bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parkinson Disease and Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation: Cognitive Effects in GBA Mutation Carriers
Authors: Pal Gian , Mangone Graziella , Hill Emily J. , Ouyang Bichun , Liu Yuanqing , Lythe Vanessa , Ehrlich Debra , Saunders‐Pullman Rachel , Shanker Vicki , Bressman Susan , Alcalay Roy N. , Garcia Priscilla , Marder Karen S. , Aasly Jan , Mouradian M. Maral , Link Samantha , Rosenbaum Marc , Anderson Sharlet , Bernard Bryan , Wilson Robert , Stebbins Glenn , Nichols William C. , Welter Marie‐Laure , Sani Sepehr , Afshari Mitra , Verhagen Leo , de Bie Rob M.A. , Foltynie Tom , Hall Deborah , Corvol Jean‐Christophe , Goetz Christopher G.
Published: January 2022

Objective

This study was undertaken to compare the rate of change in cognition between glucocerebrosidase (GBA) mutation carriers and noncarriers with and without subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN‐DBS) in Parkinson disease.

Methods

Clinical and genetic data from 12 datasets were examined. Global cognition was assessed using the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS). Subjects were examined for mutations in GBA and categorized as GBA carriers with or without DBS (GBA+DBS+, GBA+DBS‐), and noncarriers with or without DBS (GBA‐DBS+, GBA‐DBS‐). GBA mutation carriers were subcategorized according to mutation severity (risk variant, mild, severe). Linear mixed modeling was used to compare rate of change in MDRS scores over time among the groups according to GBA and DBS status and then according to GBA severity and DBS status.

Results

Data were available for 366 subjects (58 GBA+DBS+, 82 GBA+DBS‐, 98 GBA‐DBS+, and 128 GBA‐DBS‐ subjects), who were longitudinally followed (range = 36–60 months after surgery). Using the MDRS, GBA+DBS+ subjects declined on average 2.02 points/yr more than GBA‐DBS‐ subjects (95% confidence interval [CI] = −2.35 to −1.69), 1.71 points/yr more than GBA+DBS‐ subjects (95% CI = −2.14 to −1.28), and 1.49 points/yr more than GBA‐DBS+ subjects (95% CI = −1.80 to −1.18).

Interpretation

Although not randomized, this composite analysis suggests that the combined effects of GBA mutations and STN‐DBS negatively impact cognition. We advise that DBS candidates be screened for GBA mutations as part of the presurgical decision‐making process. We advise that GBA mutation carriers be counseled regarding potential risks associated with STN‐DBS so that alternative options may be considered. ANN NEUROL 2022;91:424–435
(Bio)manufactured Solutions for Treatment of Bone Defects with an Emphasis on US‐FDA Regulatory Science Perspective
Authors: Ghelich Pejman , Kazemzadeh-Narbat Mehdi , Hassani Najafabadi Alireza , Samandari Mohamadmahdi , Memić Adnan , Tamayol Ali
Published: January 2022

Bone defects, with second highest demand for surgeries around the globe, may lead to serious health issues and negatively influence patient lives. The advances in biomedical engineering and sciences have led to the development of several creative solutions for bone defect treatment. This review provides a brief summary of bone graft materials, an organized overview of top‐down and bottom‐up (bio)manufacturing approaches, plus a critical comparison between advantages and limitations of each method. Additive manufacturing techniques and their operation mechanisms in detail are specifically discussed. Next, the hybrid methods and promising future directions for bone grafting are reviewed while giving a comprehensive United States Food and Drug Administration (US‐FDA) regulatory science perspective, biocompatibility concepts and assessments, and clinical considerations to translate a technology from a research laboratory to the market. The topics covered in this review can potentially fuel future research efforts in bone tissue engineering, and perhaps can also provide novel insights for other tissue engineering applications.
4,5‐Dihydro‐imidazol‐2‐ylidene‐linked palladium complexes as catalysts for the direct CH bond arylation of azoles
Authors: Kaloğlu Murat , Özdemir Namık , Özdemir İsmail
Published: January 2022

Recently, PEPPSI‐type palladium‐complexes bearing N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand have commonly been used as the effective catalysts in the direct arylation of heteroaromatic compounds. In most of previous studies catalyzed by such complexes, unsaturated ring carbene ligands such as benzo[d]imidazol‐2‐ylidene and imidazol‐2‐ylidene were used. However, the use of saturated ring carbene ligands such as 4,5‐dihydro‐imidazol‐2‐ylidene has been highly limited. Therefore, in this study, four novel 4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐imidazolium salts were synthesized as saturated ring carbene precursors. Then, well‐defined air‐ and moisture‐stable four novel PEPPSI‐type palladium‐complexes with 4,5‐dihydro‐imidazol‐2‐ylidene ligands were prepared. All synthesized carbene precursors and palladium‐complexes were structurally characterized by different spectroscopic and analytical techniques. Further structural characterization of two of the palladium‐complexes was performed by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Next, the palladium‐complexes were tested in the direct arylation of azoles such as 4,5‐dimethylthiazole and 1‐methyl‐1H‐imidazole with (hetero)aryl halides in presence of 1 mol% catalyst loading at 120°C. The results showed that these novel palladium complexes are effective catalysts.
Pickering emulsion templated strategy in composite aerogels with hierarchical porous structure improves thermal insulation and diphenylamine adsorption
Authors: Yu Jiangang , Jin Yi , Liu Guoqing , Hua Feiguo , Lv Yanwen
Published: January 2022

A facile Pickering emulsion templated approach is used to achieve nanocelluloses (NCs)/poly(aryl ether ketone) (PAEK) composite aerogels with low density and hierarchical porous structure. In this article, we evaluate the factors including water–oil volume ratio, PAEK loading and NCs species to unravel the impact of fiber morphology on the formation and properties of the Pickering emulsions and aerogels. The results show both cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) and microfibrous cellulose (MFC) display excellent performance in stabilizing Pickering emulsions. Besides, the NCs/PAEK composite aerogels reveal a nanonet constructed porous network with excellent properties of thermal insulation. The lowest thermal conductivity of 17.8 mW·m−1·K−1 is obtained for the CNF/PAEK composite aerogel. To our knowledge, this is one of the most efficient thermal insulators in the reported NCs‐based aerogels. Additionally, the NCs/PAEK composite aerogels demonstrate an efficiency of 98.1% in diphenylamine adsorption of water. These findings reveal a potential application of NCs/PAEK composite aerogels in adsorbent and thermal insulators in chemical industries and the construction sector.
Medicaid healthcare expenditures for infants with birth defects potentially related to Zika virus infection in North Carolina, 2011–2016
Authors: Bergman Kristin , Forestieri Nina E. , Di Bona Vito L. , Grosse Scott D. , Moore Cynthia A.
Published: January 2022

Background

In 2016, Zika virus (ZIKV) was recognized as a human teratogen. North Carolina (NC) had no local transmission of ZIKV but infants with relevant birth defects, including severe brain anomalies, microcephaly, and eye abnormalities, require specialized care and services, the costs of which have not yet been quantified. The objective of this study is to examine NC Medicaid healthcare expenditures for infants with defects potentially related to ZIKV compared to infants with no reported defects.

Methods

Data sources for this retrospective cohort study include NC birth certificates, Birth Defects Monitoring Program data, and Medicaid enrollment and paid claims files. Infants with relevant defects were identified and expenditure ratios were calculated to compare distributions of estimated expenditures during the first year of life for infants with relevant defects and infants with no reported defects.

Results

This analysis included 551 infants with relevant defects and 365,318 infants with no reported defects born 2011–2016. Mean total expenditure per infant with defects was $69,244 (median $30,544) for the first year. The ratio of these expenditures relative to infants with no reported defects was 14.5. Expenditures for infants with select brain anomalies were greater than those for infants with select eye abnormalities only.

Conclusions

Infants with defects potentially related to ZIKV had substantially higher Medicaid expenditures than infants with no reported defects. These results may be informative in the event of a future outbreak and are a resource for program planning related to care for infants in NC.
Adaptive tolerance: Protection through self‐recognition
Authors: Amendt Timm , Jumaa Hassan
Published: January 2022

The random nature of immunoglobulin gene segment rearrangement inevitably leads to the generation of self‐reactive B cells. Avoidance of destructive autoimmune reactions is necessary in order to maintain physiological homeostasis. However, current central and peripheral tolerance concepts fail to explain the massive number of autoantibody‐borne autoimmune diseases. Moreover, recent studies have shown that in physiological mouse models autoreactive B cells were neither clonally deleted nor kept in an anergic state, but were instead able to mount autoantibody responses. We propose that activation of autoreactive B cells is induced by polyvalent autoantigen complexes that can occur under physiological conditions. Repeated encounter of autoantigen complexes leads to the production of affinity‐matured autoreactive IgM that protects its respective self‐targets from degradation. We refer to this novel mechanism as adaptive tolerance. This article discusses the discovery of adaptive tolerance and the unexpected role of high affinity IgM autoantibodies.
MMP9 SNP and MMP SNP–SNP interactions increase the risk for ischemic stroke in the Han Hakka population
Authors: Fan Daofeng , Zheng Chong , Wu Wenbao , Chen Yinjuan , Chen Dongping , Hu Xiaohong , Shen Chaoxiong , Chen Mingsheng , Li Rongtong , Chen Yangui
Published: January 2022

Objectives

To investigate the association of eight variants of four matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) genes with ischemic stroke (IS) and whether interactions among these single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) increases the risk of IS.

Methods

Among 547 patients with ischemic stroke and 350 controls, matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry was used to examine eight variants arising from four different genes, including MMP‐1 (rs1799750), MMP‐2 (rs243865, rs2285053, rs2241145), MMP‐9 (rs17576), and MMP‐12 (rs660599, rs2276109, and rs652438). Gene–gene interactions were employed using generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) methods.

Results

The frequency of rs17576 was significantly higher in IS patients than in controls (p = .033). Logistic regression analysis revealed the AG and GG genotypes of rs17576 to be associated with a higher risk for IS, with the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval being 2.490 (1.251–4.959) and 2.494 (1.274–4.886), respectively. GMDR analysis showed a significant SNP‐SNP interaction between rs17576 and rs660599 (the testing balanced accuracy was 53.70% and cross‐validation consistency was 8/10, p = .0107). Logistic regression analysis showed the interaction between rs17576 and rs660599 to be an independent risk factor for IS with an odds ratio of 1.568 and a 95% confidence interval of 1.152–2.135.

Conclusion

An MMP‐9 rs17576 polymorphism is associated with increased IS risk in the Han Hakka population and interaction between MMP‐9 rs17576 and MMP‐12 rs660599 is associated with increased IS risk as well.
The Influence of Rheological and Wetting Properties of Hydrogel‐based Bio‐Inks on Extrusion‐based Bioprinting
Authors: Maciel Bruna Regina , Baki Kubilay , Oelschlaeger Claude , Willenbacher Norbert
Published: January 2022

The wall slip and flow behavior of alginate as well as gelatin based hydrogels with respect to the impact of these rheological and wetting properties on extrusion‐based bioprinting (EBB) was investigated. Capillary rheometry and printing tests indicate that slip is negligible at high stresses relevant for EBB, i.e., well above the hydrogels yield stress. On the contrary, rotational rheometry performed at low shear stresses revealed that alginate hydrogels present much stronger slip than gelatin gels, irrespective of crosslinker and polymer concentration. This result is presumably due to the formation of a heterogeneous microstructure for alginate gels and has an unfavorable impact on the printing quality with the production of large fluctuations in line width and higher line spread ratio.
Potentially Toxic Metals in Sediments from Liao River Estuary Wetland: Concentration, Source, and Risk Assessment
Authors: Wei Zhongping , Luo Qing , Gao Yingxu , Zhang Ying , Liu Li , Chen Gang
Published: January 2022

In this study, a total of 26 surface sediments samples are collected from the Liao River estuary wetland, China. The concentration, potential ecological risk, and source apportionment of potentially toxic metals including Sr, Zn, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu, and As in different seasons are analyzed. The average concentrations of potentially toxic metals are below the first class of Chinese marine sediment quality standard. There is no significant difference in the concentrations of potentially toxic metals in the sediments collected in June and November. The concentrations of potentially toxic metals in the periphery of the nature reserve are higher than those in the core area of the nature reserve. The average enrichment factors of As, Pb, Cu, Ni, Zn, and Cr are about 1, classified as minimal enrichment. The average enrichment factor of Sr is >2, which corresponds to moderate enrichment. The individual (Er) and total potential ecological risks (RI) of potentially toxic metals are low. The positive matrix factorization model suggested that the potentially toxic metals in surface sediments in June are dominantly from atmospheric deposition, industrial discharges, natural sources, and traffic emission. However, the traffic emission source is replaced by agricultural production and metal smelting activities in November.
Biguanide MC001, a Dual Inhibitor of OXPHOS and Glycolysis, Shows Enhanced Antitumor Activity Without Increasing Lactate Production
Authors: Fu Jiamiao , Liu Siyu , Hu Minqiang , Liao Ximing , Wang Xiaoquan , Xu Zhengshuang , Li Qinkai , Quan Junmin
Published: January 2022

Metformin and other biguanides represent a new class of inhibitors of mitochondrial complex I that show promising antitumor effects. However, stronger inhibition of mitochondrial complex I is generally associated with upregulation of glycolysis and higher risk of lactic acidosis. Herein we report a novel biguanide derivative, N‐cystaminylbiguanide (MC001), which was found to inhibit mitochondrial complex I with higher potency while inducing lactate production to a similar degree as metformin.Furthermore, MC001 was found to efficiently inhibit a panel of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells in vitro and to suppress tumor growth in a HCT116 xenograft nude mouse model, while not enhancing lactate production relative to metformin, exhibiting a superior safety profile to other potent biguanides such as phenformin. Mechanistically, MC001 efficiently inhibits mitochondrial complex I, activates AMPK, and represses mTOR, leading to cell‐cycle arrest and apoptosis. Notably, MC001 inhibits both oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glycolysis. We therefore propose that MC001 warrants further investigation in cancer treatment.
Delivering colorectal cancer screening integrated with primary health care services in Morocco: Lessons learned from a demonstration project
Authors: Selmouni Farida , Amrani Laila , Sauvaget Catherine , Bakkar Meryem , El Khannoussi Basma , Souadka Amine , Benkabbou Amine , Majbar Mohammed Anass , Belekhel Latifa , Lucas Eric , Muwonge Richard , Chami Khazraji Youssef , Mohsine Raouf , Bennani Maria , Sankaranarayanan Rengaswamy , Bekkali Rachid , Basu Partha
Published: January 2022

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality rates are increasing rapidly in many low‐income and middle‐income countries. A demonstration project was implemented in Morocco in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and challenges of implementing CRC screening through routine primary care facilities.

Methods

The objective of the project was to screen 10,000 men and women aged 50 to 75 years through 10 primary health centers (PHCs) in 2 provinces. All eligible men and women attending the selected PHCs were offered the fecal immunochemical test (FIT). Stool specimens brought to the PHCs were tested immediately by trained nurses. FIT‐positive individuals were referred to the National Oncology Institute for colonoscopy.

Results

In total, 9763 eligible men and women were screened by FIT between June 2017 and May 2019; most (73.3%) were women. The test was positive in 460 participants (4.7%). Among the individuals who had positive FIT results, 62.6% underwent colonoscopy. The main reasons for noncompliance to colonoscopy were competing life priorities (15.4%), other health problems (13%), and fear of getting a cancer diagnosis (12.3%). As the number of referrals to colonoscopy increased, the waiting time for the procedure increased, resulting in a drop in compliance. The detection rates of advanced adenomas and CRC were 4.0 in 1000 and 0.5 in 1000 individuals screened, respectively.

Conclusions

An effective strategy to reach the target populations (especially men), a pragmatic assessment of the health system's capacity to deal with large numbers of referrals, and a formal cost‐effectiveness analysis are essential before making any decision to introduce CRC screening in Morocco.
Neural organization of the third optic neuropil, the lobula, in the highly visual semiterrestrial crab Neohelice granulata
Authors: Lepore María Grazia , Tomsic Daniel , Sztarker Julieta
Published: January 2022

The visual neuropils (lamina, medulla, and lobula complex) of malacostracan crustaceans and hexapods have many organizational principles, cell types, and functional properties in common. Information about the cellular elements that compose the crustacean lobula is scarce especially when focusing on small columnar cells. Semiterrestrial crabs possess a highly developed visual system and display conspicuous visually guided behaviors. In particular, Neohelice granulata has been previously used to describe the cellular components of the first two optic neuropils using Golgi impregnation technique. Here, we present a comprehensive description of individual elements composing the third optic neuropil, the lobula, of that same species. We characterized a wide variety of elements (140 types) including input terminals and lobula columnar, centrifugal, and input columnar elements. Results reveal a very dense and complex neuropil. We found a frequently impregnated input element (suggesting a supernumerary cartridge representation) that arborizes in the third layer of the lobula and that presents four variants each with ramifications organized following one of the four cardinal axes suggesting a role in directional processing. We also describe input elements with two neurites branching in the third layer, probably connecting with the medulla and lobula plate. These facts suggest that this layer is involved in the directional motion detection pathway in crabs. We analyze and discuss our findings considering the similarities and differences found between the layered organization and components of this crustacean lobula and the lobula of insects.
Optimizing the eigenvectors of spectral data with an initial clustering approach: Spectral versus colorimetric criteria
Authors: Mahbadi Ali Akbar , Amirshahi Seyed Hossein
Published: January 2022

Clustering of spectral data based on the correlation distance coefficient of the reflectance spectra and the color difference values is presented to minimize the information loss caused by the compression of spectral data when the first three most important eigenvectors are considered. The suggested criteria used a distance function to partition the reflectance spectra of Munsell chips into subgroups using a k‐means algorithm. The cumulative energy contributions of the first three eigenvectors of the groups are calculated and compared to those that are computed based on the 10 principal hues of Munsell color system as well as nonclustered spectra. The performance of the suggested methods is evaluated by the colorimetric and spectrophotometric errors between the ground truth and the reconstructed spectra. While the clustering methods yield significantly better results than nonclustered data, the clustering approach based on the correlation distance coefficient of spectral data provides the best overall performance for all considered measures compared to colorimetric clustering strategies.
Pharmacokinetic Drug Interaction Between Raloxifene and Cholecalciferol in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Lee Hae Won , Kang Woo Youl , Jung Wookjae , Gwon Mi‐Ri , Cho Kyunghee , Lee Backhwan , Seong Sook Jin , Yoon Young‐Ran
Published: January 2022

Osteoporosis is a common skeletal disorder, often leading to fragility fracture. Combination therapy with raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) has been proposed to improve the overall efficacy and increase compliance of raloxifene therapy for postmenopausal osteoporosis. To our knowledge, there has been no report of any study on the pharmacokinetic interaction between raloxifene and cholecalciferol. This study aimed to evaluate the possible pharmacokinetic interactions between raloxifene and cholecalciferol in healthy adult male Korean volunteers. Twenty subjects completed this open‐label, randomized, single‐dose, 3‐period, 6‐sequence, crossover phase 1 study with a 14‐day washout period. Serial blood samples were collected from 20 hours before dosing to 96 hours after dosing. The plasma concentrations of raloxifene and cholecalciferol were determined using a validated method for high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The geometric mean ratios (90%CIs) for area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time 0 to the last quantifiable time point and maximum plasma concentration of raloxifene with or without cholecalciferol were 1.02 (0.87‐1.20) and 0.87 (0.70‐1.08), respectively. For baseline‐corrected cholecalciferol, geometric mean ratios (90%CIs) of area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time 0 to the last quantifiable time point and maximum plasma concentration with or without raloxifene were 1.01 (0.93‐1.09) and 0.99 (0.92‐1.06), respectively. Concurrent treatment with raloxifene and cholecalciferol was generally well tolerated. These results suggest that raloxifene and cholecalciferol have no clinically relevant pharmacokinetic drug‐drug interactions when administered concurrently. All treatments were well tolerated, with no serious adverse events.
Using an optimized soil and water assessment tool by deep belief networks to evaluate the impact of land use and climate change on water resources
Authors: Wang Honghao , Khayatnezhad Majid , Youssefi Naser
Published: January 2022

This article investigates the negative effect of land use and climate changes on water resources by the SWAT and SWAT‐DEEP∖LMSFO model. Due to the importance of runoff impact on water resources in this article, the hybrid hydrological–deep neural networks optimized by the improved SFO based on logistic map (LMSFO) algorithm have been used to provide more accurate results for runoff estimation. This method improves runoff simulation. Firstly, runoff under the influence of land use and climate change is estimated by the SWAT model. Once again, runoff is estimated by the SWAT‐DEEP/LMSFO model. In the DEEP/LMSFO model, the primary runoff has been estimated by an un‐calibrated SWAT model. Then the Primary runoff simulated is entered as an input into the DEEP model. Finally, the runoff is estimated by a test‐training method. The results of the SWAT model and the DEEP/LMSFO model show that there is an inverse correlation between land use so that reducing land cover increases runoff. The results show that climate change and land‐use change can affect annual runoff changes in the coming years.
Survival of the synthesis—GPU accelerating evolutionary sound matching
Authors: Renney Harri , Gaster Benedict , Mitchell Thomas J.
Published: January 2022

Manually configuring synthesizer parameters to reproduce a particular sound is a complex and challenging task. Researchers have previously used different optimization algorithms, including evolutionary algorithms to find optimal sound matching solutions. However, a major drawback to these algorithms is that they typically require large amounts of computational resources, making them slow to execute. This article proposes an optimized design for matching sounds generated by frequency modulation (FM) audio synthesis using the graphics processing unit (GPU). A benchmarking suite is presented for profiling the performance of three implementations: serial CPU, data‐parallel CPU, and data‐parallel GPU. Results have been collected and discussed from a high‐end NVIDIA desktop and a mid‐range AMD laptop. Using the default configuration for simple FM, the GPU accelerated design had a speedup of 128over the naive serial implementation and 8.88over the parallel CPU version on a desktop with an Intel i7 9800X CPU and NVIDIA RTX GeForce 2080Ti GPU. Furthermore, the relative speedup over the naive serial implementation continues to increase beyond simple FM to more advanced structures. Further observations include comparisons between integrated and discrete GPUs, toggling optimizations, and scaling evolutionary strategy population size.
Particle‐in‐cell/Monte Carlo‐simulation of the discharge in helium initiated by a relativistic electron beam in the chamber with a magnetic mirror
Authors: Dubinov Alexander E. , Tarakanov Vladimir P.
Published: January 2022

A gas discharge is simulated and numerically studied in the gaseous helium in the region of the squeezed state of a single tubular magnetized relativistic electron beam at its partial reflection from a magnetic mirror. The code based on the particle‐in‐cell/Monte Carlo method was used. The electron beam dynamics, time evolution of phase portraits of particles, physical parameters, and spatial–time characteristics of plasma were calculated. It is shown that dense plasma appears in the cavity under the action of an electron beam in the form of a thin‐walled long cylinder of a large length; its electron concentration can be several units of 1011 cm−3. At the same time, it turned out that plasma is considerably inhomogeneous in length; its more dense part corresponds to the part of the squeezed state of a beam. The time dependence of the charge compensation of electrons on the helium atom concentration in the chamber was calculated. The dependence turned out to be decreasing since the rate of discharge development is increasing with the growth of the helium pressure in the cavity.
Excretion of mephedrone and its phase I metabolites in urine after a controlled intranasal administration to healthy human volunteers
Authors: Czerwinska Joanna , Parkin Mark C. , George Claire , Kicman Andrew T. , Dargan Paul I. , Abbate Vincenzo
Published: January 2022

Mephedrone is a stimulant drug structurally related to cathinone. At present, there are no data available on the excretion profile of mephedrone and its metabolites in urine after controlled intranasal administration to human volunteers. In this study, six healthy male volunteers nasally insufflated 100 mg of pure mephedrone hydrochloride (Day 1). Urine was collected at different timepoints on Day 1 and then on Days 2, 3 and 30. Samples were analysed for the presence of mephedrone and its metabolites, namely, dihydro‐mephedrone, nor‐mephedrone (NOR), hydroxytolyl‐mephedrone, 4‐carboxy‐mephedrone (4‐carboxy) and dihydro‐nor‐mephedrone (DHNM), by a validated liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry method. All analytes were detected in urine, where 4‐carboxy (Cmax = 29.8 μg/ml) was the most abundant metabolite followed by NOR (Cmax = 377 ng/ml). DHNM was found at the lowest concentrations (Cmax = 93.1 ng/ml). Analytes exhibited a wide range of detection windows, but only 4‐carboxy and DHNM were detectable in all samples on Day 3, extending the detection time of mephedrone use. Moreover, mephedrone had a mean renal clearance of 108 ± 140 ml/min, and 1.3 ± 1.7% of unchanged parent drug was recovered in urine in the first 6 h post administration. It is hoped that this novel information will be useful in future studies involving mephedrone and other stimulant drugs.
Daily abundance of Dall’s sheep peaks during late summer in a seasonal habitat of high‐management interest
Authors: Deane Cody E. , Flynn Barrett A. , Bruning Darren L. , Breed Greg A. , Jochum Kim A.
Published: January 2022

Informing conservation and management decisions for habitats frequented by species of high management interest often face the challenge of limited resources for conducting wildlife surveys. When surveys are focused on local areas or sparsely distributed species, it may also be difficult to obtain counts sufficient for implementing abundance models that account for imperfect detection. With replicated aerial surveys collected within a 70.25‐km2portion of the Eastern Alaska Range, Alaska, USA, during the summers of 2013–2015, we estimated daily abundance of Dall’s sheep using two different estimation methods: BayesianN‐mixture models and Poisson regression models. We then compared estimates of relative abundance from both model types while paying special attention to the assumption of closure within individual survey units. With abundance estimates obtained from individual survey days, we then estimated the average number of Dall’s sheep within the survey area for the period 1 July–1 October. Daily ewe abundance followed a quadratic pattern, with 10–20 ewes being within our survey area in early July and late September, and approximately 90 ewes within the survey area in mid‐August. Lamb‐to‐ewe ratios averaged 0.2 from July–September, while ram‐to‐ewe ratios averaged 0.4 from July until mid‐August before increasing to about 1.0 by the end of September. These results indicate that our survey area is an important habitat to local Dall’s sheep populations when lambs are vulnerable to predators. Accordingly, human recreation and military training within the survey area should be minimized 1.5–3.0 months after parturition to minimize disturbance. We also found thatN‐mixture models displayed a pattern of abundance estimates that increased in magnitude as model complexity increased. We thus recommend an a priori approach toN‐mixture model construction that balances the risk of overfitting models to modest data against the risk of fitting models that do not explain heterogeneity in abundance and detection probability. Lastly, we suggest simple improvements to replicated, aerial surveys for species like Dall’s sheep focused on reducing violations of the closure assumption within individual survey units, which can reduce bias of density estimates obtained withN‐mixture models.
Deciphering the defectmicro‐environmentof graphene for highly efficient Li–S redox reactions
Authors: Song Yingze , Gao Hua , Wang Menglei , Chen Le , Cao Xuan , Song Lixian , Liu Xiaohong , Cai Wenlong , Sun Jingyu , Zhang Wei
Published: January 2022

The lithium polysulfides (LiPS) dissolution into electrolyte as well as consequent shuttle behavior seriously exacerbate the electrochemical performance of lithium–sulfur batteries. Herein, the intrinsic defect of graphene has been tailored by using plasma irradiation. The topological defective carbon structure is demystified into monovacancy and divacancy which effectively promote Li–S redox kinetics by selectively decelerating the generation of soluble high‐order LiPSs and passingly promoting the conversion to final solid products. Theoretical prediction uncovers the selective manipulation of Li–S redox kinetics by defective graphene, facilitating the reduced overpotential effect and uniform deposition of Li2S. Moreover, the divacancy presents a higher activity for Li–S chemistry in contrast with monovacancy. Therefore, the battery achieves superior cyclability with a capacity retention of 88.6% at 1.0 C over 300 cycles. Furthermore, it yields an areal capacity up to 8.5 mAh cm−2with a sulfur loading of 13.3 mg cm−2.

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Quaternary Heusler alloy CoZrMnAs competent candidate for spintronics and thermoelectric technologies
Authors: Seh Ab Quyoom , Gupta Dinesh C.
Published: January 2022

We examined the quaternary Heusler alloy CoZrMnAs using Wein2k simulation code based on density functional theory. The structural results prove that the CoZrMnAs alloy is stable in the Y1‐type structure with a relaxed lattice constant of 0.62390 nm, which is ferromagnetic in nature. The electronic properties indicate that CoZrMnAs exhibits a half‐metallic nature with energy of 0.56 eV and the states at the Fermi level are 100% spin polarized. The magnetic moment of CoZrMnAs was found to be 1.0 μB per formula unit (fu) and is in accordance to Slater‐Pauling rule Mt = Zt − 24. The existence of gap is elaborated with viable d‐d hybridization among the transition metals Co, Zr, and Mn. Thermodynamic parameters like specific heat capacity, Debye temperature, and thermal expansion coefficient had been analyzed with the aid of Gibbs2 code. Furthermore, the thermoelectric parameters have been elucidated by the BoltzTraP2 code. The utmost values of total Seebeck and power factor are 64.11 μV/K and 36.75 (μW K−2 cm−1) at 900 K. These parameters assure the applications of alloy in waste heat recovery.
Parametric study of heat/mass transfer performance of seawater–air two‐phase counterflow in packing in seawater cooling towers
Authors: Yu Yang , Qi Xiao‐Ni , Hou Xiao‐Chen , Qu Xiao‐Hang , Guo Qian‐Jian , Zhu He‐Gang
Published: January 2022

A large amount of waste heat generated in industrial production needs to be discharged by circulating cooling water systems. To save freshwater resources, freshwater cooling towers have been widely replaced by seawater cooling towers in coastal areas, but research on the thermal performance of seawater cooling towers is still relatively less. In this study, a detailed calculation model based on the heat/mass transfer process of seawater–air two‐phase counterflow was established, and the reliability of the proposed model was verified. The computer program developed under the VC++ framework was used for the numerical solution of the model. The effects of five inlet parameters on the cooling efficiency and heat dissipation were studied. The simulation results showed that with the increase of salinity, the cooling performance was reduced. When the salinity increased by 10 g/kg, the outlet water temperature rose by about 0.13°C. The wet‐bulb temperature increased by 1°C and the cooling efficiency increased by about 0.77%, while total heat dissipation was reduced by about 36.37 kW. When the air–water ratio increased, the cooling performance was improved, but the maximum cooling efficiency was affected by heat load. The change of dry‐bulb temperature had little effect on the cooling performance. With the increase of water temperature, the cooling efficiency and heat dissipation increased. The calculation model and simulation results can provide practical guidance for the operation of seawater cooling towers.
Experimental investigation of dryout phenomena under oscillatory flow conditions
Authors: Kumar Rakesh , Chandraker Dinesh K. , Dasgupta Arnab , Nayak Arun K.
Published: January 2022

In water‐cooled nuclear reactors, the maximum power which can be extracted from the core is limited by critical heat flux (CHF). CHF in the high‐quality region is known as dryout. In advanced nuclear reactors, the coolant flow occurs solely by virtue of natural circulation; however, instabilities may occur during off‐normal operations. This may lead to premature dryout due to lower coolant flow rates seen by the heater during such oscillations. This paper describes the experimental investigation on the effect of flow oscillations on the CHF with the time period of 120 s, which is observed typically in the large‐scale natural circulation system. Based on observations made with respect to temperature transient, the continuous dryout is preceded by the transient dryout for higher flow oscillations. But as flow fluctuation decreases, the transient dryout phenomenon is found to disappear. The applicability of the look‐up table to predict CHF under oscillatory flow conditions using suitable correction factors (CFs) for premature dryout has been evaluated. CFs for the CHF under oscillations suggested by previous authors have been compared. The maximum possible degradation in CHF value suggested by previous authors has been found to agree with the present experimental data. Percentage fluctuation in heat transfer coefficient (HTC) at fully developed annular flow conditions has been evaluated, and it is found that fluctuation in HTC is in phase with the fluctuation in flow.
Dynamic simulation and conflict identification analysis of production–living–ecological space in Wuhan, Central China
Authors: Wang Quan , Wang Haijun
Published: January 2022

Under the current rapid urbanization and industrialization in China, competition for production, living, and ecological spaces is becoming fierce. Improving production–living–ecological spaces (PLESs) has become a core issue in China's land-space development strategy. In this study, the multiple linear logistic regression (MLLR)–multicriteria evaluation (MCE)–cellular automata (CA)–Markov hybrid model was used to predict the land-use pattern for 2030, and the spatial conflict model was established based on landscape indices to measure the evolution characteristics of spatial conflicts. The results demonstrated that, from 2005 to 2030, the production–ecological space (PES) will have front-runner status in Wuhan, followed by the ecological–production space (EPS). In 2005–2015, the living–production space (LPS) and PES occupied large amounts of EPS and ecological space (ES), especially in the main urban areas and near rivers, and the spatial transformation was the most significant. By 2030, there will be less transformation of each space type, but the conversion amount of LPS will still be relatively large. With the passage of time, the LPS will increase, the EPS will decrease slightly, and the ES will fluctuate. During the period 2005–2030, the conflict level will change gradually from seriously out of control to controllable, and the hot spot of PLES will show a scattering distribution. The cold spot area will be distributed mainly in the southern part of Wuhan, which will be expanded greatly by 2030. Our research indicates that analyzing the reasonable utilization of PLES is of great value by identifying spatial conflicts; differentiated sustainable development strategies should be formulated according to the future spatial and temporal patterns of PLES, which can help in scientific judgments on the spatial matching of land use and provide early warnings of spatial conflicts. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:1578–1596. © 2021 SETAC

KEY POINTS

The exchange of production–living–ecological spaces can present the contradictory signals of regional spatial conflict. The results of conflict identification of PLES in time and space can provide a reference for future regional specific optimizing land allocation. The measurement model constructed based on the landscape pattern indices can reveal the identification of regional spatial conflicts. Over time, the PLES spatial conflict in Wuhan will be gradually improved.
Parental absence, early reading, and human capital formation for rural children in China
Authors: Chen Lijun , Wulczyn Fred , Huhr Scott
Published: January 2022

In this study, we adopt the human capital formation framework to understand the association of the various risk and protective factors in the family settings of rural children with their cognitive performance as measured by vocabulary and math test scores. We examine the role of caregiver reading or storytelling to children at younger age and the deprivation of parental care due to labor migration at different stages of childhood on child performance in vocabulary and math tests when they are over 10 years old. Our findings confirm the crucial role of parental presence in child's cognitive development both during early childhood and later ages. Extended periods of parental absence during early and later years of childhood are most pernicious for child cognitive performance. Our analysis also reveals significantly positive effect of caregiver reading and storytelling on children's vocabulary test performance. This study provides strong evidence for the benefits of programs that promote good parenting practice and caregiver involvement in child cognitive development.
MicroRNAs in obesity, sarcopenia, and commonalities for sarcopenic obesity: a systematic review
Authors: Dowling Lisa , Duseja Ankita , Vilaca Tatiane , Walsh Jennifer S. , Goljanek‐Whysall Katarzyna
Published: January 2022

Sarcopenic obesity is a distinct condition of sarcopenia in the context of obesity, with the cumulative health risks of both phenotypes. Differential expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been reported separately in people with obesity and sarcopenia and may play a role in the pathogenesis of sarcopenic obesity. However, this has not been explored to date. This study aimed to identify differentially expressed miRNAs reported in serum, plasma, and skeletal muscle of people with obesity and sarcopenia and whether there are any commonalities between these conditions. We performed a systematic review on Embase and MEDLINE (PROSPERO, CRD42020224486) for differentially expressed miRNAs (fold change >1.5 or P‐value <0.05) in (i) sarcopenia or frailty and (ii) obesity or metabolic syndrome. The functions and targets of miRNAs commonly changed in both conditions, in the same direction, were searched using PubMed. Following deduplication, 247 obesity and 42 sarcopenia studies were identified for full‐text screening. Screening identified 36 obesity and 6 sarcopenia studies for final inclusion. A total of 351 miRNAs were identified in obesity and 157 in sarcopenia. Fifty‐five miRNAs were identified in both obesity and sarcopenia—by sample type, 48 were found in plasma and one each in serum and skeletal muscle. Twenty‐four miRNAs were identified from 10 of the included studies as commonly changed in the same direction (22 in plasma and one each in serum and skeletal muscle) in obesity and sarcopenia. The majority of miRNA‐validated targets identified in the literature search were members of the phosphoinositide 3‐kinase/protein kinase B and transforming growth factor‐β signalling pathways. The most common targets identified were insulin‐like growth factor 1 (miR‐424‐5p, miR‐483‐3p, and miR‐18b‐5p) and members of the SMAD family (miR‐483‐3p, miR‐92a‐3p, and miR‐424‐5p). The majority of commonly changed miRNAs were involved in protein homeostasis, mitochondrial dynamics, determination of muscle fibre type, insulin resistance, and adipogenesis. Twenty‐four miRNAs were identified as commonly dysregulated in obesity and sarcopenia with functions and targets implicated in the pathogenesis of sarcopenic obesity. Given the adverse health outcomes associated with sarcopenic obesity, understanding the pathogenesis underlying this phenotype has the potential to lead to effective screening, monitoring, or treatment strategies. Further research is now required to confirm whether these miRNAs are differentially expressed in older adults with sarcopenic obesity.
Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging versus computed tomography‐based thrombolysis treatment in patients with acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Li Juan , Xiong Jiandong , Chen Kaixiang , Sun Jun , Fu Qirui , Yin Bo
Published: January 2022

Purpose

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐based comparing with computed tomography (CT)‐based selection for intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Methods

Totally 462 consecutive AIS patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis within a 4.5 h window from Jan. 2016 to Dec. 2019 were enrolled. The primary endpoint was the good functional outcome defined by a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of 0–2 at 3 months. Secondary outcomes include the excellent functional outcome defined by a mRS of 0–1 at 3 months, occurrences of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH), 7‐day mortality, and 3‐month mortality.

Results

Overall 172 patients received MRI and 290 received CT before they were treated with thrombolysis. The difference in the good or excellent functional outcome was not statistically significant between MRI and CT groups (both P > 0.05). The incidences of 7‐day mortality (3.5% vs. 8.6%, P < 0.01), 30‐day mortality (12.8% vs. 21.0%, P = 0.03), and SICH (12.2% vs. 20.3%, P < 0.01) were obviously lower for MRI‐based regimen compared with CT‐based regimen. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that MRI‐based regimen was significantly associated with a lower risk of 7‐day mortality (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.53–0.91; P < 0.01), 30‐day mortality (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.47–0.73; P < 0.01), and SICH (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.20–0.65; P < 0.01) after controlling for potential confounding factors.

Conclusion

Despite MRI‐based thrombolysis was not demonstrated to be associated with the good functional outcome, it significantly reduced risks of mortality and SICH in patients with AIS compared with CT‐based thrombolysis.
Robust locomotor performance of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis) in response to simulated changes in support diameter and compliance
Authors: Schapker Nicole M. , Chadwell Brad A. , Young Jesse W.
Published: January 2022

Arboreal environments require overcoming navigational challenges not typically encountered in other terrestrial habitats. Supports are unevenly distributed and vary in diameter, orientation, and compliance. To better understand the strategies that arboreal animals use to maintain stability in this environment, laboratory researchers must endeavor to mimic those conditions. Here, we evaluate how squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis) adjust their locomotor mechanics in response to variation in support diameter and compliance. We used high‐speed cameras to film two juvenile female monkeys as they walked across poles of varying diameters (5, 2.5, and 1.25 cm). Poles were mounted on either a stiff wooden base (“stable” condition) or foam blocks (“compliant” condition). Six force transducers embedded within the pole trackway recorded substrate reaction forces during locomotion. We predicted that squirrel monkeys would walk more slowly on narrow and compliant supports and adopt more “compliant” gait mechanics, increasing stride lengths, duty factors, and an average number of limbs gripping the support, while the decreasing center of mass height, stride frequencies, and peak forces. We observed few significant adjustments to squirrel monkey locomotor kinematics in response to changes in either support diameter or compliance, and the changes we did observe were often tempered by interactions with locomotor speed. These results differ from a similar study of common marmosets (i.e.,Callithrix jacchus, with relatively poor grasping abilities), where variation in diameter and compliance substantially impacted gait kinematics. Squirrel monkeys' strong grasping apparatus, long and mobile tails, and other adaptations for arboreal travel likely facilitate robust locomotor performance despite substrate precarity.