bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High Voltage Electrolyte Design Mediated by Advanced Solvation Chemistry Toward High Energy Density and Fast Charging Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Cheng Haoran , Ma Zheng , Kumar Pushpendra , Liang Honghong , Cao Zhen , Xie Hongliang , Cavallo Luigi , Kim Hun , Li Qian , Sun Yang‐Kook , Ming Jun
Published: February 2024

Electrolyte is critical for transporting lithium‐ion (Li+) in lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). However, there is no universally applicable principle for designing an optimal electrolyte. In most cases, the design process relies on empirical experiences and is often treated as highly confidential proprietary information. Herein, a solvation structure‐related model for the quantitative design of electrolytes is introduced, focusing on the principles of coordination chemistry. As a paradigmatic example, a high‐voltage electrolyte (i.e., 4.5 V vs anode) aimed at achieving a high energy density and fast charging LIB, which is specifically composed of an emerging, well‐constructed hybrid hard carbon‐silicon/carbon‐based anode, and lithium cobalt oxide cathode, is developed. Not only the functions of each electrolyte component at the molecular scale within the Li+ solvation structure are analyzed but also an interfacial model is introduced to elucidate their relationship with the battery performance. This study represents a pioneering effort in developing a methodology to guide electrolyte design, in which the mutual effects of the Li+ de‐solvation process and solid electrolyte interface (SEI) on the electrode surface are explored concurrently to understand the root cause of superior performance. This innovative approach establishes a new paradigm in electrolyte design, providing valuable insights at the molecular level.
Response of seeding rate and cultivar maturity with planting dates in canola
Authors: Nafi Eeusha , Torrion Jessica A.
Published: February 2024

Understanding whether increasing seeding rate in canola (Brassica napus) provides a yield‐compensatory mechanism with delayed planting due to weather or logistical issues is important. We aim to refine agronomic recommendations for canola production under short‐season growing conditions to establish an optimal planting date and identify any interaction of spring canola cultivar and seeding rate with planting date. We conducted this study in 2014, 2015, and 2016 in Creston, MT, as split–split plot with planting dates, cultivar maturities, and seeding rates as mainplot, subplot, and sub‐subplot, respectively. Except 2016, 0.06 Mg day−1 yield reduction with delayed planting was observed in 2014 and likely in 2015. In 2016, daytime temperatures rose early in May, facilitating the early cessation of node production on the mainstem and, therefore, exposure to high temperatures at flower of the mid‐April planted canola. Generally, the mid‐April planted canola showed more nodes on the mainstem at the bolting stage. The low seeding rate increased pod number (p < 0.0001) as yield‐compensatory mechanism. The late‐maturing cultivar only showed yield advantage when planted in mid‐April, seeded at low seeding rate, or planted during a hot and dry year. In this study, the optimal planting date for canola in this region or similar short‐season growing condition is mid‐April, and the probability of yield loss increases when planting is delayed. The optimal seeding rate of this study is 86 live seeds m−2 regardless of planting date. Overall, a high seeding rate as a management strategy to compensate for yield loss with delayed planting is not recommended.
Unmanned aerial vehicle imagery prediction of sorghum leaf area index under water stress, seeding density, and nitrogen fertilization conditions in the Sahel
Authors: Dembele Joseph Sékou B. , Gano Boubacar , Mbaye Modou , Doumbia Mohamed , Dembele Léonce Lamine , Kouressy Mamoutou , Teme Niaba , Vaksman Michel , Diouf Diaga , Audebert Alain
Published: February 2024

Sahelian Africa must meet the challenge of providing enough food to meet its growing population. Therefore, novel breeding and intensive production methods are needed to mitigate this challenge. The objective of this study was to calibrate and validate sorghum varieties leaf area index (LAI) values estimated from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) at different growing seasons in Senegal and Mali. To achieve this objective, four experiments were conducted with 14 sorghum (sorghum bicolor) varieties between 2017 and 2019. At the study sites, LAI was measured and crop reflectance was measured with a multispectral camera mounted on a UAV. The study showed that normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and simple ratio (SR) were highly correlated to the area index. The results of validation model revealed a better prediction of measured LAI from NDVI (R2 = 0.92) and SR (R2 = 0.89) vegetation indices in 2019 dry season in Senegal. In addition, the LAI predictions for Mali from NDVI (p < 0.01) and SR (p < 0.01) were highly correlated. Findings showed that vegetation indices can be used to estimate LAI in Mali and Sahel.
Edge effects and social behavior in three platyrrhines
Authors: Bolt Laura M. , Owens Jenna L. , Grant Madison Taylor , Coggeshall Elizabeth M. C. , Russell Dorian G. , Merrigan‐Johnson Carrie , Jacobson Zachary S. , Schmidt Zachary T. , Kaser Francesca V. E. , Schreier Amy L.
Published: February 2024

Social behavior is a key adaptation for group‐living primates. It is important to assess changes to social behavior in human‐impacted landscape zones to better understand the impact of anthropogenic disturbance on primate species. We investigated social behavior rate and type in three species of platyrrhines across 100 m anthropogenic edge and interior zones of a fragmented forest in Costa Rica, La Suerte Biological Research Station (LSBRS). Following results from other sites, we predicted that spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), capuchin monkeys (Cebus imitator) and howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) would show lower rates and fewer types of social behavior in forest edge compared to interior. We collected 1341 h of instantaneous focal data from 2017 to 2023 across the three monkey species. We found mixed support for our predictions, with spider and capuchin monkeys modifying some but not all aspects of social behavior across forest zones at LSBRS. Spider monkeys had lower rates of social behavior and capuchin monkeys performed different types of social behaviors in forest edge compared to interior at LSBRS. In contrast, howler monkeys did not modify social behavior. Two out of three platyrrhine species altered their social behavior when in anthropogenic edges, indicating behavioral adjustment when in human‐altered habitat areas at LSBRS.
Effects of coal gangue on the ash initial deformation temperature and gasification characteristic of biomass
Authors: Fan Hongli , Li Fenghai , Guo Mingxi , Han Guopeng , Guo Qianqian , Xu Meiling
Published: February 2024

The effects of coal gangue (CG) on the ash initial deformation temperature (IDT) and CO2 gasification characteristic of biomass (chestnut shell [CS] and soybean straw [SS]) were investigated by ash fusion tester and thermogravimetric analyzer, respectively. The IDTs of CS and SS ashes were low because of the presence of abundant low melting point (MP) airchildite (K2Ca(CO3)2) and arcanite (K2SO4), and they were efficiently improved by the CG additions of 2%–10% mass ratios. The increases in the IDTs of CS and SS ashes were resulted from the conversions of fairchildite and arcanite into high MP K‐Al silicates (kalsilite [KAlSiO4], leucite [KAlSi2O6], etc.). The gasification reactivities of CS/CG mixtures stayed below that of CS, and they decreased with increasing CG mass ratios (4%–10%) and increased with increasing temperatures (900–1000°C). At 900°C, CG addition caused a decrease in the gasification reactivity of SS. When the temperature reached 950°C, the CG addition of 4% mass ratio increased the gasification reactivity of SS instead. The synergistic effect between biomass and CG during cogasification was more significant at low CG mass ratio and high temperature, and the synergistic effect between SS and CG was more intense than that between CS and CG.
A systematic review of the patient reported outcomes that affect patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer after radical cystectomy and urinary diversion
Authors: Lahoud John , Patel Manish I. , Naher Sayeda , Mercieca‐Bebber Rebecca
Published: February 2024

Objectives

To determine the functional domains and symptom scales that affect patients most following radical cystectomy (RC) and urinary diversion (UD), and if a single instrument (or combination) adequately captures these bothersome symptoms. It is unclear whether current patient reported outcome (PRO) instruments that have been used to assess quality of life in patients following RC and UD adequately cover the most bothersome symptoms affecting patients.

Materials and methods

A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Cinahl and Cochrane was conducted from January 2000 to May 2023 for original articles of patients who had RC and UD since 2000 for muscle invasive bladder cancer. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) process was followed. Extracted data included the PRO measures used, domains reported and scores in the first 12 months post‐surgery (short‐term) and after 12 months (long‐term). A conservative threshold of <70 for functional domains and >30 for symptom domains was used to determine which PRO domains were potentially concerning to patients in each study. Quality assessment was performed using the QUALSYST appraisal tool.

Results

Thirty‐five studies met the inclusion criteria, including a total of eight unique PRO instruments. The main findings indicated that physical function was the most concerning PRO for patients with both neobladder (NB) and ileal conduit (IC) in the short and long term. Additionally, bowel, urinary and sexual bother were concerning symptoms for patients with NB in the long‐term, but only in the short‐term for those with IC.

Conclusions

The main issues are adequately addressed using the combination of EORTC QLQ‐C30 and QLQ‐BLM30 instruments.
The long rod‐shaped Sr2MgSi2O7:Eu2+,Dy3+ with ultrahigh afterglow performance
Authors: Hai Ou , Qin Bin , Xiao Xin Nan , Ren Qiang , Wu Xiu Lan , Pei Meng Kang , Li Jian
Published: February 2024

The afterglow properties of long afterglow luminescent materials are greatly affected by their defects, which are distributed on the grain surface. Increasing the exposed surface area is an important method to improve the afterglow performance. In this research, long rod‐shaped long afterglow materials Sr2MgSi2O7:Eu2+,Dy3+ were prepared using the hydrothermal‐coprecipitation method. When the reaction time reached 96 h, the length of the afterglow materials could grow to 2 mm, and the sintering temperature was just 1150°C. The emission spectra of all obtained samples upon excitation at 397 nm had a maximum of 465 nm, which belonged to the representative transition of Eu2+. The initial brightness was 1.35 cd/m2. The afterglow time could reach 19 h, giving a good afterglow performance. The research on this kind of material has essential significance in the exploration of luminescence mechanisms and their applications.
Screening of low‐toxic zinc oxide nanomaterials and study the apoptosis mechanism of NSC‐34 cells
Authors: Li Yuanyuan , Lu Yan , Li Jingjing , Li Mei , Gou Huitian , Sun Xiaolin , Xu Xiaoli , Song Beibei , Li Zhiyu , Ma Yonghua
Published: February 2024

With the increasing application of ZnO nanomaterials (ZnO‐NMts) in the biomedical field, it is crucial to assess their potential risks to humans and the environment. Therefore, this study aimed to screen for ZnO‐NMts with low toxicity and establish safe exposure limits, and investigate their mechanisms of action. The study synthesized 0D ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and 3D ZnO nanoflowers (ZnO Nfs) with different morphologies using a hydrothermal approach for comparative research. The ZnO‐NMts were characterized using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Mouse brain neuronal cells (NSC‐34) were incubated with ZnO NMts for 6, 12, and 24 h, and the cell morphology was observed using TEM. The toxic effects of ZnO Nfs on NSC‐34 cells were studied using CCK‐8 cell viability detection, reactive oxygen species (ROS) measurement, caspase‐3 activity detection, Annexin V‐FITC/PI apoptosis assay, and mitochondrial membrane potential (Δφm) measurement. The results of the research showed that ZnO‐NMts caused cytoplasmic vacuolization and nuclear pyknosis. After incubating cells with 12.5 µg mL−1 ZnO‐NMts for 12 h, ZnO NRfs exhibited the least toxicity and ROS levels. Additionally, there was a significant increase in caspase‐3 activity, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δφm), and the highest rate of early apoptosis.This study successfully identified ZnO NRfs with the lowest toxicity and determined the safe exposure limit to be < 12.5 µg mL−1 (12 h). These findings will contribute to the clinical use of ZnO NRfs with low toxicity and provide a foundation for further research on their potential applications in brain disease treatment.
Integrating network pharmacology and renal metabonomics to reveal the protective mechanism of resveratrol on gouty nephropathy
Authors: Xu Xiaomin , Yu Donghua , Wang Yu , Xu Peng , Jiang Xin , Lu Fang , Liu Shumin
Published: February 2024

Resveratrol (Res) has been demonstrated to have beneficial effects on gouty nephropathy (GN). However, the mechanisms of Res on GN remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of Res on GN. In this study, network pharmacology technology was used to predict the Res targets in the prevention and treatment of GN. Renal metabonomics was used to identify differential metabolites in kidney tissue of GN model rats. Finally, molecular docking technology was used to verify the binding ability of Res to key targets. Metabonomics analysis showed that 24 potentially important metabolites were involved in the prevention and treatment of GN with Res. After exposure to Res, metabolite levels normalized. The network pharmacology analysis showed that 24 key targets were involved in the prevention and treatment of GN disease. According to the metabolite–gene network diagram, we identified two core genes, PTGS1 and PTGS2, and found that both were involved in the arachidonic acid metabolism pathway. Molecular docking further verified the affinity of Res binding to PTGS1 and PTGS2. In conclusion, the mechanism of Res against GN may be the regulation of arachidonic acid metabolism through the regulation of PTGS 1 and PTGS 2.
Screening of polysaccharides from the differently processed products of Angelica sinensis with the best liver protection effect on chicken and the intervention mechanism study based on tandem mass tag proteomics and multiple reaction monitoring approach
Authors: Li Chen‐chen , Ji Peng , He Jian , Peng You‐sheng , Wu Fan‐lin , Hua Yong‐li , Yao Wan‐ling , Yuan Zi‐wen , Wei Yan‐ming
Published: February 2024

The incidence of colibacillosis in poultry is on the rise, significantly affecting the chicken industry. Ceftiofur sodium (CS) is frequently employed to treat this disease, resulting in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) buildup. Processing plays a vital role in traditional Chinese veterinary medicine. The potential intervention in liver injury by polysaccharides from the differently processed products of Angelica sinensis (PDPPAS) induced by combined CS and LPS remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the protective effect of PDPPAS on chicken liver injury caused by CS combined with LPS buildup and further identify the polysaccharides with the highest hepatoprotective activity in chickens. Furthermore, the study elucidates polysaccharides’ intervention mechanism using tandem mass tag (TMT) proteomics and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) methods. A total of 190 1‐day‐old layer chickens were randomly assigned into 12 groups, of which 14 chickens were in the control group and 16 in other groups, for a 10‐day trial. The screening results showed that charred A. sinensis polysaccharide (CASP) had the most effective and the best hepatoprotective effect at 48 h. TMT proteomics and MRM validation results demonstrated that the intervention mechanism of the CASP high‐dose (CASPH) intervention group was closely related to the protein expressions of FCER2, TBXAS1, CD34, AGXT, GCAT, COX7A2L, and CYP2AC1. Conclusively, the intervention mechanism of CASPH had multitarget, multicenter regulatory features.
Isolation and Bioactivity Evaluation of Sesquiterpenes from an Alcyonarian of the Genus Lemnalia from the Saudi Arabian Red Sea
Authors: Koutsaviti Aikaterini , Kvasnicová Marie , Gonzalez Gabriel , Štenclová Tereza , Agusti Susana , Duarte Carlos M. , Rarová Lucie , Strnad Miroslav , Roussis Vassilios , Ioannou Efstathia
Published: February 2024

Over the last decades, soft corals have been proven a rich source of biologically active compounds, featuring a wide range of chemical structures. Herein, we investigated the chemistry of an alcyonarian of the genus Lemnalia (Neptheidae), specimens of which were collected from the coral reefs near Al Lith, on the south‐west coast of Saudi Arabia. A series of chromatographic separations led to the isolation of 31 sesquiterpenes, featuring mainly the nardosinane and neolemnane carbon skeletons, among which three (13, 14 and 28) are new natural products. The metabolites isolated in sufficient amounts were evaluated in vitro in human tumor and non‐cancerous cell lines for a number of biological activities, including their cytotoxic, anti‐inflammatory, anti‐angiogenic, and neuroprotective activities, as well as for their effect on androgen receptor (AR)‐regulated transcription. Among the tested metabolites, compound 12 showed comparable neuroprotective activity to the positive control N‐acetylcysteine, albeit at a 10‐fold lower concentration.
Predicting the risk of mortality and rehospitalization in heart failure patients: A retrospective cohort study by machine learning approach
Authors: Ketabi Marzieh , Andishgar Aref , Fereidouni Zhila , Sani Maryam Mojarrad , Abdollahi Ashkan , Vali Mohebat , Alkamel Abdulhakim , Tabrizi Reza
Published: February 2024

Background

Heart failure (HF) is a global problem, affecting more than 26 million people worldwide. This study evaluated the performance of 10 machine learning (ML) algorithms and chose the best algorithm to predict mortality and readmission of HF patients by using The Fasa Registry on Systolic HF (FaRSH) database.

Hypothesis

ML algorithms may better identify patients at increased risk of HF readmission or death with demographic and clinical data.

Methods

Through comprehensive evaluation, the best‐performing model was used for prediction. Finally, all the trained models were applied to the test data, which included 20% of the total data. For the final evaluation and comparison of the models, five metrics were used: accuracy, F1‐score, sensitivity, specificity and Area Under Curve (AUC).

Results

Ten ML algorithms were evaluated. The CatBoost (CAT) algorithm uses a series of decision tree models to create a nonlinear model, and this CAT algorithm performed the best of the 10 models studied. According to the three final outcomes from this study, which involved 2488 participants, 366 (14.7%) of the patients were readmitted to the hospital, 97 (3.9%) of the patients died within 1 month of the follow‐up, and 342 (13.7%) of the patients died within 1 year of the follow‐up. The most significant variables to predict the events were length of stay in the hospital, hemoglobin level, and family history of MI.

Conclusions

The ML‐based risk stratification tool was able to assess the risk of 5‐year all‐cause mortality and readmission in patients with HF. ML could provide an explicit explanation of individualized risk prediction and give physicians an intuitive understanding of the influence of critical features in the model.
The incidence and impact of atrial fibrillation on hospitalized Coronavirus disease‐2019 patients
Authors: Niu Haiming , Li Jianwei , Teng Catherine , Lu Xiaojia , Jin Chengyue , Cai Peng , Shi Ao , Shen Xiaoqing , Chen Qiqi , Chen Miaolian , Yuan Yong , Li Pengyang
Published: February 2024

Background

Since 2019, Coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) has raised unprecedented global health crisis. The incidence and impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) on patients with COVID‐19 remain unclearly defined.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using ICD‐10 codes to identify patients with a primary diagnosis of COVID‐19 with or without AF in National Inpatient Sample Database 2020. We compared the outcome of COVID‐19 patients with a concurrent diagnosis of AF with those without.

Hypothesis

AF will adversely affect the prognosis of hospitalized COVID‐19 patients.

Results

A total of 211 619 patients with a primary diagnosis of COVID‐19 were identified. Among these patients, 31 923 (15.08%) had a secondary diagnosis of AF. Before propensity score matching, COVID‐AF cohort was older (75.8 vs. 62.2‐year‐old, p < .001) and had more men (57.5% vs. 52.0%, p < .001). It is associated with more comorbidities, mainly including diabetes mellitus (43.7% vs. 39.9%, p < .001), hyperlipidemia (54.6% vs. 39.8%, p < .001), chronic kidney disease (34.5% vs. 17.0%, p < .001), coronary artery disease (35.3% vs. 14.4%, p < .001), anemia (27.8% vs. 18.6%, p < .001), and cancer (4.8% vs. 3.4%, p < .001). After performing propensity score match, a total of 31 862 patients were matched within each group. COVID‐AF cohort had higher inpatient mortality (22.2% vs. 15.3%, p < .001) and more complications, mainly including cardiac arrest (3.9% vs. 2.3%, p < .001), cardiogenic shock (0.9% vs. 0.3%, p < .001), hemorrhagic stroke (0.4% vs. 0.3%, p = .025), and ischemic stroke (1.3% vs. 0.7%, p < .001). COVID‐AF cohort was more costly, with a longer length of stay, and a higher total charge.

Conclusion

AF is common in patients hospitalized for COVID‐19, and is associated with poorer in‐hospital mortality, immediate complications and increased healthcare resource utilization.
An association between heart rate variability and incident heart failure in an elderly cohort
Authors: Ostrowska Bozena , Lind Lars , Blomström‐Lundqvist Carina
Published: February 2024

Background

Early identification of individuals at risk of developing heart failure (HF) may improve poor prognosis. A dominant sympathetic activity is common in HF and associated with worse outcomes; however, less is known about the autonomic balance before HF.

Hypothesis

A low frequency/high frequency (L‐F/H‐F) ratio, index of heart rate variability, and marker of the autonomic balance predict the development of HF and may improve the performance of the HF prediction model when added to traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors.

Methods

Individuals in the PIVUS (Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors) study (n = 1016, all aged 70 years) were included. Exclusion criteria were prevalent HF, electrocardiographic QRS duration ≥130 millisecond, major arrhythmias, or conduction blocks at baseline. The association between the L‐F/H‐F ratio and incident HF was assessed using Cox proportional hazard analysis. The C‐statistic evaluated whether adding the L‐F/H‐F‐ratio to traditional CV risk factors improved the discrimination of incident HF.

Results

HF developed in 107/836 study participants during 15 years of follow‐up. A nonlinear, inverse association between the L‐F/H‐F ratio and incident HF was mainly driven by an L‐F/H‐F ratio of <30. The association curve was flat for higher values (hazard ratio, HR for the total curve = 0.78 [95% confidence interval, CI: 0.69−0.88, p < .001]; HR = 2 for L‐F/H‐F ratio = 10). The traditional prediction model improved by 3.3% (p < .03) when the L‐F/H‐F ratio was added.

Conclusions

An L‐F/H‐F ratio of <30 was related to incident HF and improved HF prediction when added to traditional CV risk factors.
The effect of kidney function on guideline‐directed medical therapy implementation and prognosis in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
Authors: Bánfi‐Bacsárdi Fanni , Pilecky Dávid , Vámos Máté , Majoros Zsuzsanna , Török Gábor Márton , Borsányi Tünde Dóra , Dékány Miklós , Solymossi Balázs , Andréka Péter , Duray Gábor Zoltán , Kiss Róbert Gábor , Nyolczas Noémi , Muk Balázs
Published: February 2024

Background

Kidney dysfunction (KD) is a main limiting factor of applying guideline‐directed medical therapy (GDMT) and reaching the recommended target doses (TD) in heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Hypothesis

We aimed to assess the success of optimization, long‐term applicability, and adherence of neurohormonal antagonist triple therapy (TT:RASi [ACEi/ARB/ARNI] + βB + MRA) according to the KD after a HF hospitalization and to investigate its impact on prognosis.

Methods

The data of 247 real‐world, consecutive patients were analyzed who were hospitalized in 2019−2021 for HFrEF and then were followed‐up for 1 year. The application and the ratio of reached TD of TT at hospital discharge and at 1 year were assessed comparing KD categories (eGFR: ≥90, 60−89, 45−59, 30−44, <30 mL/min/1.73 m2). Moreover, 1‐year all‐cause mortality and rehospitalization rates in KD subgroups were investigated.

Results

Majority of the patients received TT at hospital discharge (77%) and at 1 year (73%). More severe KD led to a lower application ratio (p < .05) of TT (92%, 88%, 80%, 73%, 31%) at discharge and at 1 year (81%, 76%, 76%, 68%, 40%). Patients with more severe KD were less likely (p < .05) to receive TD of MRA (81%, 68%, 78%, 61%, 52%) at discharge and a RASi (53%, 49%, 45%, 21%, 27%) at 1 year.

One‐year all‐cause mortality (14%, 15%, 16%, 33%, 48%, p < .001), the ratio of all‐cause rehospitalizations (30%, 35%, 40%, 43%, 52%, p = .028), and rehospitalizations for HF (8%, 13%, 18%, 20%, 38%, p = .001) were significantly higher in more severe KD categories.

Conclusions

KD unfavorably affects the application of TT in HFrEF, however poorer mortality and rehospitalization rates among them highlight the role of the conscious implementation and up‐titration of GDMT.
Impact of different sequential triple oral combination therapies based selexipag on outcomes in pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Hu Xiaoyi , Yuan Ping , Chen Jun , Wang Shang , Zhao Hui , Wei Yaqin , Fu Jiaqi , Chen Fadong , Ruan Hongyun , Zhang Wei , Zhou Yanli , Wang Qiqi , Xu Xiaoling , Feng Kefu , Guo Jianzhou , Gong Sugang , Zhang Ruifeng , Zhao Qinhua , Wang Lan
Published: February 2024

Background

While the GRIPHON study and others have confirmed the efficacy and safety of selexipag with single, dual, and initial triple combination therapy for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), multicenters studies concerning diverse triple oral combination therapies based on selexipag are limited.

Hypothesis

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of various sequential triple oral combination therapies on PAH outcomes.

Methods

A retrospective study was carried out involving 192 patients from 10 centers, who were receiving sequential triple oral combination therapy consisting of an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA), a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor (PDE5i)/riociguat and selexipag. Clinical parameters, event‐free survival, and all‐cause survival were assessed and analyzed at baseline and posttreatment.

Results

Among the 192 patients, 37 were treated with ERA + riociguat + selexipag, and 155 patients received ERA + PDE5i + selexipag. Both sequential triple oral combination therapies improved the World Health Organization functional class and raised the count of low‐risk parameters. As a result of the larger patients' population in the ERA + PDE5i + selexipag group, these individuals exhibited significant increases in 6‐minute walking distance (6MWD), pulmonary arterial systolic pressure, pulmonary arterial pressure, right ventricle, and eccentricity index, and significant decreases in N‐terminal probrain natriuretic peptide after 6 months of treatment. Nevertheless, both sequential triple oral combination therapy groups demonstrated similar shifts in these clinical parameters between baseline and 6 months. Baseline 6MWD and mean pulmonary arterial pressure were independent predictors of survival in patients undergoing ERA + PDE5i + selexipag therapy. Importantly, no significant differences were found in 6‐month event‐free survival and all‐cause survival between two groups.

Conclusions

Different oral sequential triple combination therapies based on selexipag could comparably improve outcomes in patients with PAH.
Toward high stability of O3‐type NaNi1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3O2 cathode material with zirconium substitution for advanced sodium‐ion batteries
Authors: Jiang Chunyu , Wang Yingshuai , Xin Yuhang , Ding Xiangyu , Liu Shengkai , Pang Yanfei , Chen Baorui , Wang Yusong , Liu Lei , Wu Feng , Gao Hongcai
Published: February 2024

We successfully synthesized a series of O3‐type NaNi1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3−xZrxO2 (x = 0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.04) cathode materials by the solid‐state reaction method. Energy dispersion spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy results confirmed the successful incorporation of Zr elements into the lattice to substitute Mn. Due to the introduction of Zr4+, the crystal structure modulation of O3‐NaNi1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3O2 has been realized. By increasing the Zr4+ content, the width of the sodium diffusion layer expands, thereby facilitating the diffusion of sodium ions. Consequently, the material exhibits a remarkable enhancement in high‐rate capability. At the same time, increasing the Zr4+ content results in a notable decrease in both the average bond length of TM−O and the thickness of the TMO6 octahedron in the transition metal layer, resulting in a significant improvement in the cycling performance and structural stability of the cathode material. Additionally, the in‐situ XRD results demonstrate that the optimized cathode composition of O3‐NaNi1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3–0.02Zr0.02O2 (NFMZ2) undergoes a reversible phase transition of O3 → O3 + P3 → P3 → O3 + P3 → O3 during the charge–discharge process.
China's ESG scorecard: A predictive machine learning model
Authors: David Lemuel Kenneth , Wang Jianling , Angel Vanessa , Luo Meiling
Published: February 2024

In today's globalized business environment, the intersection of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors has come to the forefront, shaping the paradigms of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and environmental stewardship. As China, with its economic prowess and distinct socio‐cultural milieu, takes center stage, deciphering its ESG dynamics becomes imperative for both local and global stakeholders. This groundbreaking research unveils a pioneering multidimensional ESG scoring system tailored for the Chinese corporate landscape. Drawing on an extensive dataset from Bloomberg, spanning an 11‐year period and encompassing 1496 companies, this study stands as a seminal contribution to the ESG literature. By harnessing advanced mathematical explorations coupled with state‐of‐the‐art machine learning techniques, the model's predictive prowess is heightened, ensuring its adaptability and robustness. Venturing beyond mere metrics, this research accentuates the practical implications of ESG in shaping sustainable and responsible business practices in China, thereby catalyzing a more ethically aligned corporate trajectory in the region.
Examining the X factor of corporate social responsibility in professional football clubs: An integrative literature review
Authors: Rith Rongtitya , Spinelli Riccardo
Published: February 2024

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) implementation has gained momentum amongst professional sport organisations, including the football industry. Amidst the increasing normative and strategic importance of CSR for professional football clubs, this integrative review aims to consolidate and examine scholarly contributions in this area. Our content analysis performed on 50 studies (published from 2008 to 2022) elaborates on five CSR‐football thematic areas, namely “Implementation and Governance”, “Drivers and Barriers”, “Impacts and Perceptions”, “Communication”, and “Measurement”. Findings indicate that the extant research on CSR in football is rather limited in various aspects. Our discussion addresses those core areas in need of attention for future research endeavours, specifically the expansion of the research scale and scope, the strengthening of theoretical foundations, the prevalent instrumental approach in CSR implementation, the minimal attention on drivers and barriers, the lack of focus on impact assessment and evaluation, and the lack of emphasis on disclosure and communication issues.
Reliable and optimal design of variable inductor integrated LLC converter
Authors: Wu Mingtao , Du Guiping , Wang Xueyi , Chen Yu
Published: February 2024

The variable inductor integrated LLC (VI‐LLC) converter is able to operate at constant switching frequency and avoid wide variable frequency range and thus emerged in recent years. However, VI‐LLC converter suffers two reliability problems. First, coupling between the main winding and the control winding of variable inductor (VI) causes negative effects on the converter, which are few considered in the literature. Second, parameter fluctuation (PF) of resonant elements has negative effects on operation and gain reliability of VI‐LLC converter, causing unreliable operation and voltage gain deviation. To solve the above problems, in this paper, a reliable and optimal design methodology of VI‐LLC converter is proposed. First, the coupling effects of VI are introduced and analyzed, with a coupling index proposed to quantify and reduce the coupling effects. Then, negative effects on VI‐LLC converter caused by PF are visualized and eliminated with the filtered parameter space and the redetermined variation range of VI. Based on the above consideration, a reliable final parameter space considering PF effects and the coupling problem is established. Finally, the efficiency space referring to the final parameter space is established based on the loss model of VI‐LLC converter to determine the optimal design candidate. Experimentation has shown a good agreement with theory and proven validity of the proposed design methodology.
Prevalence and risk factors of glomerular hyperfiltration in adults with type 2 diabetes: A population‐based study
Authors: Tricò Domenico , Fadini Gian Paolo , Morieri Mario Luca , Candido Riccardo , Disoteo Olga Eugenia , Frontoni Simona , Solini Anna ,   PIONEERING EXPERIENCE study group
Published: February 2024

Aims

Glomerular hyperfiltration characterises the earliest stage of diabetic nephropathy and predicts adverse kidney and cardiovascular outcomes. We aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of glomerular hyperfiltration in a population‐based contemporary cohort of individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Materials and Methods

The prevalence of unequivocal glomerular hyperfiltration (defined by an estimated glomerular filtration rate >120 mL/min/1.73 m2) and its associated risk factors were identified in a cohort of 202,068 adult patients with T2D receiving specialist care in 2021–2022, whose center‐aggregated data were automatically extracted from electronic medical records of 75 diabetes clinics in Italy.

Results

Glomerular hyperfiltration was identified in 1262 (0.6%) participants. The prevalence of glomerular hyperfiltration varied widely across centers (0%–3.4%) and correlated with mean center age, HbA1c, body mass index (BMI), and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol. Patients in centers with high glomerular hyperfiltration prevalence (>0.8%) were more often men and had lower age and BMI, but more frequent albuminuria and worse glucose, lipid, and blood pressure control, compared with low‐normal prevalence centers.

Conclusions

Unequivocal glomerular hyperfiltration can be identified in up to 3.4% of patients receiving up‐to‐date specialist diabetes care. Glomerular hyperfiltration prevalence varies across centers and substantially increases with suboptimal control of metabolic risk factors, which would require improved management to mitigate the negative health consequences of this pathological condition.
Adherence to an energy‐restricted Mediterranean diet is associated with the presence and burden of carotid atherosclerosis in people with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Serés‐Noriega Tonet , Viñals Clara , Perea Verónica , Mesa Alex , Boswell Laura , Mariaca Karla , Blanco Jesús , Vinagre Irene , Pané Adriana , Milad Camila , Solà Clara , Esmatjes Enric , Conget Ignacio , Giménez Marga , Amor Antonio J.
Published: February 2024

Aims

People with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The Mediterranean diet is associated with reduced CVD; however, the evidence in T1D is scarce. We aimed to analyse the relationships between adherence to the energy‐restricted Mediterranean diet (erMEDd) and carotid atherosclerosis.

Materials and Methods

We included subjects with T1D without CVD, with ≥1 of the following: age ≥40 years, diabetic kidney disease, or ≥10 years of disease duration with another risk factor. Plaque presence (intima‐media thickness ≥1.5 mm) was determined by ultrasonography. The PREDIMED‐Plus 17‐item questionnaire (PP‐17) was used to assess adherence to the erMEDd.

Results

Four hundred one individuals were included (48% males, age 48.3 ± 11 years, diabetes duration 26.8 ± 11.4 years). Those harbouring plaques (42%) showed lower adherence to the erMEDd (PP‐17: 8.9 ± 2.3 of a maximum of 17 vs. 9.8 ± 2.5, p < 0.001). Greater adherence to the erMEDd was correlated with an overall better metabolic profile. After adjusting for multiple confounders, adherence to the erMEDd was independently associated with carotid atherosclerosis (OR 0.86 [0.77–0.95] for plaque presence and OR 0.85 [0.75–0.97] for ≥2 plaques). The consumption of fruit and nuts and preference of white over red meat was higher in individuals without atherosclerosis (p < 0.05). Fruit and nut consumption was associated with lower plaque prevalence in the fully adjusted models (OR 0.38 [0.19–0.73] and 0.51 [0.29–0.93]).

Conclusions

Greater adherence to the erMEDd is associated with less carotid atherosclerosis in subjects with T1D at high risk of CVD. Strategies to improve and implement healthy dietary patterns in this population should be encouraged.
Comparison between sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors on the risk of incident cancer in patients with diabetes mellitus: A real‐world evidence study
Authors: Sung Hui‐Lin , Hung Chuan‐Yu , Tung Yu‐Chun , Lin Chih‐Chung , Tsai Tung‐Han , Huang Kuang‐Hua
Published: February 2024

Aims

Sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT‐2is) have been demonstrated to be associated with cancer cell mechanisms. However, whether they increase the risk of cancer remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to determine the association between SGLT‐2i use and the incidence of cancer in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) in Taiwan.

Materials and Methods

This retrospective cohort study was based on the Taiwan National Health Insurance database. The study population comprised patients with DM, and those who first used SGLT‐2is during 2016–2018 were assigned to the study group. Greedy propensity score matching was performed to select patients who first used dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP‐4is), and these patients were assigned to the control group. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for cancer risk in the study and control groups; this model was adjusted for demographic characteristics, DM severity, comorbidities and concomitant medication use.

Results

After controlling for relevant variables, the SGLT‐2i cohort (aHR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.87–0.93) had a significantly lower risk of developing cancer than the DPP‐4i cohort, particularly when the SGLT‐2i was dapagliflozin (aHR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.87–0.95) or empagliflozin (aHR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.86–0.94). Regarding cancer type, the SGLT‐2i cohort's risk of cancer was significantly lower than that of the DPP‐4i cohort for leukaemia, oesophageal, colorectal, liver, pancreatic, lung, skin and bladder cancer.

Conclusions

SGLT‐2i use was associated with a significantly lower risk of cancer than DPP‐4i use.
Nitrogen rather than water availability limits aboveground primary productivity in an arid ecosystem: Substantial differences between grasses and shrubs
Authors: Carbonell‐Silletta Luisina , Scholz Fabian Gustavo , Burek Antonella , Villa Virginia Diaz , Cavallaro Agustin , Askenazi Javier Oscar , Arias Nadia Soledad , Hao Guang‐You , Goldstein Guillermo , Bucci Sandra Janet
Published: February 2024

Changes in water and nitrogen availability can affect the structure and function of arid ecosystems. How these resources affect aboveground primary productivity (ANPP) remains far from clear. We examined the N and water limitation of ANPP from the species to the community level and the response of ANPP to annual precipitation in a Patagonian steppe. We conducted a 7‐year field experiment with water addition (+W), nitrogen addition (+N) and +NW. Destructive methods for grasses and allometric relationships for shrubs were used to assess ANPP and vegetation indices (NDVI and MSAVI2) to estimate community ANPP. An increase in ANPP of one grass species (Papposstipa humilis) and a decrease of the grass Poa ligularis under +N were observed. Some shrub species exhibited mortality under nitrogen addition. Nitrogen exerted a positive effect on grass ANPP and amplified the sensitivity of grass ANPP to annual precipitation. However, +N had not effects on the shrub ANPP and shrub ANPP‐precipitation relationship. Water addition by itself had no effect on ANPP for either shrubs or grasses. However, shrubs responded positively to an unusually wet year regardless of treatment and were also more sensitive to changes in annual precipitation than grasses. Total ANPP increased significantly in +N relative to the C and +W but without changes in the sensitivity to annual precipitation. The results suggest that the responses of grasses and shrubs to water inputs are driven by soil moisture redistribution and rooting depth and that grass and community ANPP are more limited by N than by water.
When views about alternative medicine, nature and god come in the way of people's vaccination intentions
Authors: Van Oost Pascaline , Schmitz Mathias , Klein Olivier , Brisbois Marie , Luminet Olivier , Morbée Sofie , Raemdonck Eveline , Van den Bergh Omer , Vansteenkiste Maarten , Waterschoot Joachim , Yzerbyt Vincent
Published: February 2024

In spite of the safety and efficiency of the COVID‐19 vaccines and the many promotion efforts of political and expert authorities, a fair portion of the population remained hesitant if not opposed to vaccination. Public debate and the available literature point to the possible role of people's attitudes towards medical institutions as well as their preference for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) on their motivations and intentions to be vaccinated. Other potential ideological factors are beliefs about environmental laissez‐faire and divine providence insofar as they encourage people to let the pandemic unfold without human interference. In three cross‐sectional samples (total N = 8214), collected at successive moments during the Belgian vaccination campaign, the present research examines the distal role of these psychological and ideological factors on vaccination intentions via motivational processes. Study 1 gauges the relation between trust in medical institutions and preference for CAM on intentions to get vaccinated via motivations. Study 2 examined the role of beliefs in the desirability of letting nature take its course (‘environmental laissez‐faire beliefs’) on vaccination intention via motivations. Study 3 tests whether people's adherence to environmental laissez‐faire and beliefs about divine providence are linked to their motivations for vaccination via trust in the medical institutions and CAM. Results show that adherence to CAM has a deleterious effect on vaccination intentions, whereas trust in medical institutions has a positive effect. Both ideological factors pertaining to external control are only moderately related, with environmental laissez‐faire beliefs having stronger effects on CAM, medical trust and vaccination motivations. We discuss the importance of this set of results in light of the growing interest in CAM and the increasing presence of messages appealing to the environment.
Why cannot reasons change your moral decisions? Because they are not persuasive enough: A comment on Stanley et al. (2018)
Authors: Gao Ruixiang , Xiao Qikai , Huang Shengqiao , Li Zhuoyu , Mo Lei
Published: February 2024

Stanley et al. (2018) found that the consideration of reasons rarely induced people to change their moral decisions. We challenged this article by assuming what caused such a null or weak effect was that the persuasiveness of reasons provided to oppose the initial decisions was not strong enough. To verify our assumption, this study used Stanley et al.’s (2018) experimental paradigm and manipulated the levels of persuasiveness of reasons. The results revealed (1) that not only strong opposing reasons but also weak affirming reasons could induce changes in moral decision‐making and increase decision confidence after altering the decisions; (2) that people with a weak decision confidence tended to change their initial decisions after evaluation of reasons; and (3) that people who maintained their decisions after considering weak opposing reasons enhanced rather than reduced their decision confidence. Overall, these findings demonstrated that moral decision change was a composite outcome of the interaction among reason type, reason persuasiveness and initial decision confidence and that low‐quality argumentation had a boomerang effect on moral persuasion. This study re‐lifted the role of rational reasoning in moral decision‐making and revising, thus posing important amendments to Stanley et al.’s (2018) findings.
Using data on biomarkers and siblings to study early‐life economic determinants of type‐2 diabetes
Authors: Alessie Rob J. M. , Angelini Viola , van den Berg Gerard J. , Mierau Jochen O. , Niccodemi Gianmaria
Published: February 2024

We study the effect of economic conditions early in life on the occurrence of type‐2 diabetes in adulthood using contextual economic indicators and within‐sibling pair variation. We use data from Lifelines: a longitudinal cohort study and biobank including 51,270 siblings born in the Netherlands from 1950 onward. Sibling fixed‐effects account for selective fertility. To identify type‐2 diabetes we use biomarkers on the hemoglobin A1c concentration and fasting glucose in the blood. We find that adverse economic conditions around birth increase the probability of type‐2 diabetes later in life both in males and in females. Inference based on self‐reported diabetes leads to biased results, incorrectly suggesting the absence of an effect. The same applies to inference that does not account for selective fertility.