bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic diversity, structure, and effective population size of an endangered, endemic hoary bat, ʻōpeʻapeʻa, across the Hawaiian Islands
Authors: Pinzari Corinna A. , Bellinger M. Renee , Price Donald , Bonaccorso Frank J.
Published: January 2023

Island bat species are disproportionately at risk of extinction, and Hawaiʻi’s only native terrestrial land mammal, the Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus semotus)locally known as ʻōpeʻapeʻa, is no exception. To effectively manage this bat species with an archipelago-wide distribution, it is important to determine the population size on each island and connectivity between islands. We used 18 nuclear microsatellite loci and one mitochondrial gene from 339 individuals collected from 1988–2020 to evaluate genetic diversity, population structure and estimate effective population size on the Islands of Hawaiʻi, Maui, Oʻahu, and Kauaʻi. Genetic differentiation occurred between Hawaiʻi and Maui, both of which were differentiated from Oʻahu and Kauaʻi. The population on Maui presents the greatest per-island genetic diversity, consistent with their hypothesized status as the original founding population. A signature of isolation by distance was detected between islands, with contemporary migration analyses indicating limited gene flow in recent generations, and male-biased sex dispersal within Maui. Historical and long-term estimates of genetic effective population sizes were generally larger than contemporary estimates, although estimates of contemporary genetic effective population size lacked upper bounds in confidence intervals for Hawaiʻi and Kauaʻi. Contemporary genetic effective population sizes were smaller on Oʻahu and Maui. We also detected evidence of past bottlenecks on all islands with the exception of Hawaiʻi. Our study provides population-level estimates for the genetic diversity and geographic structure of ‘ōpeʻapeʻa, that could be used by agencies tasked with wildlife conservation in Hawaiʻi.
Association of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Human Papilloma Virus Status in Chronic Periodontitis Patients: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Sharma Shikha , Prakash Shobha
Published: January 2023

Introduction: Apart from the alcohol and tobacco which are considered as an important cause for carcinogenesis, periodontal infections have also been considered equally important cause for it. Infections are increasingly considered as potential trigger for carcinogenesis apart from alcohol and tobacco. The role of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in causing Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC), highlights the significance of the oral infections in the development of the OSCC. Aim: To detect the relationship between Chronic Periodontitis, HPV, and OSCC. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 15 chronic generalised periodontitis patients with OSCC affecting alveoli and gingiva. DNA was extracted from the biopsy of the tissue sample for the detection of HPV by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The parameters assessed were the Clinical Attachment Loss (CAL), Tumor Node Metastsis (TNM ) staging of OSCC, HPV status and the presence of the periodontal marker bacteria. Chi-square test and spearman correlation were used to find association and correlation between the parameters. Results: A total of 15 cases of chronic generalised periodontitis patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma were included in the study (7 males and 8 female patients, with a mean age of 50.8 years). Of these, HPV was found in 4 patients only. On comparison between Chronic Generalised Periodontitis (CGP) and OSCC, a non-significant association and a negative correlation was found. Similar analysis was observed between CGP and HPV. When comparison was done between HPV and OSCC, non-significant association (p-value 0.774) and a negative correlation(r- value= -0. 169) was found. Conclusion: This study did not yield a significant association and correlation between these three parameters. Further prospective studies should be conducted which may help in the prevention of periodontitis and subsequently decreasing the incidences of OSCC.
Stress, Coping, Self-efficacy and Birth Satisfaction among Low-risk Pregnant Women: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Ajini KK , Kumar N Rajeev , Prasad JS Ajith
Published: January 2023

Introduction: Pregnant women worry about their physical changes, child delivery and impending parenthood. Wide range of psychological, biological and social factors influence emotional wellbeing during pregnancy which can be described by the extent of birth anxiety, self-efficacy and psychosocial adaptations. The factors like coping and self-efficacy help to overcome the stress and provide better birth satisfaction resulting in good mother and infant bonding. Aim: To know stress levels among low-risk pregnant women and to assess the influence of coping and self-efficacy of these women on birth satisfaction after delivery. Materials and Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Government Medical College, Thrissur, Kerala, India, from January 2019 to June 2019. Total 188 pregnant women who reached term and without any known risk factors in the current pregnancy were enrolled. Data was collected using proforma and questionnaires by conducting semi-structured interview to measure pregnancy specific stress, coping, self-efficacy and birth satisfaction. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 16.0. Multiple regression analysis was used for analysing the influence of stress, coping and self-efficacy on birth satisfaction. Results: Study showed that 14.36% of women had high levels of stress. Antenatal women residing at rural areas had high levels of stress than their urban counterparts (p-value=0.004). Employed women had high levels of self-efficacy (p-value=0.038). significant negative correlation was seen between the stress and self-efficacy (r-value=-0.479, p-value<0.00001). Conclusion: Stress do exist even among low-risk pregnant women. Abilities like coping and self-efficacy improves birth satisfaction in women. Birth satisfaction is an important factor in ensuring positive birth experience and respectful maternity care.
Forecasting Study of Natural Gas Consumption by Combined Models Based on LASSO and WOA
Authors: Tang Kai , Li Huijia , Qian Zishu
Published: January 2023

As the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war continues to expand, energy shortages appear in Europe. After Russia cut off the Nord Stream 1 pipeline that transported natural gas to Europe, most European countries experienced a natural gas crisis, severely affecting Germany. In order to effectively predict the consumption of natural gas, this paper combines the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Select Operator model with the Whale Optimization Algorithm, uses the NAR model to reconstruct the phase space of the original time series, and performs a 5-step forward forecast. Use the model to forecast a German monthly natural gas consumption dataset. Comparing the results of WOA-LASSO  with other five other WOA-based hybrid models and Cross-Validation based models for prediction results, it is found that WOA-LASSO  has the smallest MAPE in each step of the 5-step prediction, and the numerical results are between 8.273% and 9.867%. Moreover, when comparing WOA with the conventional optimization scheme Cross-Validation, it is found that WOA can obtain better model hyperparameters, which can effectively enhance the generalization performance and prediction accuracy of the model.
Potassium Management for Improving Mash Grain Yield in a Field Experiment at Regional Research Station, Gurdaspur
Authors: Verma Gayatri , Kaur Charanjeet
Published: January 2023

To improve production and quality of pulse crops, balanced use of production inputs is important to sustain soil fertility and to combat nutrient deficiency in particular. To understand the effect of potassium (K) fertilization on yield and yield attributes of mash bean/ black gram in a potassium deficient soil, a study was carried out for two consecutive years at the experimental farm of Punjab Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Gurdaspur, India. Mash variety ‘Mash 114’ was tested in a randomized complete block design with three replications having different fertilizer treatments of potassium application rates Application of potassium fertilizer signiﬁcantly increased the grain yield to 1963 kg ha-1 whereas plots without K fertilization maintained an average grain yield of 1204 kg ha-1. Maximum grain and straw yield in black gram was obtained with potassium application at the rate of 50 kg K2O ha-1 followed by 25 kg K2O ha-1. The two treatments were at par with each other however, treatment 50kg K2O ha-1 was significantly superior to treatment 12.5 kg K2O ha-1, NP and control. Inclusion of potassium in fertilization schedule alongwith N and P significantly influenced plant height, number of pods per plant, and 100 seed weight (g) in comparison to NP and control treatment. Quadratic regression equation also explained the progressive increase in seed yield of mash bean with increasing levels of potassium.
Persistent Organic Pollutants- A Silent Threat to the Agro-ecosystem and Surrounding Environment
Authors: Rani Naincy , Duhan Anil , Kumar Pankaj , Beniwal Ravi Kumar
Published: January 2023

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a class of hazardous, bio-accumulative, biomagnified, and extremely persistent chemicals with plausible extended off-site mobility in the environment or agro-ecosystem. These constitute a wide variety of chemicals, their sources may be either natural or anthropogenic. These are contaminants of emerging concerns for researchers as well as environmentalists. These contaminants are supposed to cause toxicity in terms of their carcinogenic, genotoxic, neurotoxic, and endocrine disruptors nature. Therefore, it is very important to discuss various kinds of POPs present in the environment and their detection methods. Various extraction and analytical techniques have been strategized to determine the POPs in soil and food samples either quantitatively or qualitatively. The literature lacks a comprehensive review over various POPs present in the environment, different techniques of their extraction and analysis, along with their toxicity in agro-ecosystem. The present review is expected to fulfills this gap by considering all the necessary aspects discussed above.
A Review on Plant-parasitic Nematode Mimics Acting as a Smart Tool for Establishing Parasitism in Host
Authors: Kumar Manish , Kumari Arti , Manimaran B. , Neeraj . , Phogat Sachin
Published: January 2023

Molecular mimics are an excellent example of nature’s survival tool adopted by different pathogens. Plant-parasitic nematodes especially the sedentary endoparasites like Cyst nematodes and Root-knot nematodes are one such dangerous pathogens which were mastered in mimicking their host proteins crucial for cell growth and development. At the time of infection, a nematode fight against the host immune response with simultaneously establishing its feeding site. Thus, this parallel reprograming of plants cell growth and development at the feeding site is what make these pathogens the most dangerous and at the same time intrigued pathogen to study. Plethora of studies have demonstrated that different effector proteins like CLE peptide, AUX1, PHAN, WRKY, RALFs, LBD16, SPRYSEC etc. secreted by nematode mimicking genes playing role in lateral root development; growth hormone regulators; shoot meristem; procambium development; and  in immune responses. This review is a brief focusing on genes that are mimics in nematode and can be utilized for biotechnological strategies of plant disease control.
Ceasefire Declared, but Ethiopian Health Systems Remain in Critical Condition After Civil War
Authors: Larkin Howard D.
Published: January 2023

This Medical News article discusses the total collapse of health care systems in Ethiopia during a 2-year armed conflict.
State Cannabis Legalization and Psychosis-Related Health Care Utilization
Authors: Elser Holly , Humphreys Keith , Kiang Mathew V. , Mehta Swapnil , Yoon Jong H. , Faustman William O. , Matthay Ellicott C.
Published: January 2023

Importance

Psychosis is a hypothesized consequence of cannabis use. Legalization of cannabis could therefore be associated with an increase in rates of health care utilization for psychosis.

Objective

To evaluate the association of state medical and recreational cannabis laws and commercialization with rates of psychosis-related health care utilization.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Retrospective cohort design using state-level panel fixed effects to model within-state changes in monthly rates of psychosis-related health care claims as a function of state cannabis policy level, adjusting for time-varying state-level characteristics and state, year, and month fixed effects. Commercial and Medicare Advantage claims data for beneficiaries aged 16 years and older in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia, 2003 to 2017 were used. Data were analyzed from April 2021 to October 2022.

Exposure

State cannabis legalization policies were measured for each state and month based on law type (medical or recreational) and degree of commercialization (presence or absence of retail outlets).

Main Outcomes and Measures

Outcomes were rates of psychosis-related diagnoses and prescribed antipsychotics.

Results

This study included 63 680 589 beneficiaries followed for 2 015 189 706 person-months. Women accounted for 51.8% of follow-up time with the majority of person-months recorded for those aged 65 years and older (77.3%) and among White beneficiaries (64.6%). Results from fully-adjusted models showed that, compared with no legalization policy, states with legalization policies experienced no statistically significant increase in rates of psychosis-related diagnoses (medical, no retail outlets: rate ratio [RR], 1.13; 95% CI, 0.97-1.36; medical, retail outlets: RR, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.96-1.61; recreational, no retail outlets: RR, 1.38; 95% CI, 0.93-2.04; recreational, retail outlets: RR, 1.39; 95% CI, 0.98-1.97) or prescribed antipsychotics (medical, no retail outlets RR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.88-1.13; medical, retail outlets: RR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.87-1.19; recreational, no retail outlets: RR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.84-1.51; recreational, retail outlets: RR, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.89-1.45). In exploratory secondary analyses, rates of psychosis-related diagnoses increased significantly among men, people aged 55 to 64 years, and Asian beneficiaries in states with recreational policies compared with no policy.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this retrospective cohort study of commercial and Medicare Advantage claims data, state medical and recreational cannabis policies were not associated with a statistically significant increase in rates of psychosis-related health outcomes. As states continue to introduce new cannabis policies, continued evaluation of psychosis as a potential consequence of state cannabis legalization may be informative.
Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Among Siblings of Children Who Died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in Denmark
Authors: Glinge Charlotte , Rossetti Sára , Oestergaard Louise Bruun , Stampe Niels Kjær , Lynge Thomas Hadberg , Skals Regitze , Winkel Bo Gregers , Lodder Elisabeth M. , Bezzina Connie R. , Gislason Gunnar , Banner Jytte , Behr Elijah R. , Torp-Pedersen Christian , Jabbari Reza , Tfelt-Hansen Jacob
Published: January 2023

Importance

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) remains a leading cause of death during the first year of life. The etiology of SIDS is complex and remains largely unknown.

Objective

To evaluate whether siblings of children who died of SIDS have a higher risk of SIDS compared with the general pediatric population.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This register-based cohort study used Danish nationwide registers. Participants were all infants (<1 year) in Denmark between January 1, 1978, and December 31, 2016, including siblings of children who died of SIDS. Siblings were followed up from the index cases’ date of SIDS, date of birth, or immigration, whichever came first, and until age 1 year, emigration, developing SIDS, death, or study end. The median (IQR) follow-up was 1 (1-1) year. Data analysis was conducted from January 2017 to October 2022.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of SIDS were calculated with Poisson regression models relative to the general population.

Results

In a population of 2 666 834 consecutive births (1 395 199 [52%] male), 1540 infants died of SIDS (median [IQR] age at SIDS, 3 [2-4] months) during a 39-year study period. A total of 2384 younger siblings (cases) to index cases (first sibling with SIDS) were identified. A higher rate of SIDS was observed among siblings compared with the general population, with SIRs of 4.27 (95% CI, 2.13-8.53) after adjustment for sex, age, and calendar year and of 3.50 (95% CI, 1.75-7.01) after further adjustment for mother’s age (<29 years vs ≥29 years) and education (high school vs after high school).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this nationwide study, having a sibling who died of SIDS was associated with a 4-fold higher risk of SIDS compared with the general population. Shared genetic and/or environmental factors may contribute to the observed clustering of SIDS. The family history of SIDS should be considered when assessing SIDS risk in clinical settings. A multidisciplinary genetic evaluation of families with SIDS could provide additional evidence.
A novel fluorescent endoplasmic reticulum marker for super‐resolution imaging in live cells
Authors: Han Kai , Huang Shuhan , Kong Jie , Yang Yang , Shi Lei , Ci Yali
Published: January 2023

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a highly complicated and dynamic organelle that actively changes its shape and communicates with other organelles. Visualization of ER in live cells is of great importance to understand cellular activities. Here, we designed a novel ER marker, RR‐mNeonGreen, which comprised an N‐terminal ER retention signal, a bright fluorescent protein (mNeonGreen), and a C‐terminal transmembrane region. Colocalization of RR‐mNeonGreen with mCherry‐KDEL verified that RR‐mNeonGreen perfectly labeled the ER. RR‐mNeonGreen showed better continuity of ER tubules when imaged by super‐resolution microscopy. Moreover, RR‐mNeonGreen is competent for live‐cell imaging of ER dynamics and tracing of the interaction between ER and mitochondria at high spatiotemporal resolution. In summary, RR‐mNeonGreen is a novel ER marker for super‐resolution live‐cell imaging with multiple merits.
Ms6244 is a novel Mycobacterium smegmatisTetR family transcriptional repressor that regulates cell growth and morphophysiology
Authors: Wani Saloni Rajesh , Dubey Abhishek Anil , Jain Vikas
Published: January 2023

Transcriptional factors such as the TetR family of transcriptional regulators (TFTRs) are widely found amongst bacteria, including mycobacteria, and are accountable for their survival. Here, we characterized a novel TFTR, Ms6244, from Mycobacterium smegmatis that negatively autoregulates its expression and represses its neighbouring gene, Ms6243. We also report the binding of Ms6244 to the inverted repeats in the intergenic region of Ms6244 and Ms6243. Further, an Ms6244‐deleted strain shows various morpho‐physiological differences compared to the wild type. We further confirmed that the deletion of Ms6244 itself and not the resultant Ms6243 overexpression is the cause of the altered physiology. Our data thus suggest that Ms6244 is an essential regulator, having far‐reaching effects on M. smegmatis physiology.
The Association of Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity With Clinical Hip Osteoarthritis in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures and the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study Cohorts
Authors: Cheng Karen Y. , Strotmeyer Elsa S. , Kado Deborah M. , Schousboe John T. , Schenk Simon , Nevitt Michael , Lane Nancy E. , Hughes‐Austin Jan M.
Published: January 2023

Objective

Metabolic dysregulation frequently co‐occurs with obesity, which has been shown to be a risk factor for lower extremity osteoarthritis (OA). We evaluated the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS), alone and in combination with obesity, and hip OA.

Methods

In two parallel cross‐sectional analyses, we studied 403 women from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF) and 2354 men from the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) study. We used multivariable logistic regression to evaluate associations of obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) and/or MetS (three of five National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria) with clinical hip OA, defined as a modified Croft score of 2 or more or total hip replacement, and pain or limited range of motion. Our analysis adjusted for demographics.

Results

Approximately 3.5% of SOF women and 5.4% of MrOS men had clinical hip OA. Among women, obesity was not associated with hip OA, yet those with MetS had a 365% higher odds of hip OA (95% CI: 1.37‐15.83). Among men, those who had obesity had a 115% higher odds of hip OA (95% CI: 1.39‐3.32), yet MetS was not associated with hip OA. There was no interaction between MetS, obesity, and hip OA in either women or men.

Conclusion

In women, but not in men, MetS was associated with hip OA. In men, but not in women, obesity was associated with hip OA. These findings suggest that mechanical effects of obesity may predominate in the pathogenesis of hip OA in men, whereas metabolic effects predominate in women.
Effect of Confining Pressure on Impact Reaction Threshold of Aluminum/Polytetrafluoroethylene Reactive Material
Authors: Ren Huilan , Zhao Han , Ning Jianguo
Published: January 2023

An impact reaction experiment is conducted with a modified split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) apparatus to study the reaction threshold of aluminum/polytetrafluoroethylene (Al/PTFE) reactive materials under confining pressure. The dynamic compression behavior, impact damage characteristics, and impact reaction threshold of the Al/PTFE reactive material under the confining pressure are investigated. The results have presented that confining pressure makes the specimens suffer triaxial loading and improves the dynamic compressive strength of Al/PTFE reactive materials from 36.8 MPa (impact velocity is 14.64 m s−1) to 62.7 MPa (14.80 m s−1). Besides, the fractal dimension of the posttest specimen is decreased by confining pressure, which has proved that the confining pressure hinders damage under impact loading. Moreover, the impact reaction experiment demonstrates that the confining pressure increases the threshold of Al/PTFE, and the minimum specific incident energy for the reaction of the T10 (molding pressure is 10 MPa) specimen increases from to . This research not only reveals that Al/PTFE can be reacted by impact loading at confining pressure but also clarifies that confining pressure limits the impact damage of the Al/PTFE reactive material and increases the reaction threshold.
Aggregation‐Induced Emission in a Flexible Phosphine Oxide and its Zn(II) Complexes—A Simple Approach to Blue Luminescent Materials
Authors: Kirst Christin , Knechtel Fabian , Gensler Manuel , Fischermeier David , Petersen Jens , Danaf Nader A. , Tietze Jonathan , Wedel Armin , Lamb Don C. , Mitrić Roland , Karaghiosoff Konstantin
Published: January 2023

Easily accessible blue‐emitting materials are in the focus of ongoing research, as they still lack the efficiency and lifetime of their red and green counterparts. The new multidentate phosphine oxide ligands and two respective ZnCl2 complexes presented here combine a straightforward synthesis with high yields and show interesting luminescent properties. The free ligand exhibits blue luminescence in the crystalline state, but not in amorphous films or diluted solution. In contrast, the Zn(II) complexes shows intense blue luminescence in the crystalline state as well as in amorphous thin films and in solution. Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy measurements show luminescence lifetimes of 3–6 ns indicative of fluorescence. By combining the experimental data with quantum chemical calculations, we propose a model where the conformation of the molecule is restricted, either via the crystal environment, aggregation, or the steric fixation by the coordinating central atom, blocking the nonradiative relaxation from the excited into the ground electronic state. However, this nonradiative relaxation is still possible in the gas phase via elongation of a PC bond. These results may provide a general mechanism to explain the luminescence properties in a whole class of organic phosphine oxides.
Glioblastoma Spheroid Invasion through Soft, Brain‐Like Matrices Depends on Hyaluronic Acid–CD44 Interactions
Authors: Safarians Gevick , Sohrabi Alireza , Solomon Itay , Xiao Weikun , Bastola Soniya , Rajput Bushra W. , Epperson Mary , Rosenzweig Isabella , Tamura Kelly , Singer Breahna , Huang Joyce , Harrison Mollie J. , Sanazzaro Talia , Condro Michael C. , Kornblum Harley I. , Seidlits Stephanie K.
Published: January 2023

Increased secretion of hyaluronic acid (HA), a glycosaminoglycan abundant in the brain extracellular matrix (ECM), correlates with worse clinical outcomes for glioblastoma (GBM) patients. GBM cells aggressively invade the brain parenchyma while encountering spatiotemporal changes in their local ECM, including HA concentration. To investigate how varying HA concentrations affect GBM invasion, patient‐derived GBM cells are cultured within a soft, 3D matrix in which HA concentration is precisely varied and cell migration observed. Data demonstrate that HA concentration can determine the invasive activity of patient‐derived GBM cells in a biphasic and highly sensitive manner, where the absolute concentration of HA at which cell migration peaked is specific to each patient‐derived line. Furthermore, evidence that this response relies on phosphorylated ezrin, which interacts with the intracellular domain of HA‐engaged CD44 to effectively link the actin cytoskeleton to the local ECM is provided. Overall, this study highlights CD44–HA binding as a major mediator of GBM cell migration that acts independently of integrins and focal adhesion complexes and suggests that targeting HA–CD44–ezrin interactions represents a promising therapeutic strategy to prevent tumor cell invasion in the brain.
Thin‐Film Composite Membrane with a Hydrophobic Substrate for Robust Membrane Distillation
Authors: Xie Shaodan , Chen Yuanmiaoliang , Feng Dejun , Wang Zhangxin
Published: January 2023

Membrane distillation (MD) is a promising thermal desalination technology, but its application is largely limited by membrane wetting. This study introduces a thin‐film composite (TFC) membrane comprising a polyamide (PA) surface layer, a polydopamine (PDA) interlayer, and a hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane substrate for anti‐wetting MD operations. With a PDA reaction time of 1 h, a compact and hydrophilic PDA interlayer forms on the PVDF membrane substrate, facilitating the subsequent formation of the PA surface layer. With 2 cycles of interfacial polymerization process, a dense PA surface layer forms on the PDA interlayer, rendering a TFC membrane with robust wetting resistance. From diffusion experiments and breakthrough pressure measurements, the TFC membrane exhibits excellent wetting resistance because the dense PA surface layer can prevent the wetting contaminants from reaching the hydrophobic membrane substrate due to the combination of the size exclusion effect and capillary effect. The results from this study shed lights on a new approach for the fabrication of robust MD membranes for practical applications.
Potential of Single Transition Metal Atom Embedded C2N as Efficient Catalysts for N2O Reduction: Theoretical Investigation
Authors: Liu Xinmiao , Sheng Li
Published: January 2023

Converting the toxic air pollutant N2O into less harmful gas has potential advantages. Herein, the feasibility of the N2O reduction reaction over pristine C2N and TM/C2N (TM = V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn) monolayers are explored by density functional theory calculations with Grimme‐D3 correction. The results reveal that the existence of TM atoms indeed improves the adsorption performance of C2N, where the TM atoms act as both electron acceptors and donors, favoring the activation of N2O and CO molecules. Based on thermal stability, selectivity, and catalytic activity, TM/C2N (TM = V and Mn) catalysts are screened from the above transition metal atoms. In particular, N2O reduction is a thermodynamically and kinetically favorable pathway, which can take place with negligible energy barriers on V/C2N and Mn/C2N catalysts. The CO2 desorption on V/C2N and Mn/C2N catalysts is the rate‐limiting step with the desorption barrier of only 13.1 and 15.1 kcal mol−1, respectively. These results suggest that the screened TM/C2N (TM = V and Mn) materials can be used as promising catalysts for the adsorption and reduction of environmentally unfriendly N2O molecules.
Educator's blueprint: A how‐to guide for developing high‐quality multiple‐choice questions
Authors: Gottlieb Michael , Bailitz John , Fix Megan , Shappell Eric , Wagner Mary Jo
Published: January 2023

Multiple‐choice questions are commonly used for assessing learners' knowledge, as part of educational programs and scholarly endeavors. To ensure that questions accurately assess the learners and provide meaningful data, it is important to understand best practices in multiple‐choice question design. This Educator's Blueprint paper provides 10 strategies for developing high‐quality multiple‐choice questions. These strategies include determining the purpose, objectives, and scope of the question; assembling a writing team; writing succinctly; asking questions that assess knowledge and comprehension rather than test‐taking ability; ensuring consistent and independent answer choices; using plausible foils; avoiding grouped options; selecting the ideal response number and order; writing high‐quality explanations; and gathering validity evidence before and evaluating the questions after use.
Development of a lecture evaluation tool rooted in cognitive load theory: A modified Delphi study
Authors: Jordan Jaime , Haas Mary R. C. , Hickam Grace , Murray Collyn T. , Hill Jeffery , Cico Stephen J. , Wolff Meg , Manthey David E. , Wagner Jason C. , Santen Sally A.
Published: January 2023

Background

Didactics play a key role in medical education. There is no standardized didactic evaluation tool to assess quality and provide feedback to instructors. Cognitive load theory provides a framework for lecture evaluations. We sought to develop an evaluation tool, rooted in cognitive load theory, to assess quality of didactic lectures.

Methods

We used a modified Delphi method to achieve expert consensus for items in a lecture evaluation tool. Nine emergency medicine educators with expertise in cognitive load participated in three modified Delphi rounds. In the first two rounds, experts rated the importance of including each item in the evaluation rubric on a 1 to 9 Likert scale with 1 labeled as “not at all important” and 9 labeled as “extremely important.” In the third round, experts were asked to make a binary choice of whether the item should be included in the final evaluation tool. In each round, the experts were invited to provide written comments, edits, and suggested additional items. Modifications were made between rounds based on item scores and expert feedback. We calculated descriptive statistics for item scores.

Results

We completed three Delphi rounds, each with 100% response rate. After Round 1, we removed one item, made major changes to two items, made minor wording changes to nine items, and modified the scale of one item. Following Round 2, we eliminated three items, made major wording changes to one item, and made minor wording changes to one item. After the third round, we made minor wording changes to two items. We also reordered and categorized items for ease of use. The final evaluation tool consisted of nine items.

Conclusions

We developed a lecture assessment tool rooted in cognitive load theory specific to medical education. This tool can be applied to assess quality of instruction and provide important feedback to speakers.
The impact of fellowship‐trained medical toxicology faculty on emergency medicine resident in‐training examination scores
Authors: Theiler Carly A. , Vakkalanka J. Priyanka , Obr Brooks J. , Hansen Nicole , McCabe Daniel J.
Published: January 2023

Background

The American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) In Training Exam (ITE) gauges residents' medical knowledge and has been shown to correlate with subsequent performance on the ABEM board qualifying examination. It is common for emergency medicine (EM) residencies to employ subspecialty‐trained faculty members with the expectation of improved resident education and subspecialty knowledge. We hypothesized that the presence of subspecialty faculty in toxicology would increase residents' scores on the toxicology portion of the ITE.

Methods

We assessed ABEM ITE scores at our institution from 2013–2022 and compared these to national data. The exposure of interest was the absence or presence of fellowship‐trained toxicology faculty. The primary outcome was performance on the toxicology portion of the ITE, and secondary outcome was overall performance on the exam.

Results

Residents who had ≥1 toxicology faculty were 37% (95% CI: 1.01–1.87) more likely to surpass the national average for toxicology scores, and those who had ≥2 toxicology faculty were 77% (95% CI: 1.28–2.44) more likely to surpass the national average for toxicology scores on the ABEM ITE. With the presence of ≥2 toxicology faculty, there was also an increase in toxicology score by years in training, with residents being 63% (95% CI: 1.01–2.64), 68% (95% CI: 1.08–2.61), and 92% (95% CI: 1.01–3.63) more likely to surpass the national average for toxicology score in first, second, and third years of residency, respectively. There was no significant relationship between the presence of toxicology faculty and the overall ABEM ITE scores.

Conclusions

The presence of fellowship‐trained toxicology faculty positively impacted residents' performance on the toxicology portion of the ABEM ITE but did not significantly impact the overall score. With the presence of ≥2 toxicology faculty we noted an improvement in toxicology scores throughout the 3 years of training, indicating that an individual rotation or educational block is probably less important than spaced repetition through a longitudinal curriculum.
Carbon stress causes earlier budbreak in shade‐tolerant species and delays it in shade‐intolerant species
Authors: Piper Frida I. , Fajardo Alex
Published: January 2023

Premise

Climate change may lead to C stress (negative C balance) in trees. Because nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) are required during metabolic reactivation in the spring, C stress might delay budbreak timing. This effect is expected to be greater in shade‐intolerant than in shade‐tolerant species, owing to the faster C economy in the shade‐intolerant.

Methods

We experimentally induced C stress in saplings of six temperate tree species that differed in their light requirements by exposing them to either full light or shade from summer to spring, then recorded the date of first budbreak for the individuals. Because the levels of C reserves that represent effective C stress may differ among species, we estimated the degree of C stress by recording survival during the experiment and measuring whole‐sapling NSC concentrations after budbreak.

Results

Shade reduced NSC concentrations and increased the sugar fraction in the NSC in all species. In the shade, shade‐intolerant species had higher mortality and generally lower NSC concentrations than the shade‐tolerant species, indicating a trend for more severe C stress in species with faster C economy. In shade‐intolerant species, budbreak started earlier and proceeded faster in full light than in shade, but in shade‐tolerant species budbreak was delayed in full light. The effects of the light environments on budbreak were not greater in shade‐intolerant than in shade‐tolerant species.

Conclusions

Our study reveals a correspondence between budbreak responses to light and the light requirements of the species. This finding confirms that C metabolism has a significant role in triggering budbreak and demonstrates that whether C stress accelerates or delays budbreak depends on the species' light requirements.
Risk factors for COVID‐19 among Californians working outside the home, November 2020 ‐ May 2021
Authors: Wong Jessie , Cummings Kristin J. , Gibb Kathryn , Rodriguez Andrea , Heinzerling Amy , Vergara Ximena P.
Published: January 2023

Background

Higher incidences of COVID‐19 mortality and outbreaks have been found in certain industries and occupations. Workplace factors, including working in close proximity to others and contact with the public can facilitate SARS‐CoV‐2 transmission, especially without appropriate protective measures. Limited information is available about workers at highest risk for SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.

Methods

A phone‐based, nonprobability study was conducted between November 2020 and May 2021 among California workers who were tested for SARS‐CoV‐2. Participants were asked about demographics and workplace factors, including industry, occupation, and implementation of COVID‐19 mitigation measures. Using the SARS‐CoV‐2 occupational exposure matrix, three exposure metrics and a combination index were used to categorize occupations. We assessed the association between workplace risks and SARS‐CoV‐2 test positivity using adjusted logistic regression.

Results

We enrolled 451 (13%) of 3475 potentially eligible workers in the study: 212 with positive and 239 with negative SARS‐CoV‐2 test results. Those working very close to others and with the highest combined exposure index had a positive association with SARS‐CoV‐2 positivity. Primarily indoor workers had a lower odds of test positivity compared to those with any outdoor work. There was no association between public‐facing occupations and test positivity. Participants with employers who implemented mitigation measures in all three control categories—engineering, administrative, and personal protective equipment—had lower odds of test positivity than those with fewer mitigation measures.

Conclusions

Worker groups with higher risk factors should be prioritized for outreach. Assessment of occupational risk factors collectively can provide insight to inform preventative actions for workers, employers, and public health entities.
Mosaic pathogenic variants in AKT3 cause capillary malformation and undergrowth
Authors: Bolli Amber , Nriagu Bede , Britt Allison D. , Toole Anjali D. , Treat James , Srinivasan Abhay , Sheppard Sarah E.
Published: January 2023

Capillary malformations are slow‐flow vascular malformations that affect the microcirculation including capillaries and post capillary venules and can be associated with growth differences. Specifically, the association of capillary malformations with undergrowth is a vastly understudied vascular syndrome with few reports of genetic causes including PIK3CA, GNAQ, and GNA11. Recently, a somatic pathogenic variant in AKT3 was identified in one child with a cutaneous vascular syndrome similar to cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita, undergrowth, and no neurodevelopmental features. Here, we present a male patient with a capillary malformation and undergrowth due to a somatic pathogenic variant in AKT3 to confirm this association. It is essential to consider that mosaic pathogenic variants in AKT3 can cause a wide spectrum of disease. There is a need for future studies focusing on capillary malformations with undergrowth to understand the underlying mechanism.
Distinct patterns of neurodegeneration after TBI and in Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Graham Neil S.N. , Cole James H. , Bourke Niall J. , Schott Jonathan M. , Sharp David J.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a dementia risk factor, with Alzheimer's disease (AD) more common following injury. Patterns of neurodegeneration produced by TBI can be compared to AD and aging using volumetric MRI.

Methods

A total of 55 patients after moderate to severe TBI (median age 40), 45 with AD (median age 69), and 61 healthy volunteers underwent magnetic resonance imaging over 2 years. Atrophy patterns were compared.

Results

AD patients had markedly lower baseline volumes. TBI was associated with increased white matter (WM) atrophy, particularly involving corticospinal tracts and callosum, whereas AD rates were increased across white and gray matter (GM). Subcortical WM loss was shared in AD/TBI, but deep WM atrophy was TBI‐specific and cortical atrophy AD‐specific. Post‐TBI atrophy patterns were distinct from aging, which resembled AD.

Discussion

Post‐traumatic neurodegeneration 1.9–4.0 years (median) following moderate‐severe TBI is distinct from aging/AD, predominantly involving central WM. This likely reflects distributions of axonal injury, a neurodegeneration trigger.

Highlights

We compared patterns of brain atrophy longitudinally after moderate to severe TBI in late‐onset AD and healthy aging.

Patients after TBI had abnormal brain atrophy involving the corpus callosum and other WM tracts, including corticospinal tracts, in a pattern that was specific and distinct from AD and aging.

This pattern is reminiscent of axonal injury following TBI, and atrophy rates were predicted by the extent of axonal injury on diffusion tensor imaging, supporting a relationship between early axonal damage and chronic neurodegeneration.
Genome‐Wide Analysis of Structural Variants in Parkinson Disease
Authors: Billingsley Kimberley J. , Ding Jinhui , Jerez Pilar Alvarez , Illarionova Anastasia , Levine Kristin , Grenn Francis P. , Makarious Mary B. , Moore Anni , Vitale Daniel , Reed Xylena , Hernandez Dena , Torkamani Ali , Ryten Mina , Hardy John ,   UK Brain Expression Consortium (UKBEC), Chia Ruth , Scholz Sonja W. , Traynor Bryan J. , Dalgard Clifton L. , Ehrlich Debra J. , Tanaka Toshiko , Ferrucci Luigi , Beach Thomas G. , Serrano Geidy E. , Quinn John P. , Bubb Vivien J. , Collins Ryan L , Zhao Xuefang , Walker Mark , Pierce‐Hoffman Emma , Brand Harrison , Talkowski Michael E. , Casey Bradford , Cookson Mark R , Markham Androo , Nalls Mike A. , Mahmoud Medhat , Sedlazeck Fritz J , Blauwendraat Cornelis , Gibbs J. Raphael , Singleton Andrew B.
Published: January 2023

Objective

Identification of genetic risk factors for Parkinson disease (PD) has to date been primarily limited to the study of single nucleotide variants, which only represent a small fraction of the genetic variation in the human genome. Consequently, causal variants for most PD risk are not known. Here we focused on structural variants (SVs), which represent a major source of genetic variation in the human genome. We aimed to discover SVs associated with PD risk by performing the first large‐scale characterization of SVs in PD.

Methods

We leveraged a recently developed computational pipeline to detect and genotype SVs from 7,772 Illumina short‐read whole genome sequencing samples. Using this set of SV variants, we performed a genome‐wide association study using 2,585 cases and 2,779 controls and identified SVs associated with PD risk. Furthermore, to validate the presence of these variants, we generated a subset of matched whole‐genome long‐read sequencing data.

Results

We genotyped and tested 3,154 common SVs, representing over 412 million nucleotides of previously uncatalogued genetic variation. Using long‐read sequencing data, we validated the presence of three novel deletion SVs that are associated with risk of PD from our initial association analysis, including a 2 kb intronic deletion within the gene LRRN4.

Interpretation

We identified three SVs associated with genetic risk of PD. This study represents the most comprehensive assessment of the contribution of SVs to the genetic risk of PD to date. ANN NEUROL 2023;93:1012–1022
Ultrasonication‐Induced Strong Metal‐Support Interaction Construction in Water Towards Enhanced Catalysis
Authors: Siniard Kevin M. , Li Meijia , Yang Shi‐Ze , Zhang Junyan , Polo‐Garzon Felipe , Wu Zili , Yang Zhenzhen , Dai Sheng
Published: January 2023

The development of facile methodologies to afford robust supported metal nanocatalysts under mild conditions is highly desirable yet challenging, particularly via strong metal‐support interactions (SMSI) construction. State‐of‐the‐art approaches capable of generating SMSI encapsulation mainly focus on high temperature annealing in reductive/oxidative atmosphere. Herein, ultra‐stable metal nanocatalysts based on SMSI construction were produced by leveraging the instantaneous high‐energy input from ultrasonication under ambient conditions in H2O, which could rapidly afford abundant active intermediates, Ti3+ ions, and oxygen vacancies within the scaffolds to induce the SMSI overlayer formation. The encapsulation degree could be tuned and controlled via the reducibility of the solvents and the ultrasonication parameters. This facile and efficient approach could be further extended to diverse metal oxide supports and noble metal NPs leading to enhanced performance in hydrogenation reactions and CO2 conversion.
Deciphering Siloxane Bond Exchanges: From a Molecular Study to Vitrimerization and Recycling of Silicone Elastomers
Authors: Khedaioui Douriya Z. , Tribout Camille , Bratasanu Julie , D'Agosto Franck , Boisson Christophe , Montarnal Damien
Published: January 2023

The activity of various additives promoting siloxane equilibration reactions is examined and quantified on model compounds. We found in particular that the “superbase” phosphazene derivative P4‐tBu can promote very fast exchanges (a few seconds at 90 °C) even at low concentration (<0.1 wt %). We demonstrate that permanent silicone networks can be transformed into reprocessable and recyclable dynamic networks by mere introduction of such additives. Annealing at high temperature degrades the additives and deactivates the dynamic features of the silicone networks, reverting them back into permanent networks. A simple rheological experiment and the corresponding model allow to extract the critical kinetic parameters to predict and control such deactivations.
Effect of roasting on the physico‐chemical properties, fatty acids, polyphenols and mineral contents of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) seed and oils
Authors: Özcan Mehmet Musa , Uslu Nurhan , Lemiasheuski Viktar , Kulluk Duygu Akçay , Gezgin Sait
Published: January 2023

The physico‐chemical properties, phytochemicals, mineral contents of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) seeds grown at Samsun province in Turkey were evaluated. The oil contents of tobacco seeds ranged from 20.6% (control) to 29.0% (microwave‐roasted). L*, a* and b* values of tobacco seeds ranged from 32.38 to 35.61; from 6.32 to 6.78; from 13.72 to 14.27, respectively. Total phenolic contents of tobacco seed extract and oils were reported between 31.02 (oven‐roasted) and 34.42 mg GAE/100 g (microwave‐roasted) to 4.60 (microwave‐roasted) and 6.45 mg GAE/100 g (oven‐roasted), respectively. Total flavonoid values of raw and roasted tobacco seed extract and oils were determined between 26.62 (oven) and 67.10 mg/100 g (control) to 21.57 (control) and 44.71 mg/100 g (microwave‐roasted), respectively. Gallic acid, 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoic acid and catechin are the predominant phenolic components of raw and roasted tobacco seed oils. The amounts of oleic and linoleic acid in raw and roasted tobacco seed oils ranged from 10.23% (oven‐roasted) to 12.48% (control) and 73.72% (control) to 76.63% (oven‐roasted), respectively. The abundant elements found in seeds were K, P, Ca, Mg, S and Fe. The mineral amounts of the roasted seeds were found higher than that of the control. The highest increase was detected in oven roasted tobacco seeds.