keywords gut microbiota, bone mass, osteoporosis, Lactobacillus and sex steroid.

Results and Conclusions

There is a considerable degree of variation in bone mineral density (BMD) within populations, and it is estimated that a significant component of BMD variability is due to genetics. However, the remaining causes of bone mass variance within populations remain largely unknown. A well‐recognized cause of phenotypic variation in bone mass is the composition of the microbiome. Studies have shown that germ‐free (GF) mice have higher bone mass compared to conventionally raised (CR) mice. Furthermore, GM dysbiosis, also called dysbacteriosis, is defined as any alteration in the composition of the microbial community that has been colonized in the host intestine and associated with the development of bone diseases. For instance, postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO) and diabetes. GM can be modulated by several factors such as genetics, age, drugs, food habits and probiotics. Probiotics are defined as viable bacteria that confer health benefits by modulating GM when administered in adequate quantity. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) is a great example of such a probiotic. LGG has been shown to regulate bone mass in healthy mice as well as ovariectomized (OVX) mice via two different mechanisms. This review will focus on the literature regarding the mechanism by which GM and probiotic LGG regulate bone mass in healthy mice as well as in OVX mice, a model of PMO.
Erucic acid ameliorates the lipopolysaccharide‐induced memory deficit in rats through inhibited inflammation cytokines expression/caspase 3/NF‐κB pathways
Authors: Sayyed Nadeem , Hafeez Abdul , Al‐Abbasi Fahad A. , Omer Asma B , AlGhamdi Shareefa A. , Alghamdi Amira M. , Sheikh Rayan A. , Kazmi Imran
Published: July 2023

Erucic acid is a single unsaturated fatty acid that falls under the omega‐9 fatty acid family. It was suggested to treat Wistar rats with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced memory impairment and minimize cognitive impairment. A total of 30 animals were randomized: group I was normally treated group, group II was administered with LPS, group III was treated with LPS along with erucic acid at the dose of 10 mg kg–1 p.o.–1, group IV was treated with LPS along with erucic acid at 20 mg kg–1 p.o.–1 and group V was the erucic acid per se group provided at the dose of 20 mg kg–1 p.o.–1 per se. Behavioral tests were evaluated by using the Morris water maze and Y‐maze. Biochemical analysis including acetylcholine esterase (AChE), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), glutathione (GSH), catalase activity (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and nitric oxide (NO) along with proinflammatory mediators tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), caspase 3, and neuroinflammatory biomarker (nuclear factor kappa B‐NF‐κB) were measured. Erucic acid produced substantial behavioral improvement in the Y‐maze test, including spontaneous alterations and reduced latency time during acquisition, and a longer duration of time in the consolidation phase undergoing the MWM test. Furthermore, erucic acid improved the AChE, proinflammatory markers, and oxidative stress as well as restoring endogenous antioxidant levels, ChAT, caspase 3, and NF‐κB levels. Erucic acid may be a therapeutic component for conditions related to memory disorders such as memory impairment, enhances memory functioning, and protects against neuronal damage.
Direct Electrochemical Ritter‐Type Amination of Electron‐Deficient Arenes
Authors: Fu Youtian , Zhang Ling , Sun Maolin , Cao Liming , Yang Lei , Cheng Ruihua , Ma Yueyue , Ye Jinxing
Published: July 2023

Due to the high oxidation potentials of electron‐deficient aromatic hydrocarbons, it is difficult to achieve the direct oxidative C(sp2)−H bonds functionalizations of such substrates. Herein, we develop a Ritter‐type amination of electron‐deficient aromatics by merging electricity and sulfate. This practical and straightforward method provides a series of acetanilides from simple electron‐deficient arenes, including mono‐, di‐ and tri‐substituted arenes (22 examples, up to 75 %) with moderate to good yields under mild conditions. This method is characterized by cheap and readily available regents, atom and step economy.
Catalyst‐Free [3+2] Cycloaddition of Isoquinolinium/Pyridinium Ylides and Electron‐Deficient Alkenes
Authors: Zhou Xueting , Shi Jun , Song Jun‐Rong , Pan Wei‐Dong , Ren Hai , Wu Wei
Published: July 2023

The development of simple‐to‐operate methods for the preparation of indolizidine derivatives are of great importance. A mild one‐pot protocol for the [3+2] cycloaddition of isoquinolinium/pyridinium ylides and electron‐deficient alkenes using NaBH3CN as reductant has been developed. The protocol has a broad substrate scope (more than 40 examples) and provides various novel hexahydroindolizidine derivatives in high yields and excellent diastereoselectivities (up to >20/1).
Effect of a visual dual task on postural stability—A comparative study using linear and nonlinear methods
Authors: Ghamari Narges , Ghaderpanah Rezvan , Sadrian Seyed Hassan , Fallah Nahid
Published: July 2023

Background and Aims

The dual‐task experimental paradigm is used to study the attentional demands of postural control. Postural control is impaired in poststroke patients, and dual‐task balance studies address the visual needs of postural control in stroke patients. A nonlinear approach can help us understand the overall behavior of the dynamic system.

Methods

A total of 20 chronic stroke patients and 20 healthy subjects with similar age, height, and weight participated in this study. The stability and complexity of postural control were assessed using linear and nonlinear methods. All data and parameters (center of pressure [COP] velocity, anteroposterior and mediolateral directions displacement, length of COP path, and phase plane) were analyzed using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test.

Results

When postural control was examined based on linear analysis, the results showed that the main effect of the group was not significant, but the main impact of position was significant for all parameters of the COP variation (p < 0.05). Examination of postural control based on nonlinear analysis also showed that the main effect of the group was not significant, and the main effect of status was significant only for the parameters of approximate entropy in both directions and short‐term Lyapunov view in the anterior‐posterior direction (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

According to the results of this study, the assessment of postural control and gait performance in poststroke patients, as well as the dual tasks they have to perform in daily life, is crucial for their independence in activities of daily living.
Alarming rise in HIV cases in Pakistan: Challenges and future recommendations at hand
Authors: Aizaz Muhammad , Abbas Farrakh Ali , Abbas Arshad , Tabassum Shehroze , Obeagu Emmanuel Ifeanyi
Published: July 2023

Background

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that suppresses the immune system by reducing the CD4+ T lymphocytes level. It has become a global challenge with fast prevalence ratio. Like other developing countries, Pakistan is also struggling for overcoming this viral disease since very first reported case in 1987.

Aim

To update the society on the alarming rise in HIV cases in Pakistan: challenges and future recommendations at hand.

Materials and Methods

The review paper utilized different search engines such pubmed central, scopus, web of science, google scholar etc. to conduct this review paper.

Results

Lack of awareness, low literacy rate, practice of unhygienic equipment in healthcare departments, unstable economy, and unsafe sexual practices are the major factors behind the increasing rate of AIDS in Pakistan.

Conclusion

By regulating healthcare practices and policies, promoting psychological counseling to HIV positive patients, educating the society and minimizing commercial sex practices, Pakistan can overcome this viral disease.
Irrational use of antibiotics and factors associated with antibiotic resistance: Findings from a cross‐sectional study in Bangladesh
Authors: Hossain Md. Jamal , Jabin Nasrin , Ahmmed Foyez , Sultana Arifa , Abdur Rahman S. M. , Islam Md. Rabiul
Published: July 2023

Background and aims

Irrational antibiotic (AB) usage poses a serious concern to third‐world countries because of poor surveillance, lack of information, and patients' propensity for self‐medication. Additionally, the unpredictability of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic promoted the abuse of ABs, which accelerated the prevalence of antibiotic resistance (ABR). The primary aim of this study was to assess the pattern of AB usage and irrational use of ABs‐related potential factors associated with ABR among the students and teachers of a leading public university of Bangladesh.

Methods

A cross‐sectional web‐based survey was conducted among the students and teachers (n = 783) of the selected university, from January 1 to February 28, 2022. Descriptive statistics, χ2 test, and logistic regression analysis were employed to analyze the collected data.

Results

The regression analysis supported that male participants had a 34% lower experience of acquiring ABR than female respondents (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.448, 0.973; p = 0.036). The 1st/2nd‐year level students had more than two times higher experience with ABR than the master's or higher‐class students (AOR = 2.149, 95% CI = 1.047, 4.412; p = 0.037). The participants who took ABs for 4–6 days showed more than two times ABR experience than those who took ABs for above 10 days (AOR = 2.016, 95% CI = 1.016, 4.003; p = 0.045). Respondents who finished their AB medication (dose completion) had a 57% less chance of acquiring ABR than the participants who did not complete their dose.

Conclusion

This study found that irrational use of ABs is more prevalent among the youth and female participants. At this stage, there is an urgent need for comprehensive statutory AB control rules, as well as measures for appropriate information, education, and surveillance throughout different groups of Bangladesh.
Natural convection laminar flow between two vertical walls with a nonlinear variation of density and viscosity with temperature
Authors: Nagaraja H. G. , Gireesha B. J.
Published: July 2023

Under the combined influence of buoyancy force and constant pressure gradient, the free convection flow and heat transmission inside a channel placed vertically and consisting of two parallel walls are examined. Through the application of the Runge–Kutta fourth‐order approach and the shooting procedure, the modeled equations of the problem including nonlinear density–temperature and quadratic viscosity–temperature change at constant but different wall temperatures are numerically solved. For distinct values of the embedded parameters, the fluctuations in fluid's velocity and temperature are examined. For various situations of linear, quadratic, and nonlinear dependence of density on temperature, numerical values for heat transmission rate, volume flow rate and skin friction are determined and tabulated. The fluctuations of the Nusselt number with the Grashof number corresponding to thermal expansion coefficients are depicted through graphical interpretations. It was found that the combined effect of thermal expansion coefficients raises the values of the physical entities, Nusselt number, volume flow rate, and heat transmission rate. For the lower Reynolds number values, the Nusselt number value stays around one, indicating the same impact of conduction and convection on heat transmission.
The effect of diet and nutrition on T cell function in cancer
Authors: Zhou Xinyi , Wang Zhen , Yuan Kefei
Published: July 2023

Cancer can be considered one of the most threatening diseases to human health, and immunotherapy, especially T‐cell immunotherapy, is the most promising treatment for cancers. Diet therapy is widely concerned in cancer because of its safety and fewer side effects. Many studies have shown that both the function of T cells and the progression of cancer can be affected by nutrients in the diet. In fact, it is challenging for T cells to infiltrate and eliminate cancer cells in tumor microenvironment, because of the harsh metabolic condition. The intake of different nutrients has a great influence on the proliferation, activation, differentiation and exhaustion of T cells. In this review, we summarize the effects of typical amino acids, lipids, carbohydrates and other nutritional factors on T cell functions and provide future perspectives for dietary treatment of cancer based on modifications of T cell functions.
Does ESG investing pay‐off? An analysis of the Eurozone area before and during the Covid‐19 pandemic
Authors: Asteriou Dimitrios , Pilbeam Keith , Pouliot William
Published: July 2023

We examine whether the stock return performance of 620 Eurozone companies based on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings both before and during the Covid‐19 pandemic on both a nominal and risk adjusted basis. We also look at how country level governance indicators interact with our samples of ESGHigh and ESGLow companies to affect both nominal and risk adjusted investment returns. We use both panel data and cross‐sectional regressions as well as the difference‐in‐differences approach to derive the empirical results. We generally find some evidence that highly rated ESG firms performed slightly worse than lower rated ESG both overall and during the pandemic. However, once we control for governance at the country level, we find that in high governance scoring countries ESGHigh companies perform better than ESGLow companies. Finally, when we examine the relative performance of EU companies compared to companies in economies less impacted by the Covid‐19 pandemic, namely South Korea and Australia, we find that during the pandemic, the South Korean and Australian companies performed much better than their counterparts in Europe.
First case report of robot‐assisted radical cystectomy for bladder cancer that developed after salvage radiotherapy following radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer
Authors: Oka Suguru , Sakaguchi Kazushige , Hayashida Michikata , Ito Shinji , Kurosawa Kazuhiro , Urakami Shinji
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Robot‐assisted radical cystectomy for bladder cancer that develops after curative treatment for prostate cancer has not yet been reported.

Case presentation

A 65‐year‐old man underwent radical prostatectomy and received salvage radiotherapy after his postoperative prostate‐specific antigen level failed to decrease. Nine years after radiotherapy, local recurrence and lung/bone metastases were observed, and he was started on androgen deprivation therapy. In the following year, he was diagnosed with nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer. He underwent transurethral resection of the bladder tumor once but had multiple recurrences within 3 months. As hematuria could not be controlled by transurethral surgery, he underwent robot‐assisted radical cystectomy without rectal injury. Since then, there has been no recurrence of either bladder or prostate cancer.

Conclusion

This is the first report of a successful robot‐assisted radical cystectomy for bladder cancer that developed after local salvage radiotherapy following radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer.
Effort and effort discounting as predictors of seeking psychotherapy among individuals with depression
Authors: Trusty Wilson T. , Swift Joshua K.
Published: July 2023

Objectives

Many individuals who experience depression do not seek psychotherapy, and past research has had limited success in predicting help‐seeking in this population. Accounting for behavioral characteristics of depression that affect help‐seeking decisions, such as effort discounting (devaluation of rewards as a function of effort), may address this gap.

Methods

Individuals with moderate‐severe depression symptoms who were not in psychotherapy (N = 253) reported their depression symptom severity and the amount of effort they anticipated seeking psychotherapy would require; they also completed a behavioral measure of effort discounting. At a 3‐month follow‐up, they reported whether they initiated psychotherapy during the follow‐up period.

Results

Depression symptom severity was associated with perceptions that seeking psychotherapy would be more effortful. In turn, perceptions that seeking psychotherapy would be more effortful prospectively predicted a lower likelihood of initiating psychotherapy. Effort discounting was unrelated to psychotherapy use.

Conclusions

These results suggest that differences in the anticipated effort required to seek psychotherapy can increase depressed individuals' risk of going untreated. Future research may test whether reducing the effort of seeking psychotherapy increases psychotherapy use among those with depression. For instance, streamlining insurance enrollment procedures, implementing patient decision aids, or offering telehealth treatment options may be beneficial.
Underweight status and development of end‐stage kidney disease: A nationwide population‐based study
Authors: Kim Chang Seong , Oh Tae Ryom , Suh Sang Heon , Choi Hong Sang , Bae Eun Hui , Ma Seong Kwon , Kim Bongseong , Han Kyung‐Do , Kim Soo Wan
Published: July 2023

Background

Underweight status increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in the general population. However, whether underweight status is associated with an increased risk of developing end‐stage kidney disease is unknown.

Methods

A total of 9 845 420 participants aged ≥20 years who underwent health checkups were identified from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database and analysed. Individuals with underweight (body mass index [BMI] < 18.5 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) were categorized according to the World Health Organization recommendations for Asian populations.

Results

During a mean follow‐up period of 9.2 ± 1.1 years, 26 406 participants were diagnosed with end‐stage kidney disease. After fully adjusting for other potential predictors, the moderate to severe underweight group (<17 kg/m2) had a significantly higher risk of end‐stage kidney disease than that of the reference (normal) weight group (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.563; 95% confidence interval, 1.337–1.828), and competing risk analysis to address the competing risk of death also showed the similar results (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.228; 95% confidence interval, 1.042–1.448). Compared with that of the reference BMI group (24–25 kg/m2), the adjusted hazard ratios for end‐stage kidney disease increased as the BMI decreased by 1 kg/m2. In the sensitivity analysis, sustained underweight status or progression to underweight status over two repeated health checkups, when compared with normal weight status, had a higher hazard ratio for end‐stage kidney disease.

Conclusions

Underweight status is associated with an increased risk of end‐stage kidney disease, and this association gradually strengthens as BMI decreases.
Identification of blood cell changes in pediatric oncological patients through Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Daniel Camila Ribeiro , Pacheco Marcos Tadeu Tavares , Lima Ana Mara Ferreira , de Brito Pedro Luiz , Silveira Landulfo
Published: July 2023

This study aimed to use the Raman spectroscopy technique to identify biochemical changes in blood cell samples of healthy, leukemic, and non‐leukemic subjects by principal component analysis (PCA) and to discriminate the groups by partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA). For the study, 121 blood samples were collected from healthy children and adolescents among those with leukemia and other types of cancer (non‐leukemics). A volume of 80 μl of blood cells was placed in an aluminum sample holder and submitted to dispersive Raman spectroscopy (laser: 830 nm and 250 mW), with an exposure time of 30 s. A total of 308 Raman spectra were analyzed and indicated significant differences in the bands referred to nucleic acids (671 and 756 cm−1), amino acids (671, 1,215, and 1,544 cm−1), proteins (756, 1,215, 1,430, 1,531, and 1,548 cm−1), β‐carotene (1,531 cm−1), and cytochrome c (756 and 1,371 cm−1), showing higher intensity in normal samples. The analysis of the PCA variables (PCs) showed that there was a higher concentration of cytochrome c (633, 749, 855, 1,004, 1,127, 1,212, 1,370, 1,433, 1,531, and 1,614 cm−1), in the normal samples, and a higher concentration of phenylalanine (1,004 cm−1) was observed in the leukemic samples with statistically significant (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Discriminant analysis by PLS‐DA model classified the spectra into the groups normal (healthy), leukemic, and non‐leukemic with accuracy of 67.5%; when considering normal versus cancer, the accuracy increased to 98.3%, with sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 87.8%. Results demonstrated the applicability of Raman spectroscopy for analyzing biochemical compounds in blood cells, thus identifying the spectral differences between the groups normal, leukemic, and non‐leukemic (with other types of cancer). However, it presented a low accuracy due to classification errors when discriminating between the groups leukemic and non‐leukemic.
Sustained Effects of Capsaicin Infusion into the Oropharynx on Swallowing in Perfused Rats
Authors: Kaneko Mami , Sugiyama Yoichiro , Munekawa Ryoto , Kinoshita Shota , Mukudai Shigeyuki , Umezaki Toshiro , Dutschmann Mathias , Hirano Shigeru
Published: July 2023

Objectives

To examine the sustained effects of oropharyngeal capsaicin stimulation on the regulation of swallowing, we recorded the swallowing‐related nerve activities during continuous infusion of capsaicin solution into the oropharynx.

Methods

In 33 in situ perfused brainstem preparation of rats, we recorded the activities of the vagus, hypoglossal, and phrenic nerves during fictive swallowing. The interburst intervals (IBIs) of the swallowing‐related nerves during sequential pharyngeal swallowing (sPSW) elicited by electrical stimulation of the superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) during concurrent capsaicin stimulation of 10, 1, and 0.1 μM (n = 28) were compared with those during oropharyngeal infusion of saline (control) (n = 5).

Results

The IBIs during SLN‐induced sPSW were reduced at 5 min after initiation of continuous infusion of 10 and 1 μM capsaicin solution. The IBIs showed significant decreases to −25.8 ± 6.9%, −25.9 ± 5.3, −18.3 ± 3.7, and −12.0 ± 1.6 at 30 min following 1 μM capsaicin stimulation at SLN stimulus conditions at 5 Hz of 1.2 times threshold, 10 Hz of 40 μA, 5 Hz of 60 μA, and 10 Hz of 60 μA, respectively. Continuous capsaicin stimulation of 0.1 μM solution did not show significant sustained effects.

Conclusion

Pharmacological stimulation of capsaicin could provide time‐dependent effects on the likelihood of swallowing, particularly subserving sustained facilitation of swallowing reflex with appropriate concentration of capsaicin.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 134:305–314, 2024
Effectiveness of vocal fold medialization surgery on the swallowing function of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis
Authors: Kono Takeyuki , Tomisato Shuta , Ozawa Hiroyuki
Published: July 2023

Objectives

Vocal fold medialization surgery is generally considered a phonosurgical procedure for improvement of vocal function in patients with glottic insufficiency. However, the literature describing this procedure for the management of dysphagia is limited. This study aims to assess the effects of medialization surgery on swallowing function in patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP).

Methods

We enrolled 32 patients with UVFP undergoing vocal fold medialization surgery (medialization laryngoplasty combined with arytenoid adduction [ML + AA], 12 cases; injection laryngoplasty [IL], 20 cases). We assessed the aerodynamic vocal function including maximum phonation time and mean flow rate to evaluate glottal closure status. The Hyodo score determined by flexible endoscopic evaluation and Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) were evaluated pre‐ and postoperatively.

Results

Almost 60% of patients with UVFP had dysphagia, and one‐third were at high risk for aspiration. Aerodynamic parameters effectively improved after IL and ML + AA. With regard to swallowing, both the FOIS and total Hyodo score were significantly improved postoperatively. We found a particularly significant improvement in pharyngeal clearance. However, patients with high vagal nerve paralysis and postoperative insufficient glottal closure showed poor swallowing benefits after the interventions. In patients with recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, there were no significant differences in postoperative swallowing function between the ML + AA and IL groups.

Conclusion

Vocal fold medialization surgery was effective in improving swallowing function in most cases with UVFP, except for those with high vagal paralysis and insufficient postoperative glottal closure. Both IL and ML + AA showed an equivalent effect on swallowing improvement.

Level of evidence

3b.
Post‐Passivation of Perovskite Quantum Dots by Conjugated Molecules for Spectrally Stable and Efficient Deep Blue Light‐Emitting Diodes
Authors: Shen Chenyang , Gan Yiyang , Zhang Shuai , Qiu Weidong , Li Jiayu , Liu Denghui , Sun Guanwei , Liu Zhe , Yang Guo‐Xi , Peng Xiaomei , Shi Shiping , Li Ming‐De , Su Shi‐Jian
Published: July 2023

Perovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs) are promising candidates for displays and solid‐state lighting due to their tunable colors, high conversion efficiency, and low cost. However, the performance of deep blue PeLEDs lags far behind that of near‐infrared, red, and green ones. Here, the ligand concentration on the perovskite surface is regulated by introducing a small organic molecule 3‐(5,9‐dioxa‐13b‐boranaphtho [3,2,1‐d,e] anthracene‐7‐yl)‐9‐phenyl‐9H‐carbazole (BOCzPh) to reduce the defects in the mixed‐halogen perovskite lattice and improve the exciton binding energy of perovskite quantum dots (QDs). Finally, deep blue PeLEDs with an emission peak at 469 nm, a peak external quantum efficiency of 2.8%, and a maximum brightness of 851 cd m−2 are obtained. Owing to the post‐passivation of QDs by BOCzPh molecules, the emission spectra of the mixed‐halide perovskites are stabilized and the luminous efficiency of the devices is improved simultaneously. This work provides a new approach to realize spectrally stable and efficient deep blue PeLEDs.
Representation theorems for regular operators
Authors: Pliev Marat , Popov Mikhail
Published: July 2023

We elaborate, strengthen, and generalize known representation theorems by different authors for regular operators on vector and Banach lattices. Our main result asserts, in particular, that every regular linear operator T acting from a vector lattice E with the principal projection property to a Dedekind complete vector lattice F, which is an ideal of some order continuous Banach lattice G, admits a unique representation , where is the sum of an absolutely order summable family of disjointness preserving operators and is an order narrow (= diffuse) operator. Our main contribution is waiver of the order continuity assumption on T. In proofs, we use new techniques that allow obtaining more general results for a wider class of orthogonally additive operators, which has somewhat different order structure than the linear subspace of linear operators.
Church charity fundraising in a decreasingly religious society: Case of the Three Kings Collection in the Czech Republic
Authors: Dostál Jakub , Hyánek Vladimír
Published: July 2023

Our research addresses the research gap of church charity fundraising in times of decreasing religiosity in the context of post‐communist countries while reflecting international trends. However, the research gap can also be understood more broadly as the inadequate understanding of faith‐based charities. We know “relatively little about how faith‐based NGOs practice policy advocacy and even less about their roles in the education and formation of faith communities in the donor countries” (Nelson, Religious voices in the politics of international development, Palgrave Macmillan, 2021, p. 14). The spiritual background of faith‐based charities and the impact of that background on society have been completely unexplored in the Czech context. The paper examines the “Three Kings Collection” (TKC), an annual fundraising event, during which tens of thousands of volunteer carolers dress as the three kings on their way to meet the newborn Jesus, visiting public places in cities and going door‐to‐door in villages, singing the Three Kings Carol, and asking for donations to the Caritas mission to help people in need. The paper aims to identify the size and scope of the revenues of the TKC and the size, scope, and value of volunteering against a background of decreasing religiosity and declining trust in churches. We also identify the Caritas strategies for overcoming periods of crisis and the challenges facing the TKC that may intensify over time. We articulate the research implications in the field of national and international giving and volunteering.
Evidence for a causal effect of major depressive disorder, anxiety on prostatitis risk: A univariate and multivariate Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhang Yong , Peng Rui , Chen Zhan , Zhang Wei , Liu Zhenmin , Xu Siyang , Zhu Hua , Chen Jiangang , Zheng Bing
Published: July 2023

Background

Observational studies have shown an association between major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety, and prostatitis. However, the causal relationship between MDD, anxiety, and prostatitis remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to use two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess the causal effects of MDD and anxiety on prostatitis.

Methods

We conducted univariable and multivariable MR analyses using summary statistics from publicly available genome‐wide association studies to estimate the causal relationships between MDD, anxiety, and prostatitis risk. In the main MR analysis, the inverse‐variance weighted (IVW) method was used, while secondary methods included the weighted median, weighted mode, MR‐Egger regression, and MR pleiotropy residual and outlier (MR‐PRESSO) tests to detect and correct for the presence of pleiotropy.

Results

MDD had 97 independent instrumental variables (IVs) and anxiety had 15 IVs. Univariable MR analysis showed that genetically determined MDD had a detrimental causal effect on prostatitis (IVW: odds ratio [OR] = 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.12–1.92, p = 0.005), while no causal relationship was found between anxiety and prostatitis (IVW: OR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.02–2.82, p = 0.26). More convincingly, after adjusting for confounding factors such as body mass index, alcohol consumption, and smoking, the genetic liability for MDD remained associated with prostatitis risk, with no strong evidence of anxiety affecting prostatitis incidence.

Conclusion

This study supports the notion that MDD has a detrimental effect on prostatitis risk, and strategies focused on addressing MDD may be one of the cornerstones for treating prostatitis. The potential preventive value of treating MDD for prostatitis should be further investigated in future research.
Curdione inhibits ferroptosis in isoprenaline‐induced myocardial infarction via regulating Keap1/Trx1/GPX4 signaling pathway
Authors: Wang Huihui , Xie Baoping , Shi Shuotao , Zhang Rong , Liang Qi , Liu Zhongqiu , Cheng Yuanyuan
Published: July 2023

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a common disease with high morbidity and mortality. Curdione is a sesquiterpenoid from Radix Curcumae. The current study is aimed to investigate the protective effect and mechanism of curdione on ferroptosis in MI. Isoproterenol (ISO) was used to induce MI injury in mice and H9c2 cells. Curdione was orally given to mice once daily for 7 days. Echocardiography, biochemical kits, and western blotting were performed on the markers of cardiac ferroptosis. Curdione at 50 and 100 mg/kg significantly alleviated ISO‐induced myocardial injury. Curdione and ferrostatin‐1 significantly attenuated ISO‐induced H9c2 cell injury. Curdione effectively suppressed cardiac ferroptosis, evidenced by decreasing malondialdehyde and iron contents, and increasing glutathione (GSH) level, GSH peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and ferritin heavy chain 1 expression. Importantly, drug affinity responsive target stability, molecular docking, and surface plasmon resonance technologies elucidated the direct target Keap1 of curdione. Curdione disrupted the interaction between Keap1 and thioredoxin1 (Trx1) but enhanced the Trx1/GPX4 complex. In addition, curdione‐derived protection against ISO‐induced myocardial ferroptosis was blocked after overexpression of Keap1, while enhanced after Keap1 silence in H9c2 cells. These findings demonstrate that curdione inhibited ferroptosis in ISO‐induced MI via regulating Keap1/Trx1/GPX4 signaling pathway.
Abortion care in women with underlying medical conditions: The role of multidisciplinary team approach in increasing safety of abortion procedures
Authors: Sium Abraham Fessehaye , Prager Sarah , Abubeker Ferid A. , Don Eliseo Lucero‐Prisno , Gudu Wondimu
Published: July 2023

Background

There are no clear data driving most clinical recommendations for abortion care in women with underlying medical conditions, such as cardiac disease. Current abortion practice in such women is based on limited retrospective studies, mainly case reports and case series. In our institution (a tertiary center in Ethiopia), we practice a multidisciplinary team approach to abortion care for patients with medical conditions.

Objective

Describe the value of a multidisciplinary team approach in abortion care in patients with underlying medical conditions.

Methods

This is a retrospective descriptive analysis of abortion care in women with underlying medical conditions (cardiac and noncardiac medical conditions) over a 5‐year period (November 2016–October 2021) at St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College, in Ethiopia. Data were extracted by reviewing patients’ medical records using a structured questionnaire. Simple descriptive statistics were applied for analysis using SPSS version 23. Results are presented as frequencies and percentages.

Results

Fifteen induced abortion cases in women with underlying medical conditions were analyzed, out of which 11 were in women who were critically ill. The median gestational age was 20 weeks. Ten subjects, 10/15 (66.7%), had a cardiac condition, whereas the rest 5/15 (33.3%) were noncardiac cases. Ten out of the 11 critically ill patients were managed under multidisciplinary team approach, and there were no complications encountered. Out of these, 7/10 (70%) received medication abortion care between 19 and 25 weeks gestation, including 5 cardiac patients with New York Heart Association‐III and IV conditions.

Conclusion

In this study, more than three quarters of women with medical conditions who had abortion care were critically ill, and almost all of them were managed with a multidisciplinary team approach. None of the patients suffered a deterioration of their medical conditions, demonstrating the utility of incorporating a multidisciplinary team approach during abortion care for such cases.
Giant cluster formation and integrating role of bridges in social diffusion
Authors: Chang Sungyong , Lee Jeho , Song Jaeyong
Published: July 2023

Research Summary

In social networks, isolated subgroups often aggregate into a massively connected subgroup, or a giant cluster, when bridges are built across subgroups. To understand the roles of bridges in integrating subgroups, we develop models focusing on the percentage of bridges among all ties. When it is below 1%, diffusion does not affect many individuals because the system is merely a collection of fragmented subgroups. Near 1%, however, we find that a slight increase in the percentage of bridges leads to sudden widespread diffusion across many subgroups. This dramatic change stems from a threshold‐like structural characteristic of the network whereby previously fragmented subgroups come together abruptly. Our findings suggest that this integrating role of bridges is an important piece missing from the literature on small‐world networks.

Managerial Summary

Our findings suggest that the formation of a giant cluster could be a structural precondition for large‐scale diffusion. Detection of such clusters may allow prognostication of the possibility of large‐scale diffusion. With the rise of social media and the availability of large amounts of social network data, the ability to detect giant clusters seems to be more attainable than in the past; such an ability would be a source of competitive advantage. We describe methods of detecting giant clusters and analyzing their structural properties using readily available social network data. With these methods, entrepreneurs and established firms can stimulate user adoption by targeting massive clusters of aggregated subgroups and spreading viral messages about their new products or services throughout the clusters.
3D Printing‐Enabled Design and Manufacturing Strategies for Batteries: A Review
Authors: Fonseca Nathan , Thummalapalli Sri Vaishnavi , Jambhulkar Sayli , Ravichandran Dharneedar , Zhu Yuxiang , Patil Dhanush , Thippanna Varunkumar , Ramanathan Arunachalam , Xu Weiheng , Guo Shenghan , Ko Hyunwoong , Fagade Mofe , Kannan Arunchala M. , Nian Qiong , Asadi Amir , Miquelard‐Garnier Guillaume , Dmochowska Anna , Hassan Mohammad K. , Al‐Ejji Maryam , El‐Dessouky Hassan M. , Stan Felicia , Song Kenan
Published: July 2023

Lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) have significantly impacted the daily lives, finding broad applications in various industries such as consumer electronics, electric vehicles, medical devices, aerospace, and power tools. However, they still face issues (i.e., safety due to dendrite propagation, manufacturing cost, random porosities, and basic & planar geometries) that hinder their widespread applications as the demand for LIBs rapidly increases in all sectors due to their high energy and power density values compared to other batteries. Additive manufacturing (AM) is a promising technique for creating precise and programmable structures in energy storage devices. This review first summarizes light, filament, powder, and jetting‐based 3D printing methods with the status on current trends and limitations for each AM technology. The paper also delves into 3D printing‐enabled electrodes (both anodes and cathodes) and solid‐state electrolytes for LIBs, emphasizing the current state‐of‐the‐art materials, manufacturing methods, and properties/performance. Additionally, the current challenges in the AM for electrochemical energy storage (EES) applications, including limited materials, low processing precision, codesign/comanufacturing concepts for complete battery printing, machine learning (ML)/artificial intelligence (AI) for processing optimization and data analysis, environmental risks, and the potential of 4D printing in advanced battery applications, are also presented.
Achieved 18.9% Efficiency by Fine‐Tuning Non‐Fullerene Acceptor Content to Simultaneously Increase the Short‐Circuit Current and Fill Factor of Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Huang Tianhuan , Zhang Zheling , Liao Qiaogan , Wang Dongjie , Zhang Yang , Geng Shuang , Guan Hao , Cao Ziliang , Huang Yu , Zhang Jian
Published: July 2023

In this study, using PM6:L8‐BO as the main system and non‐fullerene acceptor IDIC as the third component, a series of ternary organic solar cells (TOSCs) are fabricated. The results reveal that IDIC plays a significant role in enhancing the performance of TOSCs by optimizing the morphology of blended films and forming interpenetrating nanostructure. The improved film morphology facilitates exciton dissociation and collection in TOSCs, which causes an increase in the short‐circuit current density (JSC) and fill factor (FF). Further, by optimizing the IDIC content, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of TOSCs reaches 18.9%. Besides, the prepared TOSCs exhibit a JSC of 27.51 mA cm−2 and FF of 76.64%, which are much higher than those of PM6:L8‐BO‐based organic solar cells (OSCs). Furthermore, the addition of IDIC improves the long‐term stability of the OSCs. Meanwhile, TOSCs with a large effective area of 1.00 cm2 have been prepared, which exhibit a PCE of 12.4%. These findings suggest that modifying the amount of the third component can be a useful strategy to construct hight‐efficiency TOSCs with practical application potential.
Eucera bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Eucerini) preserved in their brood cells from late Holocene (middle Neoglacial) palaeosols of southwest Portugal
Authors: Neto de Carvalho Carlos , Baucon Andrea , Badano Davide , Proença Cunha Pedro , Ferreira Cristiana , Figueiredo Silvério , Muñiz Fernando , Belo João , Bernardini Federico , Cachão Mário
Published: July 2023

The c. 100 myr extensive fossil record of bee brood nests and cells (calichnia) in siliciclastic sedimentary deposits, or palaeosols, is virtually devoid of the presence of their producers. The absence of a more specific assignment to a producer of the different ichnogenera of the ichnofamily Celliformidae precludes their use in phylogenetic and palaeobiogeographic studies. Omission surfaces developed in incipient carbonate palaeosols during the late Holocene (middle Neoglacial), c. 2975 yr cal BP, on the southwest coast of mainland Portugal show insect calichnia in dense ichnofabrics dominated by shallow discrete cells (Palmiraichnus castellanosi) and cells at the terminus of vertical shafts. At Carreira Brava, one of the studied sites, bees ready to abandon their cells were found in an exceptional state of preservation inside the sealed brood chambers. The chambers also preserve the inner cell hydrophobic polymerized membrane and remains of the monospecific Brassicaceae‐type pollen provision. Although the cause of mass mortality remains a mystery, oxygen depletion due to sudden flooding of the nesting substrate and consequent or overnight temperature drop, just before emergence, are plausible causes. The anaerobic conditions and later rapid carbonate diagenetic lithification are the likely causes of the preservation of the bees and the inner cell organic membrane. The favourable climate conditions for the development of successive, dense ichnofabrics from an omission suite dominated by bee brood cells may be the result of slightly colder and higher‐precipitation winters during the Neoglacial interval.
One‐Step Synthesis of Hydrogen‐Bonded Microcapsules for pH‐Triggered Protein Release
Authors: Jeon Leekang , Kim Yurim , Yoon Jongsun , Seo Hanjin , Lee Hyomin
Published: July 2023

One‐step microfluidic approach in which interfacial complexation of hydrogen bonding polymers is utilized to prepare pH‐responsive microcapsules is presented. Using water‐in‐oil‐in‐oil‐in‐water (W1/O1/O2/W2) triple‐emulsion droplets as templates, it is shown that polymeric microcapsules with an aqueous core and a shell that consists of two complementary hydrogen bonding polymers, poly(propylene oxide)(PPO) and poly(methacrylic acid)(PMAA), can be prepared in a robust manner. The presence of a buffer layer enables controlled interfacial complexation of PMAA and PPO at the water/oil interface, followed by spontaneous dewetting of the oil droplet to result in hydrogen‐bonded microcapsules dispersed in aqueous media. In addition, it is demonstrated that the permeability of the PPO/PMAA membrane can be readily tuned by varying the molecular weight of PMAA. Furthermore, it is shown that the resulting PPO/PMAA microcapsules are stable at a high salt concentration (>1 m NaCl) unlike analogous capsules prepared through electrostatic complexation while they release the encapsulated protein above the critical pH of which the PMAA ionizes and results in disassembly of the shell membrane.
In Vitro Lipid Lowering Effect of Mixed Carboxymethyl Dietary Fiber from Rosa sterilis Pomace
Authors: Fan Fangyu , Su Jingcheng , Li Han
Published: July 2023

The carboxymethylation of the soluble and insoluble dietary fiber (DF) of Rosa sterilis pomace (RSP) can improve their properties. In this study, the carboxymethyl soluble DF (CSDF) and carboxymethyl insoluble DF (CIDF) of RSP are mixed to prepare the CTDF1/3 (CSDF:CIDF = 1:3) based on previous research, and the lipid lowering effect of CTDF1/3 is evaluated by the cholesterol and bile salt adsorption capacity in vitro. Results show that the cholesterol adsorption content (50.82 mg g−1) of CTDF1/3 is higher than that (35.18 mg g−1) of the RTDF1/3 (RSP soluble dietary fiber:RSP insoluble dietary fiber = 1:3). The adsorption content of CTDF1/3 for sodium taurocholate, sodium deoxycholate, sodium glycocholate, sodium cholate is 55.38%, 21.95%, 39.26%, 100.0% higher than that of RTDF1/3. The adsorption rate of cholesterol and bile salts increases with the CTDF1/3 addition and the adsorption time and finally reaches equilibrium. The initial stage of adsorption (0–20 min) belongs to the rapid adsorption stage, which is followed by equilibrium. At more than 120 mg of CTDF1/3, CTDF1/3 has little effect on the cholesterol and bile salt adsorption rate. The cholesterol and bile salts adsorption content decrease gradually with the increase of CTDF1/3 addition and tend to adsorption balance.