bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Facile Construction of Alloy‐Metal Oxide Interfaces Boosting the One‐Pot Conversion Of Methyl Levulinate to 1,4‐Pentanediol
Authors: Wei Yan , Shi Weiming , Cao Mingxiu , Gong Ling , Li Jifan , Liu Chun‐ling , Dong Wen‐Sheng
Published: September 2023

In this work, a series of N‐doped carbon supported FeCo bimetallic catalysts with plentiful FeCo alloy‐FeO interfaces, which are derived from metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) ZIF‐67, are designed for the one‐pot direct conversion of methyl levulinate to 1,4‐pentanediol. The FeCo alloy‐FeO interfaces are precisely controlled via tuning the reduction temperatures and Fe/Co ratios. The optimal catalyst gives a high 1,4‐pentanediol yield of 90.5 % along with complete conversion of methyl levulinate. These catalysts are carefully characterized by multiple techniques, such as HRTEM, XRD, XPS, NH3−TPD, and Py−IR. It is found that Co presents in electron deficiency caused by the electron transference from Co to Fe in FeCo alloy, which in turn enhances the heterolysis of H2. In addition, plentiful Lewis acid sites derived from interfacial FeO species favour the re‐adsorption and the ring‐opening reaction of γ‐valerolactone. With the synergy between FeCo alloy and Lewis acid, the FeCo alloy‐FeO interfaces exhibit excellent catalytic activity for selective hydrogenation of methyl levulinate to 1,4‐pentanediol.
Malt quality profile of barley predicted by near‐infrared spectroscopy using partial least squares, Bayesian regression, and artificial neural network models
Authors: Ajayi Oyeyemi O. , Akinyemi Lanre , Adeniyi Atanda Sikiru , Walling Jason G. , Mahalingam Ramamurthy
Published: October 2023

Due to the significant cost and time involved in identifying barley lines with superior malting quality, the malting industry is searching for accurate and rapid methods to expedite the selection of superior barley lines that meet breeder's goals. The aim of this study is to compare partial least squares regression (PLSR) with advanced statistical models (Bayesian and machine learning) and reliably assess their performance in predicting malt quality traits from near infra‐red (NIR) spectral data using barley grains. Using spectral data as predictors and the malt quality traits as references, PLSR outperformed Bayesian and PCA‐ANN models for diastatic power (DP), alpha amylase (AA), malt extract (ME), wort protein (WP), soluble to total protein (S/T) ratio, and free amino nitrogen (FAN). WP had the best prediction performance for all models, with the best‐performing model, PLSR, having
(RPD) values of 0.55 (1.5). The influential wavelength regions identified based on the variable importance in projection (VIP) scores and coefficient estimates for PLSR and Bayesian models, respectively, were comparatively similar for all malt quality traits. Based on these findings, PLSR analysis and wavelength selection techniques would enhance the future design and optimization of NIR prediction models in malt quality improvement programs.
Development and initial validation of the Comprehensive Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Tool
Authors: Shoaee Shervan , Heydari Mohammad‐Hossein , Hessari Hossein , Mehrdad Neda , Khalilazar Laleh , Hatami Bahareh , Sharifi Farshad
Published: September 2023

Objectives

Improving the oral health of the elderly is crucial to improving their general health and quality of life. To reach this goal, it is necessary to start with a comprehensive oral health assessment and a detailed treatment plan. The aim of this study was, therefore, to develop a comprehensive Oral Health Assessment Tool for the geriatric population.

Material and Methods

Following a panel of experts' consultation, a clinical form and a self‐assessment questionnaire were developed, encompassing eight domains: dental caries, periodontal diseases, partial and complete edentulism, oral soft tissue lesions, occlusion, xerostomia, temporomandibular joints, and oral or oral prostheses hygiene. Subsequently, a pilot study was conducted to appraise the clinical form and questionnaire involving 84 residents of an Iranian nursing home. After securing ethics approval, both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the self‐assessment questions' validity and reliability were assessed, and specificity and sensitivity were calculated.

Results

The mean age of the participants was 69.8 (±4.1) years, and 86% had less than 12 years of education. The questions regarding the number of remaining teeth and the number of decayed teeth had the highest sensitivity (97% and 88%), respectively. Questions regarding the presence of periodontitis and gingivitis had the highest specificity (both 100%).

Conclusions

A Comprehensive Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Tool has been developed and its validity and reliability evaluated in a pilot study. It should now be further evaluated in larger studies.
Ontogenetic variation in the ecological stoichiometry of 10 fish species during early development
Authors: Downs Kelsea N. , Kelly Patrick T. , Ascanio Alfredo , Vanni Michael J.
Published: October 2023

The chemical composition and stoichiometry of vertebrate bodies changes greatly during ontogeny as phosphorus‐rich bones form, but we know little about the variation among species during early development. Such variation is important because element ratios in animal bodies influence which element limits growth and how animals contribute to nutrient cycling. We quantified ontogenetic variation from embryos through 2–3 months of age in 10 species of fish in six different families, ranging in adult size from 73 to 720 mm in length. We measured whole‐body concentrations (percentage of dry mass) and ratios of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) as fish developed. We also quantified whole‐body concentrations of calcium (Ca), because Ca should reflect bone development, and RNA, which can be a major pool of body P. To account for interspecific differences in adult size, we also examined how trends changed with relative size, defined as body length divided by adult length. Ontogenetic changes in body composition and ratios were relatively similar among species and were more similar when expressed as a function of relative size compared to age. Body P increased rapidly in all species (likely because of bone development) from embryos until individuals were ~5%–8% of adult size. Body N also increased, while body C, C:N, C:P, and N:P all decreased over this period. Body Ca increased with development but was more variable among species. Body RNA was low in embryos, increased rapidly in young larvae, then decreased as fish reached 5%–8% of adult size. After fish were about 5%–8% of adult size, changes in body composition were relatively slight for all elements and ratios. These results reveal a consistency in the dynamics of body stoichiometry during early ontogeny, presumably because of similar constraints on the allocation of elements to bones and other body pools. Because most changes occur when individuals are <1 month old (<10% of adult size for that species), early ontogenetic variation in body stoichiometry may be especially important for growth limitation of individuals and ecosystem‐level nutrient cycling.
In‐situ remediation of TPH‐polluted soil by Na2FeO4 in the Loess Plateau of China
Authors: Yan Yuan , Wang Yajun , Zhang Yurong , Bu Xudong , Dong Wantao
Published: September 2023

In recent years, the oil pollution problem on the Loess Plateau in western China is becoming increasingly serious, therefore, the use of hydroxyl radical (·OH) advanced oxidation process has increased due to its ability to efficiently degrade total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) in soil. However, the ability to produce ·OH of different oxidants varies widely, and the removal effect of specific pollutants has fluctuations and differences. The objective of this study is to screen the best oxidant according to the physico‐chemical properties and pollution situation of polluted soil, and to reveal the degradation mechanism of pollutants. In this study, we employed sodium ferrate (Na2FeO4) to produce ·OH for the degradation of TPHs in aged oil‐polluted soil located in the western part of the Loess Plateau in China. The results showed that the removal rates of TPH in the soil samples by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), sodium persulfate (Na2SO4) and Na2FeO4 could reach 45.5%, 62.4%, and 65.6% respectively. The ·OH produced during the process played a major role in TPH oxidation with a contribution of more than 80%; H2O2 was intermediate substance that generated ·OH, biochar could induce the production of ·OH, the addition of biochar could activate H2O2 to promote the generation of ·OH and the removal rate is significantly increased by 19.2%. In situ remediation of polluted soil on the Loess Plateau using Na2FeO4, with a TPH degradation rate of 87.5%. The results of this study will provide a new method for the efficient degradation of TPH in loessial soil.
Secrecy‐enabled resource allocation in cloud‐assisted IoT networks
Authors: Dubey Krati , Pandey Sudhakar , Kumar Sanjay
Published: October 2023

Cloud‐assisted IoT networks, (Fog computing) provide computation‐intensive services to the edge devices like the Internet of Things (IoT) with limited resources. One of the urgent challenges in fog‐based IoT networks is how to fulfill the demanded network resources for connected IoT devices with secure communication. To provide robust solutions in this paper, we have proposed a secrecy‐enabled resource allocation scheme for cloud‐assisted IoT networks (fog networks). In this study, we have conceptualized a state‐of‐the‐art physical‐layer secure communication along with the network resource allocation scheme with the intention of providing on‐demand Quality of service (QoS) parameters along with increased secrecy rate in the cloud‐assisted IoT networks. To determine this we have formulated a coalition‐based game formation for the considered network. Different from previous work we include the secrecy in the physical layer by the proposed secracy‐enabled resource allocation scheme. Furthermore, we have conducted extensive simulations for analyzing the numerical results of the proposed scheme. The numerical result shows the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in terms of increased secrecy and data rate of the IoT devices.
Postpartum bleeding visual underestimation: A persistent problem
Authors: Zea‐Prado Francisco , Espino‐Y‐Sosa J. Salvador , Sarria‐Ortiz Daniela , Muñoz‐Córdoba Laura , Nieto‐Calvache Albaro José
Published: September 2023

Synopsis

Postpartum bleeding volume calculated by the visual method is lower than the bleeding volume that is objectively quantified.
Treatment of Septic Shock with Immunotherapy
Authors: Smith Adrienne L.
Published: September 2023

Sepsis is the thirteenth leading cause of death in the United States. Despite increased knowledge about its pathophysiology, availability of powerful antibiotics, and advanced diagnostic and monitoring techniques, mortality rates have not changed significantly over the past 30 years. Immunotherapy may improve outcome in the critically ill with sepsis, although trial results have been disappointing to date.
Warfarin Resistance in a Patient with Short Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Brophy Donald F. , Ford Susan L. , Crouch Michael A.
Published: September 2023

Drug therapy in short bowel syndrome can be complicated by inadequate or incomplete absorption of drugs in the small intestine. Many case reports claim that warfarin absorption is not affected by the syndrome. We treated a patient with oral warfarin for recurring deep vein thrombosis; up to 20 mg/day was administered with no increase in the international normalized ratio. Drug‐drug interactions that may prevent absorption, increase metabolism, or antagonize the effects of warfarin were ruled out. Intravenous lipid administration, which is anecdotally reported to precipitate warfarin resistance, may have contributed to the condition, but dosing was less frequent than in published reports. The most probable explanation of warfarin resistance is the reduced surface area for drug absorption secondary to surgical removal of the patient's duodenum and gastrojejunostomy.
Differences in perceived online communication and disclosing e‐motions among adolescents and young adults: The role of specific social media features and social anxiety
Authors: Angelini Federica , Gini Gianluca
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Social media are widely used by adolescents and young adults as a mean to maintain interpersonal relationships. Recent studies have found that young individuals with high levels of social anxiety feel more confident in communicating online. However, little is known about the role of perceived social media characteristics that could minimize the distress they experienced in face‐to‐face interactions. In this study, we rely on the tenets of the Transformation Framework, according to which social media, with its own features, may transform social relationships, including disclosing emotions and communicating with others online, in ways that may differ across individuals with or without specific vulnerability (e.g., social anxiety). Therefore, this cross‐sectional study aims at examining the contribution of three specific social media features (i.e., asynchronicity, cue absence, and visualness) in explaining perceived breadth and depth of online communication, both directly and via e‐motional processes (i.e., expression and facilitating use of e‐motions), across groups of individuals with high versus low levels of social anxiety.

Methods

Participants were 1046 Italian adolescents and young adults (61.4% females; Mage = 17.9, SD = 3.23) who completed an anonymous self‐report questionnaire between 2021 and 2022. Participants with very high scores on social anxiety (above the 90th percentile; socially anxious), were distinguished from all others (socially nonanxious) and a multigroup analysis (MGA) was run to compare the pattern of associations across the two different groups.

Results and Conclusion

Results from the MGA showed significant differences between the two groups, partially confirming our hypotheses. Specifically, among socially anxious individuals, perceived cue absence was found to benefit perceived breadth and depth of online communication, and asynchronicity to enhance online emotional processes; conversely, these associations were negative in the group of socially nonanxious. Thus, these findings underly the contribution of social media in explaining youngsters' online experiences and support the potential beneficial role of some social media features for those more socially vulnerable.
Dual effects of endogenous formaldehyde on the organism and drugs for its removal
Authors: Chen Jiaxin , Chen Wenhui , Zhang Jinjia , Zhao Huanhuan , Cui Ji , Wu Junzi , Shi Anhua
Published: September 2023

Endogenous formaldehyde (FA) is produced in the human body via various mechanisms to preserve healthy energy metabolism and safeguard the organism. However, endogenous FA can have several negative effects on the body through epigenetic alterations, including cancer growth promotion; neuronal, hippocampal and endothelial damages; atherosclerosis acceleration; haemopoietic stem cell destruction and haemopoietic cell production reduction. Certain medications with antioxidant effects, such as glutathione, vitamin E, resveratrol, alpha lipoic acid and polyphenols, lessen the detrimental effects of endogenous FA by reducing oxidative stress, directly scavenging endogenous FA or promoting its degradation. This study offers fresh perspectives for managing illnesses associated with endogenous FA exposure.
Evaluation of Au nanosphere content on ZnO nanoparticle surfaces as reusable and durable plasmonic nanocatalysts
Authors: García‐Velasco A. C. , Bizarro M. , Báez‐Rodríguez A. , Cardoso‐Ávila P. E. , Zamora‐Peredo L.
Published: September 2023

BACKGROUND

Au/ZnO systems have been investigated in recent years as alternatives to improve the photocatalytic performance obtained by pure ZnO and other nanocatalysts based on ZnO nanostructures. ZnO nanoparticles and Au/ZnO nanocatalysts were successfully synthesized by facile and low‐cost methods, such hydrothermal synthesis and chemical reduction method, respectively. The plasmonic nanocatalysts were fabricated at different Au precursor (HAuCl4) concentrations (0.5–5 mM) to obtain different Au contents (0.31–13.9 at.%) on the ZnO surface. The influence of Au content on the ZnO surface and its photocatalytic activity was studied.

RESULTS

The photocatalytic activities of pure ZnO and Au/ZnO nanocatalysts were evaluated in the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) solution under UV light. The Au/ZnO nanocatalyst with the lowest Au content (0.31 at.%) showed the best photocatalytic performance, reaching an MB degradation rate of 99.99% within 60 min (an enhancement of 60% compared with ZnO nanoparticles) and a reaction rate constant of 4.186 min−1 (×10−2), which is higher than those of other novel and complex nanocatalysts based on ZnO. Moreover, five cycles of self‐cleaning and an outstanding durability of 25 aging months were obtained during photocatalytic applications.

CONCLUSION

As demonstrated, a high amount of Au nanospheres on the ZnO surface is not necessary to enhance its photocatalytic activity. This synthesis process offers the possibility of obtaining the optimum amount of Au loading over the ZnO surface to reach a better photocatalytic performance, good self‐cleaning ability, and outstanding durability in comparison with other complex and recently reported catalysts (composites based on ZnO nanostructures). © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Identification of novel homozygous variants in FOXE3 and AP4M1 underlying congenital syndromic anophthalmia and microphthalmia
Authors: Akbar Warda , Ullah Asmat , Haider Nighat , Suleman Sufyan , Khan Fati Ullah , Shah Abid Ali , Sikandar Muhammad Atif , Basit Sulman , Ahmad Wasim
Published: September 2023

Background

Anophthalmia and microphthalmia are severe developmental ocular disorders that affect the size of the ocular globe and can be unilateral or bilateral. The disease is found in syndromic as well as non‐syndromic forms. It is genetically caused by chromosomal aberrations, copy number variations and single gene mutations, along with non‐genetic factors such as viral infections, deficiency of vitamin A and an exposure to alcohol or drugs during pregnancy. To date, more than 30 genes having different modes of inheritance patterns are identified as causing anophthalmia and microphthalmia.

Methods

In the present study, a clinical and genetic analysis was performed of six patients with anophthalmia and microphthalmia and/or additional phenotypes of intellectual disability, developmental delay and cerebral palsy from a large consanguineous Pakistani family. Whole exome sequencing followed by data analysis for variants prioritization and validation through Sanger sequencing was performed to identify the disease causing variant(s). American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines were applied to classify clinical interpretation of the prioritized variants.

Results

Clinical investigations revealed that the affected individuals are afflicted with anophthalmia. Three of the patients showed additional phenotype of intellectual disability, developmental delays and other neurological symptoms. Whole exome sequencing of the DNA samples of the affected members in the family identified a novel homozygous stop gain mutation (NM_012186: c.106G>T: p.Glu36*) in Forkhead Box E3 (FOXE3) gene shared by all affected individuals. Moreover, patients segregating additional phenotypes of spastic paraplegia, intellectual disability, hearing loss and microcephaly showed an additional homozygous sequence variant (NM_004722: c.953G>A: p.Arg318Gln) in AP4M1. Sanger sequencing validated the correct segregation of the identified variants in the affected family. ACMG guidelines predicted the variants to be pathogenic.

Conclusions

We have investigated first case of syndromic anophthalmia caused by variants in the FOXE3 and AP4M1. The present findings are helpful for understanding pathological role of the mutations of the genes in syndromic forms of anophthalmia. Furthermore, the study signifies searching for the identification of second variant in families with patients exhibiting variable phenotypes. In addition, the findings will help clinical geneticists, genetic counselors and the affected family with respect to prenatal testing, family planning and genetic counseling.
Obesity: Risk Factor for Increased Resource Utilization at Bidirectional Glenn
Authors: Newell Ashley C. , Davis Kelly , Wang Li , Bichell David , Clay Mark A.
Published: September 2023

Background

Underweight infants with single‐ventricle cardiac physiology have been shown to have increased morbidity, mortality, and resource utilization. The purpose of this study was to determine whether patients who were overweight, as defined by weight‐for‐length z score >90th percentile, were similarly at risk for increased resource utilization, as defined by mechanical ventilation hours (VHs) and intensive care unit length of stay (ICU LOS).

Methods

We evaluated resource utilization for 109 patients from our institution who underwent bidirectional Glenn surgery from January 2010 to June 2015 and met prespecified inclusion criteria. Patients were divided into 3 groups: underweight (z score, <5th percentile), normal weight (z score, 5th–90th percentile), and overweight (z score, >90th percentile).

Results

ICU LOS was longer in the overweight group (median, 18.5 days) when compared with the under‐ and normal‐weight groups (median LOS, 11 and 9 days, respectively) but did not reach statistical significance. VHs were also increased in the overweight group (median, 72 hours) when compared with the underweight (median, 27 hours) and normal weight (median, 25 hours) groups. This increase in VHs was statistically significant (P = .03).

Conclusions

This study suggests that patients with single‐ventricle physiology who are overweight at the time of their bidirectional Glenn surgery may be at risk for increased resource utilization as compared with those who meet or fail to meet their caloric recommendations. These findings represent an underappreciated risk factor in this already‐vulnerable patient population, providing potential opportunity for intervention and improved outcomes.
Application of vibrational and fluorescence spectroscopy to the compositional analysis of colored‐flesh potatoes
Authors: Pielorz Sonia , Kita Agnieszka , Rytel Elżbieta , Szostak Roman , Mazurek Sylwester
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUND

Determination of composition and physicochemical parameters of natural products requires dedicated, often laborious and expensive, analytical protocols. Different spectroscopic techniques, in conjunction with chemometrics, seem to have a considerable potential in direct analysis of raw plant material and foods, without any chemical treatment.

RESULTS

Fluorescence spectroscopy and three vibrational spectroscopy techniques were applied to determine total polyphenol content, antioxidant activity and macronutrient levels in red‐ and purple‐fleshed potato varieties. Excitation–emission matrix fluorescence, Fourier transform Raman, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared and near‐infrared spectra were recorded for the freeze‐dried samples. Combining spectral data and the results of reference analyses, partial least squares regression models were constructed for each parameter studied. For polyphenols and antioxidant activity, quantification errors found for validation samples amounted to 3.74–5.04% and 4.75–6.35%, respectively, whereas macronutrient analysis gave errors in the 3.45–4.55%, 3.09–5.30% and 5.10–8.58% ranges for starch, protein and sugar determinations, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The obtained results demonstrate that different spectroscopic techniques in combination with multivariate modeling allow simultaneous determination of various parameters of plant samples based on a single sample spectrum. They can effectively replace commonly used protocols of food product analysis requiring sample dissolving and extraction of the compounds of interest. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Liquid–Liquid Equilibrium in Xylene Solubles (XS) Analysis of Polypropylene
Authors: Melo Afrânio , Pessoa Fernando L. P. , Pinto José Carlos
Published: October 2023

A multicomponent Flory‐Huggins model is implemented and utilized to describe the liquid–liquid equilibrium phenomenon in mixtures of polypropylene and xylene, in the context of the well‐known xylene solubles (XS) test. The XS experiment is a common procedure in many polymer laboratories, used to determine the percentage of xylene solubles in samples of polypropylene, which provides an approximate measure of the atactic and oligomeric chains. Despite the importance of the test, the literature lacks a thermodynamic perspective regarding the description of this extraction phenomenon. In the present study, the Flory‐Huggins interaction parameter is adjusted in a multicomponent framework to ensure that equilibrium chain length distributions calculated with the proposed model best match experimental distributions. It is shown that the experimental data obtained from XS analyses can be accurately fitted by the proposed model and that the estimated Flory‐Huggins interaction parameter is more sensitive to the polymer average molar mass than to the degree of tacticity, when a particular catalyst is considered.
Exploring the effect of dynamic bond placement in liquid crystal elastomers
Authors: Lindberg Charlie A. , Ghimire Elina , Chen Chuqiao , Lee Sean , Dolinski Neil D. , Dennis Joseph M. , Wang Sihong , de Pablo Juan J. , Rowan Stuart J.
Published: October 2023

Dynamic liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are a class of polymer networks characterized by the inclusion of both liquid crystalline monomers and dynamic covalent bonds. The unique properties realized through the combination of these moieties has produced a plethora of stimuli‐responsive materials to address a range of emerging technologies. While previous works have studied the incorporation of different dynamic bonds in LCEs, few (if any) have studied the effect of the specific placement of the dynamic bonds within an LCE network. A series of dynamic LCE networks were synthesized using a generalizable approach that employs a tandem thiol‐ene/yne chemistry which allows the location of the dynamic disulfide bond to be varied while maintaining similar network characteristics. When probing these systems in the LC regime, the thermomechanical properties were found to be largely similar. It is not until elevated temperatures (160–180 °C) that differences in the relaxation activation energies of these systems begin to materialize based solely on differences in placement of the dynamic bond throughout the network. This work demonstrates that through intentional dynamic bond placement, stress relaxation times can be tuned without affecting the LCE character. This insight can help optimize future dynamic LCE designs and achieve shorter processing times.
Mefentrifluconazole sensitivity amongst European Zymoseptoria tritici populations and potential implications for its field efficacy
Authors: Kildea Steven , Hellin Pierre , Heick Thies M. , Byrne Stephen , Hutton Fiona
Published: September 2023

BACKGROUND

Septoria tritici blotch caused by Zymoseptoria tritici continues to be one of the most economically destructive diseases of winter wheat in north‐western Europe. Control is heavily reliant on the application of fungicides, in particular those belonging to the azole group. Here we describe the sensitivity of European Z. tritici populations to the novel azole mefentrifluconazole and the analysis of associated mechanisms of resistance.

RESULTS

A wide range of sensitivity to mefentrifluconazole was observed amongst the Z. tritici collections examined, with strong cross‐resistances also observed between mefentrifluconazole, difenoconazole and tebuconazole. Overall, the Irish population displayed the lowest sensitivity to all azoles tested. Further detailed analysis of the Irish population in 2021 demonstrated differences in sensitivity occurred between sampling sites, with these differences associated with the frequencies of key resistance mechanisms (CYP51 alterations and MFS1 promoter inserts linked to overexpression). Under glasshouse conditions reductions in the efficacy of mefentrifluconazole were observed towards those strains exhibiting the lowest in vitro sensitivities.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that a large range of sensitivity to mefentrifluconazole exists in European Z. tritici populations. Those strains exhibiting the lowest sensitivity to the azoles tested had the most complex CYP51 haplotypes in combination with the 519 bp insert, associated with enhanced activity of MFS1. The future use of mefentrifluconazole should take these findings into consideration to minimise the selection of these strains. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Effect of kava (Piper methysticum) on peripheral gene expression among individuals with generalized anxiety disorder: A post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Cribb Lachlan , Sarris Jerome , Savage Karen M. , Byrne Gerard J. , Metri Najwa‐Joelle , Scholey Andrew , Stough Con , Bousman Chad A.
Published: September 2023

Kava is a South Pacific plant‐based medicine with anxiolytic properties, but little is known about the impact kava has on gene expression or whether gene expression can serve as a marker of kava response. This study aimed to determine whether kava treatment alters the expression of genes with physiological relevance to anxiety pathophysiology and whether the baseline expression of these physiologically relevant genes modifies the efficacy of kava treatment. In this post hoc analysis, we examined the expression of 48 genes relevant to the pathophysiology of anxiety collected from a double‐blind randomized controlled trial that assessed the efficacy of kava treatment in generalized anxiety disorder. Peripheral blood gene expression was measured in 71 (34 kava, 37 placebo) adults at baseline and in 40 (19 kava, 21 placebo) after 8 weeks of treatment by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results revealed that kava decreased the expression of a subunit of the GABAA‐rho receptor gene (GABRR2) and catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (COMT), a gene related to catecholamine metabolism. Kava efficacy was not found to be modified by baseline (pretreatment) expression of relevant genes. Although these results did not withstand statistical correction for multiple comparisons and require external validation, they support the notion that kava's mechanism of action includes interaction with GABAergic and catecholaminergic systems.
Impulsive control of unstable homogeneous positive systems of degree one with unbounded time‐varying delay
Authors: Yang Huitao , Zhang Yu , Zhu Jingwen , Hong Shanshan
Published: October 2023

This paper investigates the impulsive control of unstable homogeneous positive systems of degree one with unbounded time‐varying delay. By using max‐separable Lyapunov functions and Razumikhin technique, sufficient conditions ensuring ‐stability are derived. It should be noted that it is the first time that impulsive stabilization results for such systems are given. A numerical example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the control strategy.
Assessable and interpretable sensitivity analysis in the pattern graph framework for nonignorable missingness mechanisms
Authors: Zamanian Alireza , Ahmidi Narges , Drton Mathias
Published: September 2023

The pattern graph framework solves a wide range of missing data problems with nonignorable mechanisms. However, it faces two challenges of assessability and interpretability, particularly important in safety‐critical problems such as clinical diagnosis: (i) How can one assess the validity of the framework's a priori assumption and make necessary adjustments to accommodate known information about the problem? (ii) How can one interpret the process of exponential tilting used for sensitivity analysis in the pattern graph framework and choose the tilt perturbations based on meaningful real‐world quantities? In this paper, we introduce Informed Sensitivity Analysis, an extension of the pattern graph framework that enables us to incorporate substantive knowledge about the missingness mechanism into the pattern graph framework. Our extension allows us to examine the validity of assumptions underlying pattern graphs and interpret sensitivity analysis results in terms of realistic problem characteristics. We apply our method to a prevalent nonignorable missing data scenario in clinical research. We validate and compare our method's results of our method with a number of widely‐used missing data methods, including Unweighted CCA, KNN Imputer, MICE, and MissForest. The validation is done using both boot‐strapped simulated experiments as well as real‐world clinical observations in the MIMIC‐III public dataset.
Properties of a Soluble Lead Flow Battery Recycled with Hydrogen Peroxide
Authors: Liu Zheng , Hu Yisheng , Zhao Fei , Sun Bo , Yan Ziyang
Published: October 2023

The service life of soluble lead flow batteries can be extended by periodic addition of H2O2, especially when it failed. However in first few cycles after H2O2 treatment, its coulombic efficiency is very low. To clarify it, the properties of electrode and electrolyte, and cycle performance have been systematically analyzed. It has been found that the negative/positive electrode reactions have serious overpotentials during early charging due to oxygen, which are produced and dissolved into the electrolyte during H2O2 treatment. With increasing the cycle number, the polarization degree decreases to the normal level of the battery. To solve it, oxygen is removed using argon after H2O2 treatment. The flow cell is normally recovered in the cycling performance. The average coulomb efficiency is 94.5±5.8 % for 500 times. After H2O2 treatment and oxygen removal, it exhibits a good cycling performance at the average coulomb efficiency of 93.9±4.2 % for another 500 times.
Hydrogen Production from Morpholine−Borane by Aluminum Oxide‐Supported Pd Nanoparticles
Authors: Oğuzyer Ayşenur , Yurderi Mehmet , Zahmakıran Mehmet , Bulut Ahmet , Rakap Murat
Published: October 2023

Morpholine−borane (MB) is a promising hydrogen storage material and developing effective catalysts for the catalytic hydrolysis reaction of MB has become a fascinating topic in catalysis. Here, we report the preparation of Al2O3‐supported Pd nanoparticles (Pd/Al2O3) by an impregnation‐reduction method and their utilization as catalysts in the catalytic hydrolysis reaction of MB for hydrogen (H2) production. These Pd/Al2O3 are characterized by a combination of several advanced analytical techniques. Pd/Al2O3 catalysts with a mean diameter of 3.12±0.35 nm provide H2 production with a turnover frequency (TOF) value of 495.3 mol(H2) ⋅ molPd−1 ⋅ h−1 in the hydrolysis of MB in complete conversion at 298 K. Additionally, the activation energy (Ea#), activation enthalpy (ΔH#), and activation entropy (ΔS#) values of Pd/Al2O3 catalysts in the hydrolysis reaction of MB are calculated as 30.36 kJ ⋅ mol−1, 28.42 kJ ⋅ mol−1, and −158.52 J ⋅ mol−1 ⋅ K−1, respectively, from Arrhenius and Eyring‐Polanyi equations.
Physical Phenomena Governing Mineral Morphogenesis in Molluscan Nacre
Authors: Gránásy László , Rátkai László , Zlotnikov Igor , Pusztai Tamás
Published: September 2023

Mollusks, as well as many other living organisms, have the ability to shape mineral crystals into unconventional morphologies and to assemble them into complex functional mineral–organic structures, an observation that inspired tremendous research efforts in scientific and technological domains. Despite these, a biochemical toolkit that accounts for the formation of the vast variety of the observed mineral morphologies cannot be identified yet. Herein, phase‐field modeling of molluscan nacre formation, an intensively studied biomineralization process, is used to identify key physical parameters that govern mineral morphogenesis. Manipulating such parameters, various nacre properties ranging from the morphology of a single mineral building block to that of the entire nacreous assembly are reproduced. The results support the hypothesis that the control over mineral morphogenesis in mineralized tissues happens via regulating the physico‐chemical environment, in which biomineralization occurs: the organic content manipulates the geometric and thermodynamic boundary conditions, which in turn, determine the process of growth and the form of the biomineral phase. The approach developed here has the potential of providing explicit guidelines for the morphogenetic control of synthetically formed composite materials.
Sterile neutrinos from dark matter: a ν nightmare?
Authors: Morrison Logan , Profumo Stefano , Shakya Bibhushan
Published: September 2023

Abstract

We provide a comprehensive study of observable spectra from dark matter pair-annihilation or decay into sterile (right-handed) neutrinos. This occurs, for instance, in neutrino portal dark matter models, where a sterile neutrino acts as the portal between dark matter and the Standard Model sector. The subsequent decays of right-handed neutrinos produce detectable Standard Model particles, notably photons, positrons, and neutrinos. We study the phenomenology of models where the right-handed neutrino masses are below the GeV scale, as well as models where they are at, or significantly heavier than, the TeV scale. In both instances, and for different reasons, the standard tools, including Monte Carlo simulations, are both inadequate and inaccurate. We present the complete framework to compute the relevant branching ratios for right-handed neutrino decays and the spectra of secondary photons, positrons, and neutrinos for a broad range of dark matter and right-handed neutrino masses. We discuss the general features of such signals, and compare the spectra to standard signals from dark matter annihilation/decay into bottom quarks. Additionally, we provide open source code (The code is available at https://github.com/LoganAMorrison/blackthorn) that can be used to compute such spectra.
Single-use digital flexible cystoscope for double J removal versus reusable instruments: a prospective, comparative study of functionality, risk of infection, and costs
Authors: Oderda Marco , Asimakopoulos Anastasios , Batetta Valerio , Bosio Andrea , Dalmasso Ettore , Morra Ivano , Vercelli Eugenia , Gontero Paolo
Published: October 2023

Background

The removal of ureteral stent can be performed with disposable or reusable flexible cystoscopes, but limited comparative data are available on functionality, risk of infections, and costs.

Methods

We performed a multicentric, prospective, observational study on patients undergoing in-office ureteral stent removal with Isiris-α® or a reusable Storz™ flexible cystoscope. Study endpoints were the functionality and effectiveness of the devices, the rate of postoperative bacteriuria and UTIs, and the costs of the procedure.

Results

A total of 135 patients were included, 80 (59.2%) treated with reusable cystoscopes and 55 (40.8%) with Isiris-α®. No significant baseline differences between groups were detected. Isiris-α® outperformed the reusable device in terms of quality of vision (p 0.001), manoeuvrability (p 0.001), grasper functionality (p < 0.001), and quality of the procedure (p 0.01). Mean procedure time was shorter with Isiris-α® (p < 0.001) due to a shorter instrument preparation time (p < 0.001). No differences were found in terms of perceived patient pain (p 0.34), nor postoperative bacteriuria or symptomatic UTIs. According to our cost analysis, the in-office procedure performed with Isiris-α® was more expensive (+ 137.8€) but was independent from instrument turnover or disinfection. Among limitations of study we acknowledge the lack of randomization, the use of antibiotic prophylaxis in several patients, and the high rate of missing preoperative urine cultures.

Conclusions

Isiris-α® outperforms reusable cystoscopes for in-office ureteral stent removal in terms of total operative time and quality of the procedure, at the cost of being more expensive. No significant differences in postoperative bacteriuria or symptomatic UTIs were found.
Sediment loss modelling framework for the Bradano River Basin, southern Italy, 1950–2020
Authors: Diodato Nazzareno , Borrelli Pasquale , Gómara Iñigo , Bellocchi Gianni
Published: October 2023

Hazardous hydrological events cause soil erosion and it is essential to anticipate the potential environmental impacts of prevailing erosion processes that occur at different time-scales. Here, we present the modelling of net soil erosion rates for the Bradano River Basin (southern Italy), based on rainfall erosivity, surface overland flow and transport sub-models. A semi-empirical framework was developed, upscaling point rainfall values based on the Foster-Thornes approach in order to give an insight into monthly and annual soil losses over the period 1950–1958 and 1961 (calibration) and over a longer time-frame (1950–2020: reconstruction). In the 2765-km2 study area, ~ 68% of the sediment mobilized within the basin reached the basin outlet (mean value for 1950–2020: ~ 366 Mg km−2 yr−1). A moderate declining trend in net erosion rates was observed after the 1980s, concurrent with the contraction of cropland in favour of natural vegetation and river channelization. Our results suggest that the parsimonious principle used here seems sufficiently robust to be suitable for applications in other Mediterranean landscapes.
Ethics and the dark side of online communities: mapping the field and a research agenda
Authors: Ferreira João J. , Fernandes Cristina , Veiga Pedro Mota , Rammal Hussain G.
Published: September 2023

The rapid growth in the widespread acceptance and usage of the Internet and the ease of creating online communities have brought advantages in terms of swift access to information alongside ethical problems interrelated with the dark side of the workings of these communities. Relevant research approaching ethics and the dark side of online communities has received widespread publication in a diverse set of journals with a wide variety of objectives and readers that has left its academic contribution broadly fragmented. To help shrink this gap in the literature, this study, through undertaking a systematic review, seeks to map the research on ethics and the dark side of online communities to grasp where the literature has come from and where it is going and, consequently, provide opportunities for future research. This study applied a bibliometric approach based on analysis of the bibliographic coupling with the manual coding of documents to examine the literature on the ethics and the dark side of online communities to set out a holistic framework of its different facets. The content and the thematic analysis of 53 studies identified four thematic groups: quality of the information in online communities, virtual identities, safety in online communities, and the content of online communities. The findings of this study also highlight the various shortcomings in the literature on the ethics and dark side of online communities and lead to some research questions that justify future academic research.
Hidden Markov models for longitudinal rating data with dynamic response styles
Authors: Colombi Roberto , Giordano Sabrina , Kateri Maria
Published: September 2023

This work deals with the analysis of longitudinal ordinal responses. The novelty of the proposed approach is in modeling simultaneously the temporal dynamics of a latent trait of interest, measured via the observed ordinal responses, and the answering behaviors influenced by response styles, through hidden Markov models (HMMs) with two latent components. This approach enables the modeling of (i) the substantive latent trait, controlling for response styles; (ii) the change over time of latent trait and answering behavior, allowing also dependence on individual characteristics. For the proposed HMMs, estimation procedures, methods for standard errors calculation, measures of goodness of fit and classification, and full-conditional residuals are discussed. The proposed model is fitted to ordinal longitudinal data from the Survey on Household Income and Wealth (Bank of Italy) to give insights on the evolution of households financial capability.
Does gamma-glutamyltransferase correlate with liver tumor burden in neuroendocrine tumors?
Authors: Schmidt Benjamin Christopher , Leiderer Miriam Theresa , Amin Tania , Viol Fabrice , Huber Samuel , Henes Frank Oliver , Schrader Jörg
Published: September 2023

Purpose

In patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and liver metastases, increased gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is commonly assumed as an indicator for progressive disease. To date, however, empirical data are lacking. This study aimed to investigate associations between GGT and liver tumor burden. In longitudinal analyses, associations of GGT and radiographic responses of liver metastases under therapy were investigated.

Methods

The cross-sectional sample consisted of 104 patients who were treated at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf from 2008 to 2021 (mean age 62.3 ± 12.6 years, 58.7% male). GGT and liver imaging were identified in a time range of 3 months. Radiologic reassessments were performed to estimate liver tumor burden. In a separate longitudinal sample (n = 15), the course of GGT levels under chemotherapy was analyzed. Data were retrospectively analyzed with a univariate ANOVA, linear regression analyses, and Wilcoxon tests.

Results

Of 104 cross-sectionally analyzed patients, 54 (51.9%) showed a GGT elevation. GGT levels and liver tumor burden were positively correlated (p < 0.001), independently from age, gender, primary tumor location, grading, and cholestasis. Notably, GGT increase was associated with a liver tumor burden of >50%. In the longitudinal sample, 10 of 11 patients with progressive disease showed increasing GGT, whereas 4 of 4 patients with regressive disease showed declining GGT.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that GGT is associated with liver tumor burden. Over the course of therapy, GGT appears to change in line with radiographic responses. Further longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are required to define GGT as a reliable marker for tumor response.