bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A direction splitting scheme for Navier–Stokes–Boussinesq system in spherical shell geometries
Authors: Takhirov Aziz , Frolov Roman , Minev Peter
Published: September 2021

This article introduces a second‐order direction splitting method for solving the incompressible Navier–Stokes–Boussinesq system in a spherical shell region. The equations are solved on overset Yin–Yang grids, combined with spherical coordinate transforms. This approach allows to avoid the singularities at the poles and keeps the grid size relatively uniform. The downside is that the spherical shell is subdivided into two equally sized, overlapping subdomains that requires the use of Schwarz‐type iterations. The temporal second‐order accuracy is achieved via an artificial compressibility scheme with bootstrapping. The spatial discretization is based on second‐order finite differences on the Marker‐And‐Cell stencil. The entire scheme is implemented in parallel using a domain decomposition iteration and a direction splitting approach for the local solves. The stability, accuracy, and weak scalability of the method is verified on a manufactured solution of the Navier–Stokes–Boussinesq system while its practicality is demonstrated on the natural convection problem in the gap between two concentric spheres.
“Am I safe?”
Authors: Vanderford Paula
Published: September 2021

John's mother had insisted that no health care providers tell him he was dying. He was fourteen, with metastases in his lungs, and I was in the position of being the doctor who would extubate him to bilevel positive airway pressure with the goals of providing comfort and getting him home. He would not be reintubated if the BIPAP failed. It was unclear what John knew or understood. Did he know that the experimental treatment was not working and that he was dying? He clearly wanted the endotracheal tube to be removed. It was unclear whether he understood that this action might result in him dying more quickly.
Nucleus accumbens projections: Validity and reliability of fiber reconstructions based on high‐resolution diffusion‐weighted MRI
Authors: Rusche Thilo , Kaufmann Jörn , Voges Jürgen
Published: September 2021

Clinical effects of deep brain stimulation are largely mediated by the activation of myelinated axons. Hence, increasing attention has been paid in the past on targeting white matter tracts in addition to gray matter. Aims of the present study were: (i) visualization of discrete afferences and efferences of the nucleus accumbens (NAc), supposed to be a major hub of neural networks relating to mental disorders, using probabilistic fiber tractography and a data driven approach, and (ii) validation of the applied methodology for standardized routine clinical applications. MR‐data from 11 healthy subjects and 7 measurement sessions each were acquired on a 3T MRI‐scanner. For probabilistic fiber tracking the NAc as a seed region and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), amygdala (AMY), hippocampus (HPC), dorsomedial thalamus (dmT) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) as target regions were segmented for each subject and both hemispheres. To quantitatively assess the reliability and stability of the reconstructions, we filtered and clustered the individual fiber‐tracts (NAc to target) for each session and subject and performed a point‐by‐point calculation of the maximum cluster distances for intra‐subject comparison. The connectivity patterns formed by the obtained fibers were in good concordance with published data from tracer and/or fiber‐dissection studies. Furthermore, the reliability assessment of the (NAc to target)‐fiber‐tracts yielded to high correlations between the obtained clustered‐tracts. Using DBS with directional lead technology, the workflow elaborated in this study may guide selective electrical stimulation of NAc projections.
TM6SF2: A Novel Genetic Player in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver and Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Luo Fei , Oldoni Federico , Das Avash
Published: September 2021

Transmembrane 6 superfamily member 2 (TM6SF2) is located on chromosome 19 (19p12) and encodes for a protein of undetermined function. Genetic studies have reported the association between a nonsynonymous variant in TM6SF2 (E167K, rs58542926) with hepatic triglyceride content and its impact on the cardiovascular system. Clinical and epidemiological studies have confirmed the role of TM6SF2 in the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Recently, TM6SF2 was also shown to play an important role in promoting hepatic fibrosis and hepatocellular cancer in mouse models. This review aims to capture the physiological role of TM6SF2 in the regulation of lipid metabolism and its involvement in cardiometabolic diseases.
Nuclear αvβ3 integrin expression, post translational modifications and regulation in hematological malignancies
Authors: Weisz Avivit , Abadi Uri , Mausbach Lisa , Gurwitz David , Ellis Martin , Ashur‐Fabian Osnat
Published: September 2021

αvβ3 integrin, a plasma membrane protein, is amply expressed on an array of tumors. We identified nuclear αvβ3 pool in ovarian cancer cells and were interested to explore this phenomenon in two rare and aggressive types of leukemia, T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T‐ALL) and Mast cell leukemia (MCL) using Jurkat and HMC‐1 cell lines, respectively. Moreover, we collected primary cells from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL, n = 11), the most common chronic adult leukemia and used human lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) generated from normal B cells. Nuclear αvβ3 integrin was assessed by Western blots, confocal microscopy, and the ImageStream technology which combines flow‐cytometry with microscopy. We further examined post translational modifications (phosphorylation/glycosylation), nuclear trafficking regulation using inhibitors for MAPK (U0126) and PI3K (LY294002), as well as nuclear interactions by performing Co‐immunoprecipitation (Co‐IP). αvβ3 integrin was identified in all cell models within the nucleus and is N‐glycosylated. In primary CLL cells the β3 integrin monomer is tyrosine Y759 phosphorylated, suggesting an active receptor conformation. MAPK and PI3K inhibition in Jurkat and CLL cells led to αvβ3 enhancement in the nucleus and a reduction in the membrane. The nuclear αvβ3 integrin interacts with ERK, Histone H3 and Lamin B1 in Jurkat, Histone H3 in CLL cells, but not in control LCL cells. To conclude, this observational study provides the identification of nuclear αvβ3 in hematological malignancies and lays the basis for novel cancer‐relevant actions, which may be independent from the membrane functions.
Restless Legs Syndrome among patients receiving antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs
Authors: Elrassas Hanan Hany , Elsayed Yasser Abdel Razek , Abdeen Mai SeifElDin , Shady Mostafa Mohamed , Shalash Ali , Morsy Mahmoud
Published: September 2021

Background

Patients with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) experience psychological distress and diminished quality of life. Antipsychotics and antidepressants are known to be linked to RLS.

Aims

This study aims to investigate the presence of RLS in psychiatric patients who receive antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs and to determine potential risk factors for its occurrence.

Methods

Two hundred patients who received antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs for more than 1 month were recruited from two tertiary psychiatric centers in Cairo, Egypt. One hundred apparently healthy volunteers were also included. All patients and controls were screened using the four‐items questionnaire (Arabic version) for RLS. RLS severity was scored according to the validated Arabic version of International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group rating scale (IRLS). Mimicking conditions were carefully investigated and excluded.

Results

Forty‐one percent of the patients who receive antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs were found to have RLS. Family history, past history and smoking are potential risk factors. Trazodone and haloperidol were less associated with RLS.

Conclusions

Although limited by its cross‐sectional design, these findings suggest that patients who receive antipsychotic and antidepressant are susceptible to RLS. However, these results need to be replicated on a wider scale.
A single dose of the Biontech/Pfizer BNT162b2 vaccine protected elderly residents from severe COVID‐19 during a SARS‐coronavirus‐2 outbreak in a senior citizen home in Germany
Authors: Schwarzer Rolf , Freys Sabine D. , Neuwinger Nick , Beikert Nina , Eberspächer Bettina , Edelmann Anke , Zuchowski Marta , Slothouwer Inga , Stein Angela , Theil Kathrin , Menzel Peter , Hofmann Jörg
Published: September 2021

Background: A total of 62/66 (93.9%) residents in a senior citizen home in Bremen, Germany, received the first dose of the Biontech/Pfizer vaccine BNT162b2 on December 27th 2020. After routine severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) antigen tests showed positive results on January 5th, all residents and staff were tested by RT‐PCR.

Results: Nine staff members and 23 residents had a positive result. PCR positive staff members reported mild to severe COVID‐19 symptoms, one was hospitalized. None of them had been vaccinated. In contrast, the vaccinated residents reported no or only mild symptoms. Sequencing of the SARS‐CoV‐2 genomes of infected individuals revealed a monophyletic origin of the outbreak within the PANGO lineage B.1.177.86.

Conclusions: In summary, our data show that partial vaccination prevented severe COVID‐19 among the residents during this local SARS‐CoV‐2 outbreak, suggesting a high effectiveness of even a single vaccine dose, but also emphasize that asymptomatic individuals might still be carriers/spreaders.
Tubo‐ovarian abscess: A proposed new scoring system to guide clinical management
Authors: Yongue Gabriella , Mollier Josephine , Anin Sheba , Ibeto Linda , Ross Claire , Ayim Francis , Guha Sharmistha
Published: September 2021

Objective

To create a risk scoring system comprised of clinical and radiological characteristics that can predict the likelihood of antibiotic treatment failure of tubo‐ovarian abscesses. The score should guide clinicians in identifying patients to whom early intervention should be offered instead of a prolonged trial of antibiotics.

Methods

A multicenter, retrospective cohort study carried out between January 1, 2013 and September 30, 2019, identified consecutive patients with tubo‐ovarian abscess. Using a chronological split, patients were allocated to two groups for the development and subsequent validation of the postulated scoring system. Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed to identify statistically significant variables for the failure of intravenous antibiotic treatment.

Results

In total, 214 consecutive patients with tubo‐ovarian abscesses were identified. Data from the first 150 patients were used for the development of the postulated scoring system; data from the subsequent 64 patients were used for validation. Statistically significant clinical features between those having successful and unsuccessful management were: temperature (median = 37.1℃ vs 38.2℃, P = 0.0001), C‐reactive protein (151 mg/L vs 243 mg/L, P = 0.0001), and tubo‐ovarian abscess diameter (6.0 cm vs 8.0 cm, P = 0.0001). These parameters were used to create a risk prediction score. A score of four or more was predictive of requiring surgical/radiological intervention of tubo‐ovarian abscess (P < 0.001). The score had a sensitivity of 69% and a specificity of 88%, with area under the curve (AUC) = 0.859.

Conclusion

Currently, there is no guidance for clinicians on when to operate on a tubo‐ovarian abscess. Our prediction score is simple, using only three easily obtained clinical characteristics.
Relationships between dimensions of emotional experience, rumination, and nonsuicidal self‐injury: An application of the Emotional Cascade Model
Authors: Hatzopoulos Katerina , Boyes Mark , Hasking Penelope
Published: September 2021

Objective

The Emotional Cascade Model posits that nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI) functions to distract from cascades of intense negative emotion and rumination. We investigated the moderating role of rumination in the relationships between reactivity, intensity, and perseveration of emotion and NSSI.

Method

University students (N = 992) completed self‐report measures of self‐injury, emotional reactivity, intensity and perseveration, and rumination.

Results

Together, the dimensions of negative emotion were associated with NSSI, but none contributed unique variance. For positive emotion, reactivity was negatively associated with history of self‐injury and perseveration was negatively associated with frequency of the behaviour. Rumination was associated with NSSI, but did not moderate associations between the dimensions of negative emotion and self‐injury. Rumination moderated the relationship between perseveration of positive emotion and history of NSSI, such that it was only significant at high levels of rumination.

Conclusion

Findings highlight the importance of dimensions of positive emotion in understanding self‐injury.
Exploring exposure to intertwined community violence among Uruguayan adolescents using a mixed‐method approach
Authors: Mels Cindy , Lagoa Leticia , Cuevasanta Diego
Published: September 2021

Building on the case of adolescents (aged 12–16 years) from underprivileged neighborhoods in Montevideo, two studies explore patterns of exposure to community violence among understudied South American youth. Applying a mixed‐methods approach, the first study (n = 117) used principal component analysis to examine response patterns on a self‐reported exposure to community violence scale. The second study examined subjective experience, drawing from focus group discussions with adolescents (n = 27) and their teachers (n = 22). Events were clustered into three components: indirect violence, traumatic violence, physical/verbal abuse, and robbery. Participants described the severity of violence in relation to chronic exposure, processes of naturalization, and permeable boundaries among the neighborhood, school, family, and social media networks. Violence chronicity and potential threats to life appear to be central dimensions in community violence reporting. Delimitating the study of community violence based on the setting or perceptual closeness has limited socioecological relevance.
Exploring the potential of highly efficient graphite/chitosan–PVC composite electrodes in the electrochemical degradation of Reactive Red 4
Authors: Mohd Halim Nadhra H , Adnan Rohana , Lahuri Azizul H , Jaafar Nur F , Nordin Norazzizi
Published: September 2021

BACKGROUND

Previous reported studies revealed that composite electrodes are effective and suitable for wastewater treatment applications owing to their high porosity and increased electrochemical active area. However, the critical challenges to the wider adoption of composite electrodes for environmental applications are the need to reduce the cost of electrode materials, and to improve both their long‐term stability and electrocatalytic performance. This study aims to investigate the efficiency and stability of low‐cost graphite/chitosan‐polyvinyl chloride (C/Chi‐PVC) composite electrodes for Reactive Red 4 (RR4) degradation. Toxicity of the treated RR4 wastewater also was investigated using a seed germination test.

RESULTS

A cyclic voltammetry study conducted revealed that C49/Chi21‐PVC30 (49% C, 21% Chi, 30% PVC) showed better electrochemical behaviour for hypochlorous ion (OCl−) formation, which is responsible for RR4 degradation via indirect electrochemical reaction. Owing to the synergistic effect of both materials, high colour, total organic carbon (TOC) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removals of 99.61%, 89.68% and 76.35%, respectively, were achieved with less electrode damage at optimum electrolysis parameters. The treated RR4 solution displayed low toxicity after 14 days of exposure to the water sample. The electrode stability in the aggressive OCl− solution was studied by characterization of fresh and used electrodes using field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (FESEM‐EDX). This showed no significant difference in surface roughness and elemental composition; the reusability test confirmed that the electrode can be applied in repeated electrolysis.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the fabricated electrode in this study showed high efficiency with robust and durable characteristics for wastewater treatment applications. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Diverse plasma membrane protrusions act as platforms for extracellular vesicle shedding
Authors: Rilla Kirsi
Published: September 2021

Plasma membrane curvature is an important factor in the regulation of cellular phenotype and is critical for various cellular activities including the shedding of extracellular vesicles (EV). One of the most striking morphological features of cells is different plasma membrane‐covered extensions supported by actin core such as filopodia and microvilli. Despite the various functions of these extensions are partially unexplained, they are known to facilitate many crucial cellular functions such as migration, adhesion, absorption, and secretion. Due to the rapid increase in the research activity of EVs, there is raising evidence that one of the general features of cellular plasma membrane protrusions is to act as specialized platforms for the budding of EVs. This review will focus on early observations and recent findings supporting this hypothesis, discuss the putative budding and shedding mechanisms of protrusion‐derived EVs and their biological significance.
Lung Ultrasound in Patients With SARS‐COV‐2 Pneumonia: Correlations With Chest Computed Tomography, Respiratory Impairment, and Inflammatory Cascade
Authors: Fratianni Gerardina , Malfatto Gabriella , Perger Elisa , Facchetti Luca , Pini Laura , Bosco Miriam , Cernigliaro Franco , Perego Giovanni B. , Facchini Mario , Badano Luigi P. , Parati Gianfranco
Published: September 2021

Objectives

Lung ultrasound (LUS) might be comparable to chest computed tomography (CT) in detecting parenchymal and pleural pathology, and in monitoring interstitial lung disease. We aimed to describe LUS characteristics of patients during the hospitalization for COVID‐19 pneumonia, and to compare the extent of lung involvement at LUS and chest‐CT with inflammatory response and the severity of respiration impairment.

Methods

During a 2‐week period, we performed LUS and chest CT in hospitalized patients affected by COVID‐19 pneumonia. Dosages of high sensitivity C‐reactive protein (HS‐CRP), d‐dimer, and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) were also obtained. The index of lung function (P/F ratio) was calculated from the blood gas test. LUS and CT scoring were assessed using previously validated scores.

Results

Twenty‐six consecutive patients (3 women) underwent LUS 34 ± 14 days from the early symptoms. Among them, 21 underwent CT on the same day of LUS. A fair association was found between LUS and CT scores (R = 0.45, P = .049), which became stronger if the B‐lines score on LUS was not considered (R = 0.57, P = .024). LUS B‐lines score correlated with IL‐6 levels (R = 0.75, P = .011), and the number of involved lung segments detected by LUS correlated with the P/F ratio (R = 0.60, P = .019) but not with HS‐CRP and d‐Dimer levels. No correlations were found between CT scores and inflammations markers or P/F.

Conclusion

In patients with COVID‐19 pneumonia, LUS was correlated with both the extent of the inflammatory response and the P/F ratio.
Density‐dependent modulation of copepod body size and temperature–size responses in a shelf sea
Authors: Corona Stefano , Hirst Andrew , Atkinson David , Atkinson Angus
Published: September 2021

Body size is a fundamental trait in ecology, and body size reduction with increasing temperature has been termed the third universal response to climate warming. Although effects of temperature and food on phenotypic plasticity of zooplankton adult body size have been investigated, density‐dependent effects have been neglected. We measured seasonal changes in the prosome length of 7098 adult females of 7 dominant copepod species in 13 yr spanning a 27‐yr period of warming at the L4 time series off Plymouth, UK. The seasonal temperature–size (T–S) response varied greatly among species, from reductions of 2.93% of carbon mass °C−1 for Paracalanus parvus to 10.15% of carbon mass °C−1 for Temora longicornis. Evidence for a long‐term T–S response was detected in at least two species, supporting the hypothesis that climatic warming leads to smaller adult sizes. April was a crucial month for determining the strength of the T–S response. During this month, body size related negatively to total zooplankton abundance. We suggest that the mechanism for this density dependence is via competition for food and/or intraguild predation, since spring was also the period when the ratio of food biomass to zooplankton biomass was at its lowest. Our study is among the first in situ demonstrations of density‐dependent effects on the body size of marine zooplankton and shows the need to consider the effect of top‐down as well as bottom‐up factors on body size in a warming climate.
Using the modified frailty index to predict negative outcomes in free‐flap breast reconstruction: A National Surgical Quality Improvement Project‐based study
Authors: Jain Nirbhay S. , Vuong Linh N. , Hickman L. Brian , Chin Patrick , Hill Elspeth J. R. , Buck Donald , Festekjian Jaco H.
Published: September 2021

Background

Post‐mastectomy free‐flap breast reconstruction is becoming increasingly common in the United States. However, predicting which patients may suffer complications remains challenging. We sought to apply the validated modified frailty index (mFI) to free‐flap breast reconstruction in breast cancer patients and determine its utility in predicting negative outcomes.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study using National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (NSQIP). All patients who had a CPT code of 19364, indicative of free tissue transfer for breast cancer reconstruction, were included. Data on preoperative characteristics and postoperative outcomes were collected. Patients were separated based on the number of mFI factors present into three categories: 0, 1, and > 2 factors. Preoperative demographics, clinical status, and other comorbidities were also studied. Negative outcomes were compared using multivariate logistic regression.

Results

11,852 patients (mean age 50.9 ± 9.5) were found; 24.2% had complications, comparable to previous literature. mFI is predictive of all types of negative outcomes. 22.5% of all patients with 0 mFI, 27.7% of patients with 1 mFI and 34.2% of patients with at least two mFI had a negative outcome. The most common factors contributing to the mFI were history of hypertension (24.8%) and diabetes (6.1%). mFI was found to be an isolated risk factor for negative outcomes, along with steroid use, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) classification, body mass index, and immediate, and bilateral operations.

Conclusions

This NSQIP‐based study for patients undergoing free flap breast reconstruction shows that the mFI holds predictive value regarding negative outcomes. This provides more information to properly counsel patients before free flap breast reconstruction surgery.
CARes‐UNet: Content‐aware residual UNet for lesion segmentation of COVID‐19 from chest CT images
Authors: Xu Xinhua , Wen Yuhang , Zhao Lu , Zhang Yi , Zhao Youjun , Tang Zixuan , Yang Ziduo , Chen Calvin Yu‐Chian
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has caused a serious global health crisis. It has been proven that the deep learning method has great potential to assist doctors in diagnosing COVID‐19 by automatically segmenting the lesions in computed tomography (CT) slices. However, there are still several challenges restricting the application of these methods, including high variation in lesion characteristics and low contrast between lesion areas and healthy tissues. Moreover, the lack of high‐quality labeled samples and large number of patients lead to the urgency to develop a high accuracy model, which performs well not only under supervision but also with semi‐supervised methods.

Methods

We propose a content‐aware lung infection segmentation deep residual network (content‐aware residual UNet (CARes‐UNet)) to segment the lesion areas of COVID‐19 from the chest CT slices. In our CARes‐UNet, the residual connection was used in the convolutional block, which alleviated the degradation problem during the training. Then, the content‐aware upsampling modules were introduced to improve the performance of the model while reducing the computation cost. Moreover, to achieve faster convergence, an advanced optimizer named Ranger was utilized to update the model's parameters during training. Finally, we employed a semi‐supervised segmentation framework to deal with the problem of lacking pixel‐level labeled data.

Results

We evaluated our approach using three public datasets with multiple metrics and compared its performance to several models. Our method outperforms other models in multiple indicators, for instance in terms of Dice coefficient on COVID‐SemiSeg Dataset, CARes‐UNet got the score 0.731, and semi‐CARes‐UNet further boosted it to 0.776. More ablation studies were done and validated the effectiveness of each key component of our proposed model.

Conclusions

Compared with the existing neural network methods applied to the COVID‐19 lesion segmentation tasks, our CARes‐UNet can gain more accurate segmentation results, and semi‐CARes‐UNet can further improve it using semi‐supervised learning methods while presenting a possible way to solve the problem of lack of high‐quality annotated samples. Our CARes‐UNet and semi‐CARes‐UNet can be used in artificial intelligence‐empowered computer‐aided diagnosis system to improve diagnostic accuracy in this ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic.
Zooplankton Community Response to the Introduction of Cisco in Tiber Reservoir, Montana
Authors: Vivian Mary K. , Frazer Daniel
Published: September 2021

Prey fish introductions, some planned and some unplanned, can have major influences on ecosystem dynamics. In 1997, Cisco Coregonus artedi were introduced in Tiber Reservoir, Montana. The introduction of the planktivorous fish was intended to provide an alternative prey resource to predators. After the introduction of Cisco, average zooplankton densities increased 184% from 9.95 organisms/L (1990–1997 [preintroduction period]) to 28.25 organisms/L (1998–2014). Diet analysis indicated targeted feeding by Cisco on larger-sized zooplankton relative to the average size of zooplankton within the water column. Within 2 years, Daphnia spp. mean length decreased from 1.45 mm in 1997 to 0.85 mm in 1999. From the preintroduction period to the establishment of Cisco, mean length of Daphnia spp. decreased by 29% (from 1.33 to 0.94 mm). Daphnia spp. over 1.5 mm became rare, and those over 2.0 mm were absent from all samples. Prior to Cisco introduction, 0.4–0.7-mm individuals comprised 4–8% of the Daphnia spp. population; after the introduction, this size-group increased to 26–46% of the Daphnia spp. population. The zooplankton community composition shifted toward a smaller, more diverse community with decreased calanoid copepods and increased cladocerans Diaphanosoma birgei and Bosmina spp. Prior to the Cisco introduction, D. birgei were not present in any samples. After 17 years, significant changes to the zooplankton community resulting from the introduction of Cisco persisted in Tiber Reservoir. This study provides information that fish managers should consider when contemplating the consequences of adding planktivorous prey to a forage base or when managing this species after an illegal introduction.
Nursing students' competence profiles in gerontological nursing—A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Tohmola Anniina , Elo Satu , Mikkonen Kristina , Kyngäs Helvi , Lotvonen Sinikka , Saarnio Reetta
Published: September 2021

Aim

The study aimed to describe and explain the self‐assessed gerontological nursing competence levels of Finnish nursing students and factors relating to it.

Design

A cross‐sectional study design, reported by The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology guidelines.

Methods

Data were collected with the GeroNursingCom instrument, which features 53 items relating to 11 competence factors. The K‐clustering technique and the Chi‐squared, Kruskal‐Wallis and Mann Whitney tests were used to analyse the data.

Results

Seven hundred and ninety‐nine nursing students from nine randomly selected higher education institutions were invited to participate in 2019. Three distinct student profiles were identified according to the data (N = 274): Profile A—lower intermediate competence (23.1% of students), Profile B—intermediate competence (45.8%) and Profile C—high competence (31.1%). The strongest competence area for all students was appreciative encounter and interaction, and the weakest was supporting the older person’s sexuality. Nursing students have diverse backgrounds and their overall competence in gerontological nursing is shaped in part by their previous education, motivations and work experience.

Relevance to clinical practice

Recognizing students’ different gerontological nursing competence profiles enables the implementation of targeted education to improve competence in clinical practice.
Tunable self‐assembled stereocomplexed‐polylactic acid nanoparticles as a drug carrier
Authors: Forouharshad Mahdi , Ajalloueian Fatemeh
Published: September 2021

In this study, a model hydrophilic drug (porphyrin) was encapsulated within hydrophobic polylactic acid (PLA) nanoparticles (NPs) with different crystallinity and the relevant release behaviors were investigated. The crystalline modification was done using a modified nanoprecipitation method, where homo and stereocomplexed PLA NPs with different average diameters based on varying polymer concentrations and solvent/nonsolvent ratios (S/N) were prepared. Entrapment efficiency and drug release of sterocomplexed‐PLA NPs were compared with neat poly(l‐lactic acid) (PLLA) NPs. Furthermore, to get the more sustained release, porphyrin‐loaded NPs were immobilized within electrospun poly(d,l‐lactide‐co‐glycolide (PLGA) nanofibers (NFs). Outcomes revealed that solution concentration and solvent/nonsolvent ratio play significant roles in the formation of homo and stereocomplexed NPs. On the other hand, it was found that the formation of stereocrystals did not significantly affect the size and morphology of NPs compared with neat NPs. With regard to the entrapment efficiency and drug content, stereocomplexd‐PLA NPs behave relatively the same as neat PLLA NPs while the more sustained release was observed for stereocomplexed NPs. Also, it was observed that electrospinning of PLGA solution loaded by NPs led to the uniform distribution of NPs into PLGA fibers. Encapsulating the drug‐loaded NPs into nanofibers decreased the rate of drug release by 50% after 24 h, compared with direct loading of drug into PLGA NFs. We conclude that it is possible to tune the entrapment efficiency and modify the release rate of the drug by giving small changes in the process parameters without altering the physical properties of the original drug substance and polymer.
Prostate tumors of native men from West Africa show biologically distinct pathways—A comparative genomic study
Authors: Yamoah Kosj , Asamoah Francis A. , Abrahams Afua O. D. , Awasthi Shivanshu , Mensah James E. , Dhillon Jasreman , Mahal Brandon A. , Gueye Serigne Magueye , Jalloh Mohamed , Farahani Sahar J. , Lal Priti , Rebbeck Timothy R. , Yarney Joel
Published: September 2021

Background

Native African men (NAM) experience a disproportionate burden of prostate cancer (PCa) and have higher mortality rates compared to European American men (EAM). While socioeconomic status has been implicated as a driver of this disparity, little is known about the genomic mechanisms and distinct biological pathways that are associated with PCa of native men of African origin.

Methods

To understand biological factors that contribute to this disparity we utilized a total of 406 multi‐institutional localized PCa samples, collected by Men of African Descent and Carcinoma of the Prostate biospecimen network and Moffitt Cancer Center/University of Pennsylvania Health science system. We performed comparative genomics and immunohistochemistry to identify the biomarkers that are highly enriched in NAM from west Africa and compared them with African American Men (AAM) and EAM. Quantified messenger RNA expression and Median H scores based on immune reactivity of staining cells, were compared using Mann Whitney test. For gene expression analysis, p values were further adjusted for multiple comparisons using false discovery rates.

Results

Immunohistochemical analysis on selected biomarkers showed a consistent association between ETS related gene (ERG) status and race with 83% of NAM exhibiting tumors that lacked TMPRSS2‐ERG translocation (ERGnegative) as compared to AAM (71%) and EAM (52%). A higher proportion of NAM (29%) were also found to be double negative (ERGnegative and PTENLoss) as compared to AAM (6%) and EAM (7%). NAM tumors had significantly higher immunoreactivity (H‐score) for PSMA, and EZH2, whereas they have lower H‐score for PTEN, MYC, AR, RB and Racemase, (all p < .05). Comparative genomics revealed that NAM had significant transcriptomic variability in AR‐activity score. In pathways enrichment analysis NAM tumors exhibited the enrichment of proinflammatory pathways including cytokine, interleukins, inflammatory response, and nuclear factor kappa B signaling.

Conclusions

Prostate tumors in NAM are genomically distinct and are characterized by the dysregulation of several biomarkers. Furthermore, these tumors are also highly enriched for the major proinflammatory pathways. These distinct biological features may have implications for diagnosis and response to targeted therapy among Black men, globally.
Critical assessment of methods of protein structure prediction (CASP)—Round XIV
Authors: Kryshtafovych Andriy , Schwede Torsten , Topf Maya , Fidelis Krzysztof , Moult John
Published: September 2021

Critical assessment of structure prediction (CASP) is a community experiment to advance methods of computing three‐dimensional protein structure from amino acid sequence. Core components are rigorous blind testing of methods and evaluation of the results by independent assessors. In the most recent experiment (CASP14), deep‐learning methods from one research group consistently delivered computed structures rivaling the corresponding experimental ones in accuracy. In this sense, the results represent a solution to the classical protein‐folding problem, at least for single proteins. The models have already been shown to be capable of providing solutions for problematic crystal structures, and there are broad implications for the rest of structural biology. Other research groups also substantially improved performance. Here, we describe these results and outline some of the many implications. Other related areas of CASP, including modeling of protein complexes, structure refinement, estimation of model accuracy, and prediction of inter‐residue contacts and distances, are also described.
Expression profiles of tyrosine metabolic pathway genes and functional analysis of DOPA decarboxylase in puparium tanning of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel)
Authors: Chen Er‐Hu , Hou Qiu‐Li , Dou Wei , Yang Pei‐Jin , Wang Jin‐Jun
Published: September 2021

BACKGROUND

Tanning is an important physiological process with critical roles in cuticle pigmentation and sclerotization. Previous studies have shown that insect cuticle tanning is closely associated with the tyrosine metabolism pathway, which consists of a series of enzymes.

RESULTS

In this study, 24 tyrosine metabolism pathway genes were identified in the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) genome. Gene expression profiles throughout 15 developmental stages of B. dorsalis were established based on our previous RNA sequencing data, and we found that 13 enzyme genes could be involved in the process of pupariation. Accordingly, a tyrosine‐mediated tanning pathway during the pupariation of B. dorsalis was predicted and a critical enzyme, 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) decarboxylase (DDC), was used to explore its possible roles in formation of the puparium. First, a real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction confirmed that BdDDC had an epidermis‐specific expression pattern, and was highly expressed during larval metamorphosis in B. dorsalis. Subsequent disruption of BdDDC by feeding 5‐day‐old larvae with DDC inhibitor (l‐α‐methyl‐DOPA) could lead to: (i) a significant decrease in BdDDC enzyme activity and dopamine concentration; (ii) defects in puparium pigmentation; (iii) impairment of the morphology and less thickness of the puparium; and (iv) lower pupal weight and obstacles to eclosion.

CONCLUSION

This study provided a potential tyrosine metabolic pathway that was responsible for insect tanning during pupariation, and the BdDDC enzyme has been shown to have crucial roles in larval–pupal tanning of B. dorsalis. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Marketplace lending of small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises
Authors: Cumming Douglas , Hornuf Lars
Published: September 2021

Research Summary

When evaluating Internet‐based loan project of small and medium size enterprises (SME), lenders can rely on easy‐to‐understand risk ratings or more sophisticated financial information. We investigate lenders decisions and its effect on loan funding success on the marketplace‐lending platform Zencap. The data set has been provided by the platform Zencap and includes 414 SME marketplace loans and 2,196 lenders. The data examined provide strong support for the importance of simple platform ratings in influencing investor behavior, while the effect of more detailed financial information is less pronounced, controlling for relevant variables. Higher interest rates appear more profitable to investors without any serious concern about non‐repayment.

Managerial Summary

Platform managers and potential borrowers are interested in how to encourage lenders to pledge their money on marketplace‐lending platforms. We investigate the influence of easy‐to‐understand risk ratings and more sophisticated financial information on investment decisions and their effect on loan funding success on the marketplace‐lending platform Zencap. We investigate 414 SME marketplace loans and 2,196 lenders. We find that for marketplace lending on Zencap the effect of more detailed financial information is less pronounced than easy‐to‐understand risk ratings. Platforms base risk ratings on information other than the entrepreneurs' financial information.
A risk‐based methodology for privacy requirements elicitation and control selection
Authors: Manna Asmita , Sengupta Anirban , Mazumdar Chandan
Published: September 2021

The purpose of the paper is to provide a comprehensive privacy model for identifying the privacy risks of an enterprise based on its privacy requirements. A risk‐based methodology for automated privacy control selection against identified privacy requirements is also proposed. The privacy model has been designed using first order logic and it is semi‐formal in nature. Privacy risks are defined using the proposed formalism in terms of privacy properties. Algorithm for assessing privacy risk considering the actual information infrastructure of the enterprise is proposed. Based on the risk assessment, appropriate privacy controls should be selected from a control database. An algorithm for the same is also proposed. This methodology is easy to implement and can be used by any mid or large‐scale enterprise for privacy control implementation. The effectiveness of our proposed approach is shown using a case study. From the literature review, it has emerged that there is a dearth of comprehensive privacy models that can identify the privacy requirements emanating from different sources and can eventually help the enterprise to implement privacy controls as per privacy requirements. The proposed model attempts to address this research gap by helping an enterprise to identify the specific privacy requirements and automatically select privacy controls from an appropriate knowledge base. Privacy requirements can be customized as per the needs of the enterprise.
Effects of Axial Functional Groups on Heterogeneous Molecular Catalysts for Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction
Authors: Sun Libo , Reddu Vikas , Su Tan , Chen Xinqi , Wu Tian , Dai Wei , Fisher Adrian C. , Wang Xin
Published: September 2021

Recent years have witnessed the development of heterogeneous molecular catalysts toward electrocatalytic CO2 reduction. One effective strategy for such heterogenization is to decorate molecular catalysts directly through axial coordination to functionalized carbon substrates and it will be interesting to elucidate the influence of such functional groups on the activity. Herein, it is demonstrated that among several kinds of N‐, O‐, and S‐derived functional groups‐decorated carbon nanotubes, pyridine‐based ones may play the role of a suitable linker and assist in achieving higher activity toward CO2 reduction by a molecular catalyst. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation is also carried out to support the experimental results. This observation provides more insights into how a substrate can influence the intrinsic catalytic behavior of molecular catalysts via functional groups without venturing into the complexities involved with the synthesis of novel ligands.
Bilanthanide Metal–Organic Frameworks for Instant Detection of 17β‐Estradiol, a Vital Physiological Index
Authors: Guo Yifan , Han Zongsu , Min Hui , Chen Zhonghang , Sun Tiankai , Wang Liang , Shi Wei , Cheng Peng
Published: September 2021

Bilanthanide metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have promising sensing applications for specific molecules because enhanced sensing functions can be achieved by the dual emissions from bilanthanide centers. In general, chemical mixture or physical mixture of two lanthanide MOFs can both produce dual emissions. However, the advantages of chemical mixture over physical mixture of lanthanide MOFs as sensing materials are not experimentally demonstrated in detail. Herein, a bilanthanide MOF‐based luminescent sensor of NKU‐103(EuTb) synthesized by mixed‐lanthanide strategy for the identification of 17β‐estradiol, a vital diagnostic clinical biomarker, is reported. The dual emission of NKU‐103(EuTb) is able to effectively remove systematic errors, confirmed by varying the slit width, the excitation wavelength, and the concentration. The quenching efficiency ratio and shift distance of Commission Internationale de l’É clairage (CIE) coordinates of NKU‐103(EuTb) are higher than the physical mixture of NKU‐103(Eu) and NKU‐103(Tb), which demonstrates for the first time the superiority of MOF‐based sensing materials by the chemical mixed‐lanthanide strategy.
Experimental investigation of the shear strength of one‐way reinforced concrete (RC) slabs subjected to concentrated loads and in‐plane transverse axial tension
Authors: Fernández Pablo G. , Marí Antonio , Oller Eva
Published: September 2021

This paper presents the results of an experimental campaign carried out to investigate the effects of in‐plane transverse tensile forces on the shear strength of linearly supported one‐way reinforced concrete (RC) slabs without shear reinforcement subjected to concentrated loads. A total of 5 half scale slabs (1650 × 1650 × 120 mm), subjected simultaneously to different levels of in‐plane tensile forces and a concentrated load were tested up to failure. The clear shear span to effective depth ratio av/d was equal to 3 in all tests, to minimize the effects of the direct transmission of the load to the closest support, the so called arching action. As observed, the shear strength barely decreases with increasing values of the tensile force applied, even for values of the external force that cracked the concrete cross‐section of the slabs in the direction perpendicular to the span. These observations may indicate that the shear–flexural behavior in the spanning direction is not significantly affected by the membrane forces in the transverse direction.
Aeroelastic load analysis of a co‐rotating quad‐rotor wind turbine
Authors: Ferede Etana , Gandhi Farhan
Published: September 2021

An aeroelastic analysis is carried out to assess the loads on a selected quad‐rotor wind turbine vis‐à‐vis those on an equivalent rated single‐rotor turbine, with a specific focus on a comparison of support structure loads (e.g., tower root, yaw‐bearing, and boom loads). A quad‐rotor wind turbine with combined rated power of 6 MW and a single‐rotor with equivalent machine rating are modeled in SIMAPCK coupled with AerodynV15 (including turbulent wind input from TurbSim) to calculate the aerodynamic loads. A correction for tower/boom shadow is implemented in Matlab to account for reduction in (axial) incoming wind due to the presence of support structures that carry the rotors. The performance of the quad‐rotor wind turbine, with the single‐rotor as baseline, is carried out for load cases selected from wind turbine certification standard (IEC‐61400‐1) covering the following: nominal loads under normal wind speed profile, fatigue loads under normal turbulence, and ultimate loads under extreme turbulence. Results show that, comparing the quad‐rotor tower root loads to those of the single‐rotor turbine under extreme turbulence, the side‐side force is up to 31% higher, the force‐aft bending moment is up to 15% higher, and the normal force is up to 46% higher due to additional boom/nacelle inertial loads.
Nanocarrier‐hydrogel composite delivery systems for precision drug release
Authors: Kass Lauren E. , Nguyen Juliane
Published: September 2021

Hydrogels are a class of biomaterials widely implemented in medical applications due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. Despite the many successes of hydrogel‐based delivery systems, there remain challenges to hydrogel drug delivery such as a burst release at the time of administration, a limited ability to encapsulate certain types of drugs (i.e., hydrophobic drugs, proteins, antibodies, and nucleic acids), and poor tunability of geometry and shape for controlled drug release. This review discusses two main important advances in hydrogel fabrication for precision drug release: first, the incorporation of nanocarriers to diversify their drug loading capability, and second, the design of hydrogels using 3D printing to precisely control drug dosing and release kinetics via high‐resolution structures and geometries. We also outline ongoing challenges and discuss opportunities to further optimize drug release from hydrogels for personalized medicine.

This article is categorized under:

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies