bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The importance of definitions in the measurement of long‐term health conditions in childhood. Variations in prevalence of long‐term health conditions in the UK using data from the Millennium Cohort Study, 2004–2015
Authors: Panagi Laura , White Simon R. , Patel Sohum , Bennett Sophie , Shafran Roz , Ford Tamsin
Published: August 2022

Objectives

To explore the impact of various measurements of long‐term health conditions (LTCs) on the resulting prevalence estimates using data from a nationally representative dataset.

Methods

Children and young people in the Millennium Cohort Study were followed at ages 3, 5, 7, 11, and 14 years (N = 15,631). We estimated the weighted prevalence of LTCs at each time point and examined the degree to which estimates agreed with alternate health indicators (special educational needs and disability [SEND], specific chronic conditions, and common chronicity criteria) using descriptive analyses, Cohen's kappa statistic, and percentage agreement.

Results

The estimated weighted prevalence of LTCs peaked at 5 years old (20%). Despite high percentage agreement, we observed at best moderate chance‐corrected agreement between the type of LTC and reasons for SEND (kappas from 0.02 to 0.56, percentage agreement from 97% to 99%) or specified chronic conditions (kappas from 0.002 to 0.02, percentage agreement from 73% to 97%). Applying chronicity criteria decreased the estimated weighted prevalence of LTCs (3%).

Conclusion

How long‐term conditions are defined drastically alters the estimated weighted prevalence of LTCs. Improved clarity and consistency in the definition and measurement of LTCs is urgently needed to underpin policy and commissioning of services.
Prevalence of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and multifocal motor neuropathy in two regions of Australia
Authors: Park Susanna B. , Li Tiffany , Kiernan Matthew C. , Garg Nidhi , Wilson Ian , White Richard , Boggild Michael , McNabb Andrew , Lee‐Archer Matthew , Taylor Bruce V.
Published: August 2022

Introduction/Aims

Immune‐mediated neuropathies such as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) produce significant disability and often require maintenance treatment. There is a paucity of epidemiological data on these conditions in Australia.

Methods

We undertook a prevalence study of CIDP and MMN in North Queensland and Tasmania, coinciding with a national census. Diagnoses were classified against the diagnostic criteria of the European Federation of Neurological Societies/Peripheral Nerve Society. Case ascertainment was undertaken via multiple methods, including survey of local neurologists across public and private clinics, search of neurophysiology, neurology and hospital databases, search of admitted hospital database collections using ICD codes and through immunoglobulin therapy prescription lists.

Results

The crude prevalence of CIDP was 5.00 per 100,000 (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.79–6.62) and the crude prevalence of MMN was 1.33 per 100,000 (95% CI 0.78–2.27). Prevalence was also investigated using National Blood Authority numbers of cases prescribed immunoglobulin therapy, indicating a CIDP prevalence of 5.72 per 100,000 (95% CI 4.41–7.43) and MMN prevalence of 1.94 per 100,000 (95% CI 1.24–3.03). There was no significant difference between these numbers and those calculated through access of patient records locally. There was no significant difference in prevalence between Tasmania and North Queensland for any category.

Discussion

This study updates the prevalence of CIDP and MMN in Australia. Understanding the distribution of CIDP and MMN patients and their need for treatment is essential for future resource planning and to enable monitoring and coordination of therapies such as immunoglobulin.
Safety of mRNA COVID‐19 vaccines in patients with well‐controlled myasthenia gravis
Authors: Gamez Josep , Gamez Alejandro , Carmona Francesc
Published: August 2022

Introduction/Aims

Data on safety and tolerability of the vaccines against severe acute respiratory virus coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2, or coronavirus disease‐2019 [COVID‐19]) in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) are currently limited. In this study we investigated the safety of mRNA‐based two‐dose vaccination in a cohort of patients with MG.

Methods

This investigation was a prospective observational study of messenger RNA (mRNA)‐based vaccines administered to patients with MG with stable disease. Local and systemic reactogenicity after injection was monitored for each dose administered. The patients were categorized and clinically assessed following the recommendations of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America.

Results

Thirty‐six males and 55 females (mean age at first vaccine dose, 58.8 years; standard deviation, = 17.1 years) received vaccines. Seventy‐two patients (79.1%) were taking one or more immunosuppressant(s). The most frequent adverse effects were injection‐site pain, fatigue, myalgia, chills, fever, and headache. Local and systemic reactions were transient; 58.2% of the patients developed one or more reaction(s). There were no anaphylactic reactions. None of the patients had a myasthenic crisis, and two developed a mild deterioration compared with their Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis baseline score. The clinical outcome scores showed no exacerbation of MG symptoms. Patients over 65 years of age developed fewer adverse effects. COVID‐19 vaccination did not induce clinical exacerbation in stable patients with MG, regardless of their age, sex, history of myasthenic crisis, or whether they were taking immunosuppressants.

Discussion

Our data are consistent with the mRNA COVID‐19 vaccine being well tolerated in patients with well‐controlled MG. The findings may contribute to decisions in vaccination campaigns in the future.
Preparation of the polyvinyl alcohol thermal energy storage film containing the waste fly ash based on the phase change material
Authors: Mao Shuang‐dan , Lin Fu‐hua , Zhao Yu‐ying , Li Xiang‐yang , Zhang Yan‐li , Dong Ya‐peng , Zhao Jia‐le , Zhang Hui , Wang Bo
Published: August 2022

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) blending with the phase change material (PCM) to prepare thermal energy storage film has the disadvantage of leakage. The waste fly ash (FA) can be used as the substrate of PCM to prevent leakage and give the FA high value. In this study, the rude fly ash (RFA) with the modification of rinsing and HCl treatment impregnates the stearic acid (SA) directly to prepare rFAS and HFAS, respectively. The PVA/FAS thermal energy storage films are prepared by solution casting. The surface properties and the absorption capacity analysis of the FA indicated that the modification can increase the surface areas and average pore volume and the HFAS have the best adsorption capacity. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) show that the SA successfully adsorbed on the FA. The PVA/FAS thermal energy storage films with the 15% HFAS content have the best tensile strength (9.87 MPa), thermal conductivity (0.611 W·m−1·K−1), and thermal energy storage property (59.04 J·g−1 after 1 cycle time) because of the best compatibility between HFAS and PVA. After 500 cycle times, the latent heat of the PVA/HFAS decreased only 4.62% and the PVA/RFAS and PVA/RFAS decreased by 8.32%, and 10.87%, respectively.
Performance of full‐field digital mammography versus digital breast
Authors: Wang Mengru , Zhuang Shan , Sheng Liuli , Zhao Yu Nian , Shen Wenrong
Published: August 2022

Studies have shown that the combination of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and digital mammography (DM) can improve the display of malignant tumors, reduce false positive results, and make up for the major deficiencies of traditional DM. In addition, the recall rate of patients with combined DBT was significantly reduced, especially those under 50 years of age and those with dense breast glands. The objective of this study is to compare the difference of DM and DM+ DBT in the diagnosis of benign and malignant tumors in different subgroups. A retrospective analysis was performed on 578 pathologically confirmed breast diseases in Jiangsu Cancer Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021. All were female, aged 23–85, with an average age of 53. Their DM and DBT images will be reviewed in an independent blind manner by an experienced radiologist. The doctor was unable to obtain the results of previous tests. The sensitivity and specificity of population samples and different subgroups were calculated. Overall sensitivity was 65% for DM, 93% for DM+ DBT. The addition of DBT significantly increased the tumor detection rate (odds ratio, 7.05; 95% confidence interval: 4.78, 10.4; p = .00), the difference was statistically significant. For patients <50 years of age, the sensitivity of DM+ DBT (94%) was significantly higher than that of DM (54%), and for patients with breast density of 50% or more, the sensitivity of DM and DM+ DBT were 59% and 92% (p < .001). The sensitivity of DM+ DBT (92%) was significantly higher than that of DM alone (39%) in patients whose primary imaging feature was non‐mass (p < 0.001). Specificity was 77% for DM and 87% for DM+ DBT. The addition of DBT improved the specificity of DM in patients with high‐density breast and the sensitivity of DM to all subgroups. DBT has potential benefits for diagnosing of benign and malignant tumors, especially for young women with dense breasts.
Exploring the pH dependence of the SARS‐CoV‐2 complete fusion domain and the role of its unique structural features
Authors: Birtles Daniel , Oh Anna E. , Lee Jinwoo
Published: August 2022

SARS‐CoV‐2 may enter target cells through the process of membrane fusion at either the plasma (~pH 7.4–7.0) or endosomal (~pH 6.5–5.0) membrane in order to deliver its genetic information. The fusion domain (FD) of the spike glycoprotein is responsible for initiating fusion and is thus integral to the viral life cycle. The FD of SARS‐CoV‐2 is unique in that it consists of two structurally distinctive regions referred to as the fusion peptide (FP) and the fusion loop (FL); yet the molecular mechanisms behind how this FD perturbs the membrane to initiate fusion remains unclear. In this study via solution NMR, we witnessed only a slight conformational change in the FD between pH 7.4 and pH 5.0, resulting in a minor elongation of helix 1. However, we found that the FD's ability to mediate membrane fusion has a large and significant pH dependence, with fusion events being more readily induced at low pH. Interestingly, a biphasic relationship between the environmental pH and fusogenicity was discovered, suggesting a preference for the FD to initiate fusion at the late endosomal membrane. Furthermore, the conserved disulfide bond and hydrophobic motif “LLF” were found to be critical for the function of the complete FD, with minimal activity witnessed when either was perturbed. In conclusion, these findings indicate that the SARS‐CoV‐2 FD preferably initiates fusion at a pH similar to the late endosome through a mechanism that heavily relies on the internal disulfide bond of the FL and hydrophobic LLF motif within the FP.
Synthesis, insecticidal activity, and mode of action of novel imidazopyridine mesoionic derivatives containing an amido group
Authors: Liu Zhengjun , Song Runjiang , Zhang Desheng , Wu Rong , Liu Ting , Wu Zhengxue , Zhang Jian , Hu Deyu
Published: August 2022

BACKGROUND

In our previous work, we applied a new synthetic strategy to design and synthesize a series of imidazopyridine mesoionic derivatives with an ester group. The newly synthesized compounds had excellent insecticidal activity against aphids; however, insecticidal activity against planthoppers was less than satisfactory. In the present study, we designed and synthesized a series of novel imidazopyridine mesoionic compounds, containing an amido group, and these compounds were found to have improved insecticidal activity against planthoppers.

RESULTS

The bioassay results demonstrated that most of the target compounds had moderate‐to‐good insecticidal activity against Sogatella furcifera, and some exhibited good‐to‐excellent insecticidal activity against Aphis craccivora. Among them, compound C6 had the highest insecticidal activity against S. furcifera and A. craccivora, with LC50 values of 10.5 and 2.09 μg mL−1, respectively. Proteomic results suggested that the differentially expressed proteins mainly were enriched in the nervous system‐related pathways after compound C6 treatment. Enzymatic assay results showed that compound C6 and triflumezopyrim had a certain inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase. Molecular docking and real‐time quantitative PCR results indicated that compound C6 not only may act on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, but also may interact with the α4 and β1 subunits of this receptor.

CONCLUSION

The results reported here contribute to the development of new mesoionic insecticides and further our understanding of the mode‐of‐action of imidazopyridine mesoionic derivatives. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Variation in the toxicity of a novel meta‐diamide insecticide, broflanilide, among thrips pest species and developmental stages
Authors: Chen Jin‐Cui , Cao Li‐Jun , Sun Li‐Na , Gao Yong‐Fu , Cao Hua‐Qian , Ma Zhong‐Zheng , Ma Li‐Jun , Shen Xiu‐Jing , Wang Jia‐Xu , Gong Ya‐Jun , Hoffmann Anthony Ary , Wei Shu‐Jun
Published: August 2022

Background

Thrips pests cause increasing damage to crops around the world. Widespread usage of some insecticides against thrips has now led to the evolution of resistance to several active ingredients, and new insecticides are required. This study examined the toxicity of the novel insecticide broflanilide to multiple populations of several thrips pests.

Results

Bioassays showed that thrips populations had LC50 values ranging from 0.5 to almost 300 mg·L−1. A population of Frankliniella occidentalis had the highest LC50 value at 290.63 mg·L−1, while a population of Echinothrips americanus had the lowest LC50 value at 0.51 mg L−1. LC50 values among seven populations of Thrips palmi ranged from 2.5689 to 23.6754 mg·L−1, indicating intraspecific variation in toxicity. In this species, the toxicity of broflanilide was relatively higher in adults than in larvae. More than 90% of eggs of T. palmi could not develop into larvae when treated with 5–50 mg L−1 broflanilide. Compared to five commonly used insecticides, broflanilide showed relatively high toxicity to T. palmi. Field control tests with T. palmi showed that control efficacy (from 90.44% to 93.14%) was maintained from day three to day 14 after treatment with 22.5 and 45 ga.i hm−1 broflanilide.

Conclusion

Broflanilide is potentially a useful insecticide for controlling Thrips hawaiiensis, Frankliniella intonsa, Megalurothrips usitatus. E. americanus, and some populations of T. palmi. However, the variation in toxicity of this insecticide to different species, populations, and developmental stages indicates that target species and life stages may need to be carefully considered. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Convenient Preparation of 2,4‐Dithiapentane, Dimethyl Disulfide, and the Corresponding Deuterated Products from DMSO or [2H6]‐DMSO/(COCl)2
Authors: Xi Zeyu , Wang Hao , Liu Yuanjian , Wang Yutong , Liang Sen , Liu Yongguo , Sun Baoguo , Tian Hongyu , Li Ning
Published: August 2022

It has been found that 2,4‐dithiapentane and dimethyl disulfide are readily prepared in useful yields from DMSO/(COCl)2 under different conditions. The reaction mixture of DMSO/(COCl)2 was treated with 1 equivalent of Et3N and 15 equivalents of H2O to afford 2,4‐dithiapentane, whereas dimethyl disulfide was obtained by the treatment DMSO/(COCl)2 with 10 equivalents of H2O without Et3N. The corresponding deuterated products, [2H8]‐2,4‐dithiapentane, [2H6]‐dimethyl disulfide, and [2H6]‐methyl methanethiosulfonate were also prepared from the reactions of [2H6]‐DMSO with (COCl)2.
Immobilization of PdCl2 on a Natural Asphalt Sulfonic Acid Network for C−N and C−O bonds Formation
Authors: Kohzadi Homa , Soleiman‐Beigi Mohammad
Published: August 2022

In this research, a new and efficient nanocatalyst was synthesized and introduced and its catalytic activity was investigated in the C−N and C−O coupling reactions for synthesis of amines, ethers, aniline and phenol derivatives. This nanocatalyst was synthesized by trapping Palladium (II) in mesoporous holes of natural asphalt sulfonic acid and, then, immobilized via complexion with −SO3H branches of support. Natural asphalt/ Gilsonite which is a mineral heavy hydrocarbon, containing higher percentage of carbon, attracts much more attention because of its novelty, availability, green chemistry and low cost.
Dehydrogenative Esterification and Dehydrative Etherification by Coupling of Primary Alcohols Based on Catalytic Function Switching of an Iridium Complex
Authors: Onoda Mitsuki , Fujita Ken‐ichi
Published: August 2022

Esters and ethers are widely used in modern organic synthesis. In recent years, the synthesis of esters by the dehydrogenative coupling of primary alcohols has been reported to be an environmentally benign process. In this situations, if a single catalyst can be used for the synthesis of either esters or ethers by making slight alterations to the reaction conditions, the value of the synthetic methodology would increase. In this study, we successfully developed a new catalytic function switching system: not only dehydrogenative esterification but also dehydrative etherification under environmentally friendly conditions were accomplished by the employment of a single iridium catalyst based on catalytic function switching. Using benzyl alcohol as a starting material, the esterification product, benzyl benzoate, and the etherification product, dibenzyl ether, were obtained in 92 % and 89 % yields, respectively, by employing same iridium catalyst precursor bearing a dihydroxybipyridine ligand, under optimized conditions.
Progress in Selective Conversion of 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural to DHMF and DMF
Authors: Zhang Chi , Lv Xuechuan , Zhang Xiaofan , Huo Sihan , Song Hanlin , Guan Yining , Gao Xiaohan
Published: August 2022

Biomass is viewed as an important renewable carbon source, in which 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) plays an important role as platform compound. 2, 5‐dihydroxymethylfuran (DHMF) and 2, 5‐dimethylfuran (DMF) could be obtained by the hydrogenation of HMF under certain conditions. The DHMF and DMF are chemicals of high added value with wide application.The catalysts played a key role in the conversion of HMF to DHMF and DMF. This review paid attentions on the hydrogenation of HMF to DHMF and the hydrogenolysis of HMF to DMF via kinds of catalytic systems. The recent progress were summarized according to catalytic system, including noble metal catalysts and non‐noble metal catalysts and a perspective on the transformation was given based on the recent progress.
A Bienzymatic Cascade for the Complete Hydrolysis of Phthalic Acid Esters
Authors: Yang Liu , Ma Yunjian , Chen Yebao , Hollmann Frank , Wang Yonghua
Published: August 2022

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are widely used as plastic additives to increase the flexibility and durability of plastics. Constantly leaching out from plastics, PAEs are ubiquitously found in the environment. As PAEs exhibit biological activities such as being endocrine disruptive, the quest for efficient degradation strategies continues. Here, we report a bienzymatic degradation system for PAEs to phthalic acid (PA) using a cascade comprising two hydrolases, EstJ6 and P8219. The reaction conditions were optimized with respect to concentrations of both enzymes, temperature, and initial pH. Finally, the substrate scope of the new cascade was investigated, revealing that particularly PAEs with relatively small alcohols were degraded to more than 90 %. This present study provides a potential doable biocatalytic strategy for the complete hydrolysis of PAEs.
One‐step Electrodeposition Synthesis of Ni(OH)2/PANI/rGO for High‐performance Supercapacitor Electrodes
Authors: Zhong Weixu , Zou Chengjun , Wang Yiming , Wang Chunxiang , Li Zhifeng
Published: August 2022

A facile and environmentally friendly one‐step electrodeposition method is developed to prepare Ni(OH)2/PANI/rGO (NPG) composites. The structure and morphology characterization of NPG composites reveal that Ni(OH)2 and PANI grow uniformly on the rGO layers surface, which makes the composites have large specific surface area (118.3 m2 g−1) and better electrochemical properties. The specific capacitance value of NPG composites reaches to 2320 F g−1 and 1746 F g−1 at a current density of 5 A g−1 and 20 A g−1, respectively, indicating that NPG ternary composites has excellent rate performance. Moreover, cycle stability, another very important performance indicator of supercapacitors, is also further investigated. When the NPG composites is charged and discharged after 2000 cycles at a current density of 10 A g−1, the capacitance retention remains 84.39 %. Furthermore, the NPG||activated carbon asymmetric supercapacitor shows a high energy density of 96.5 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 465.6 W kg−1. All the electrochemical properties demonstrate that NPG composites have great potential applications in electrode materials of supercapacitors.
A Novel Co‐based MOF as an Efficient Multifunctional Fluorescent Chemosensor for the Determination of Fe3+ and Cr2O72− in Aqueous Phase
Authors: Shao Juanjuan , Ni Jianling , Chen Weimin , Liu Penglai , Liang Yu , Li Guangjun , Wen Lili , Wang Fangming
Published: August 2022

A novel Co‐based metal‐organic framework, namely [Co3(BTA)2(5‐tbuip)2]n (LMOF‐1) (BTA=1H‐Benzotriazole, 5‐tbuip=5‐tert‐Butylisophthalic Acid), was successfully synthesized by solvothermal method using rigid benzotriazole as the main ligand and chromophore. The choice of ligands avoids the creation of interpenetrating structures in the structure and is demonstrated by single crystal X‐ray diffraction data. LMOF‐1 crystallizes in the tetragonal system, P4/n space group. LMOF‐1 is linked by BTA to form a one‐dimensional(1D) chain of metal clusters, which is then linked by 5‐tbuip to form a three‐dimensional(3D) network structure. The detection ability of LMOF‐1 for metal ions in water was evaluated. It is worth noting that LMOF‐1 has high selectivity and sensitivity for Fe3+ and Cr2O72−, and it has a lower detection limit of 2.18×106M, 1.86× 106M, respectively. The results show that LMOF‐1 is a promising chemical sensor for the detection of Fe3+ and Cr2O72− in aqueous solution.
Understanding the Kinetics and Topological Events Within the Thione‐to‐Thiol Rearrangement of Xanthates
Authors: Karimi Fereshteh S. , Seif Ahmad , Zahedi Ehsan
Published: August 2022

The heating of O‐furfuryl S‐methyl xanthate in p‐xylene solvent that is known from the literature to yield in parallel S‐furfuryl S‐methyl dithiocarbonate and furfuryl methyl sulfide via the thione‐to‐thiol rearrangement and carbon oxysulfide extrusion, respectively, have been studied theoretically. The CBS‐QB3 energies in conjugation with the solvation model density and B3LYP/6‐311G(2d,d,p) monodeterminantal wave functions have been used to investigate the kinetics of the parallel reaction by means of canonical transition state theory and molecular mechanism of the thione‐to‐thiol rearrangement by means of topological approaches. According to the supplied kinetic data the considered reactions are assisted strongly by the solvent molecules implying implicit solvent model cannot account properly the effect of solvent media. The cross topological analysis of the thione‐to‐thiol rearrangement via [1,3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement revealed that the electron density flow along the reaction is not concerted and the sequence of catastrophes can be summarized as 4‐EF†C‐0. In simple chemical term, chemical events through the reaction are heterolytic breaking of C−O bond, formation of pseudoradical center on the C atom, and creation of a new chemical C−S bond via the C‐to‐S coupling of pseudoradical centers, respectively.
Hydroxypropyl cellulose/Polyvinylpyrrolidone Matrix Tablets Containing Ibuprofen: Infiltration, Erosion and Drug Release Characteristics
Authors: Erkoç Tuğba , Sevgili Lutfullah M. , Çavuş Selva
Published: August 2022

The current study aims to prepare the matrix tablet including polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and poorly water‐soluble ibuprofen (IBU) and to investigate the effect of varying polymer compositions on infiltration of the aqueous medium, erosion kinetics, swelling and drug release. Swelling, infiltration and erosion studies were performed gravimetrically at pH 7.4 at 37±0.1 °C. Drug release experiments were carried out at 37± 0.1 °C with 50 rpm in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.4). The effect of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on drug release as an anionic surfactant was also investigated. Hixson‐Crowell kinetic model was found to best fit for matrix tablet in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.4) for HPC80‐IBU100‐PVP20 and ibuprofen release % was observed as 99.5 within 24 hours. Weibull model showed that HPC80‐IBU100‐PVP20 matrix provided slower drug release and the highest time values (t50%=7.3 h and t90%=17.3 h) were obtained. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques were used in the characterization studies.
1,3‐Dipolar versus Nucleophilic Reactivity of Diaziridines Based on 3,4‐Dihydroisoquinoline toward Aryl Iso(thio)cyanates
Authors: Penney Alexander A. , Efremova Mariia M. , Molchanov Alexander P. , Kryukova Mariya A. , Kudinov Andrey Yu. , Bunev Alexander S. , Keresten Valentina M. , Kuznetsov Mikhail A.
Published: August 2022

Unsubstituted and 1‐methyl‐substituted 1,3,4,8b‐tetrahydrodiazirino[3,1‐a]isoquinolines (diaziridines 1 and 2) demonstrate different reactivities toward aryl isocyanates and aryl isothiocyanates. Diaziridine 1 reacts with aryl isocyanates as a nucleophile to afford novel 1,5,6,10b‐tetrahydro[1,2,4]triazolo[5,1‐a]isoquinolines. The addition of a Lewis or Brønsted acid switches the reaction pathway, producing seven‐membered 2,3‐benzodiazepines. In reactions of diaziridine 1 with aryl isothiocyanates, unusual zwitterionic compounds – 2‐thioxo‐5,6‐dihydro‐2H‐[1,2,4]triazolo[5,1‐a]isoquinolin‐1‐ium‐3‐ides – and products of the addition of two molecules of diaziridine 1 to one molecule of aryl isothiocyanate are obtained. However, in reactions with aryl iso(thio)cyanates under heating or acid catalysis, diaziridine 2 is first converted into an azomethine imine, the 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of which to the dipolarophile produces substituted triazolo[5,1‐a]isoquinolin‐2(3H)‐(thi)ones. Proposed is a new method for azomethine imine generation from diaziridine 2 enabled by Brønsted acid catalysis. Antitumour activity of select compounds obtained was assayed to help guide future drug discovery efforts.
Evolution of filter‐feeding in aquatic insects dates back to the Middle Triassic: new evidence from stem‐group mayflies (Insecta, Ephemerida) from Grès à Voltzia, Vosges, France
Authors: Sroka Pavel , Staniczek Arnold H.
Published: August 2022

In the aquatic insects, mayfly nymphs have developed a remarkable diversity of life strategies and feeding habits. However, the early evolution of these strategies and the role of mayfly nymphs in freshwater palaeoecosystems remain largely unknown. We investigated fossil mayfly nymphs from the Grès à Voltzia Formation from the Middle Triassic, France, which represents the oldest known outcrop yielding a diverse mayfly fauna. We focused on three species, namely Mesoplectopteron longipes, Vogesonympha ludovici and Triassoephemera punctata, and investigated both original type material and numerous previously unstudied specimens. As a result, we provide a new interpretation of their morphology, life histories, and systematics: the nymphs of M. longipes, V. ludovici and T. punctata were aquatic and at least the former two species undoubtedly lived in flowing water as passive filter‐feeders. This finding represents the so far earliest occurrence of this feeding strategy in aquatic insects. The most obvious morphological adaptations to this lifestyle are long filtering setae arranged in rows on forelegs, analogous to some modern mayfly nymphs. We place the three investigated species M. longipes, V. ludovici and T. punctata in a newly established, unranked higher taxon, Sinebranchia, representing the sister group to Heptabranchia (Coxoplectoptera + Ephemeroptera). Sinebranchia share a single‐segmented tarsus synapomorphic with Heptabranchia, but retain the plesiomorphic condition of double tarsal claws. Sinebranchia are also characterized by their autapomorphic lack of tracheal gills, probably connected to their life in flowing, well‐oxygenated water.
Erosion Behavior and Longevity Technologies of Refractory Linings in Blast Furnaces for Ironmaking: A Review
Authors: Cui Kunkun , Wang Jie , Wang Hong , Zhang Yingyi , Fu Tao
Published: August 2022

Erosion of the refractory materials in blast furnaces (BFs) greatly limits their campaign life, which seriously reduces the economic benefits of iron and steel plants and endangers workers. Therefore, it is important to detect and monitor the erosion process of refractory materials in the BF hearth. In this review, the mechanisms of physical damage, chemical corrosion, and mechanical erosion of BF hearths during BF operation are analyzed and summarized. In addition, the effects of hearth structure, refractory type, and protective layer on hearth erosion behavior and hearth life are analyzed and discussed. Some longevity technologies of BF hearths are analyzed and compared, such as reasonable hearth structure design, refractory selection, and technologies to form protective layers. Finally, some suggestions and prospects for the future development of long campaign life BF hearths are discussed.
Load‐bearing capacity of Gerber saddles in existing bridge girders by different levels of numerical analysis
Authors: Spinella Nino , Messina Davide
Published: August 2022

This paper numerically investigates three typologies of Gerber saddle in existing ordinary and post‐tensioned girder concrete bridges. The main goals of this work concern the evaluation of the effective load‐bearing capacity of Gerber saddles, and the identification of weak points (i.e., lack of enough diagonal reinforcement, loss of pretension in tendons) of existing dapped‐end connections, which lead to the re‐entrant corner diagonal crack, typical of these kinds of structural elements. At this aim, two analytical approaches, with different level of approximations, are used. First, different strut‐and‐tie models are arranged for each typology of Gerber saddle considered, and the global safety factor is estimated for several cases. Second, using nonlinear finite‐element method, the results obtained by strut‐and‐tie models are compared. In addition, several information about the condition of Gerber saddle at collapse are obtained (deformation and stress of concrete and steel rebar, crack patterns) also taking into account the corrosion‐damage effects. Moreover, the results of analyses allow identifying the potential modes of crisis of the dapped‐end connections and their critical aspects.
Lattice study of a magnetic contribution to heavy quark momentum diffusion
Authors: Banerjee D. , Datta S. , Laine M.
Published: August 2022

Abstract

Heavy quarks placed within a hot QCD medium undergo Brownian motion, characterized by specific transport coefficients. Their determination can be simplified by expanding them in T/M, where T is the temperature and M is a heavy quark mass. The leading term in the expansion originates from the colour-electric part of a Lorentz force, whereas the next-to-leading order involves the colour-magnetic part. We measure a colour-magnetic 2-point correlator in quenched QCD at T ∼ (1.2 − 2.0)Tc. Employing multilevel techniques and non-perturbative renormalization, a good signal is obtained, and its continuum extrapolation can be estimated. Modelling the shape of the corresponding spectral function, we subsequently extract the momentum diffusion coefficient, κ. For charm (bottom) quarks, the magnetic contribution adds ∼ 30% (10%) to the electric one. The same increases apply also to the drag coefficient, η. As an aside, the colour-magnetic spectral function is computed at NLO.
Feynman’s iϵ prescription, almost real spacetimes, and acceptable complex spacetimes
Authors: Visser Matt
Published: August 2022

Abstract

Feynman’s iϵ prescription for quantum field theoretic propagators has a quite natural reinterpretation in terms of a slight complex deformation of the Minkowski space-time metric. Though originally a strictly flat-space result, once reinterpreted in this way, these ideas can be naturally extended first to semi-classical curved-spacetime QFT on a fixed background geometry and then, (with more work), to fluctuating spacetime geometries. There are intimate connections with variants of the weak energy condition. We shall take the Lorentzian signature metric as primary, but note that allowing the complex deformation to become large leads to a variant of Wick rotation, and more importantly leads to physically motivated constraints on the configuration space of acceptable off-shell geometries to include in Feynman’s functional integral when attempting to quantize gravity. Ultimately this observation allows one to connect the discussion back to recent ideas on “acceptable” complex metrics, in the Louko-Sorkin and Kontsevich-Segal-Witten sense, with Lorentzian signature spacetimes occurring exactly on the boundary of the set of “acceptable” complex metrics. By adopting the tetrad formalism we explicitly construct the most general set of acceptable complex metrics satisfying the 0-form, 1-form, and 2-form acceptability conditions.
Outcomes of acetabular fractures treated with acute fix and replace versus open reduction and internal fixation in elderly population: a multicentric retrospective study
Authors: Smakaj Amarildo , Rovere Giuseppe , Scoscina Dalila , De Mauro Domenico , Erasmo Rocco , Battiato Concetto , Maccauro Giulio , Liuzza Francesco
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The optimal operative treatment for displaced acetabular fractures in elderly population is still object of debate. Acute fix and replace procedure, the so called “combined hip procedure” (CHP), was introduced because of the poor results of the open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) alone. The aim of the study is to compare clinical outcomes of CHP and ORIF alone for the treatment of acetabular fractures in elderly patients.

Methods

This is the largest multicentric retrospective analytical study, with a case–control design on the issue. Hospital records and clinical notes were reviewed to collect demographic, peri-operative, and clinical data.

Results

A total of 45 patients met the inclusion criteria: 24 patients entered the CHP group whereas 21 entered the ORIF control group. The mean age was 69.5 +  − 1.12 years in the ORIF group and 73.4 +  − 1.84 in the control group. The most frequent traumatic mechanism was the fall from same level in both groups (37.5% CHP; 42.9% ORIF). Operating time was significantly lower in the CHP group compared to the ORIF group (207 +  − 11.0 ORIF; 175 +  − 9.16 CHP; p < 0.05). Moreover, full weight-bearing was allowed significantly earlier in the CHP group compared to ORIF alone (37.3 +  − 1.59 ORIF; 32.5 +  − 1.69 CHP; p < 0.05). Among the clinician-completed scores, the HHS at three months was higher in the CHP group (66.3 +  − 1.83 ORIF;73.6 +  − 2.09 CHP; p < 0.05). All the other clinical outcomes were similar in both study groups.

Conclusion

CHP is desirable treatment option in elderly patients with acetabular fracture when there are poor expected outcomes in terms of joint survival with ORIF alone.
Relationship between non-invasively detected liver fibrosis and in-hospital outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing PCI
Authors: Biccirè Flavio Giuseppe , Barillà Francesco , Sammartini Emanuele , Dacierno Edoardo Maria , Tanzilli Gaetano , Pastori Daniele
Published: August 2022

Background

Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) still experience a high rate of in-hospital complications. Liver fibrosis (LF) is a risk factor for mortality in the general population. We investigated whether the presence of LF detected by the validated fibrosis 4 (FIB-4) score may indicate ACS patients at higher risk of poor outcome.

Methods

In the prospective ongoing REAl-world observationaL rEgistry of Acute Coronary Syndrome (REALE-ACS), LF was defined by a FIB-4 score > 3.25. We repeated the analysis using an APRI score > 0.7. The primary endpoint was in-hospital adverse events (AEs) including a composite of in-hospital cardiogenic shock, PEA/asystole, acute pulmonary edema and death.

Results

A total of 469 consecutive ACS consecutive patients were enrolled. Overall, 21.1% of patients had a FIB-4 score > 3.25. Patients with LF were older, less frequently on P2Y12 inhibitors (p = 0.021) and admitted with higher serum levels of white blood cells (p < 0.001), neutrophils to lymphocytes ratio (p < 0.001), C-reactive protein (p = 0.013), hs-TnT (p < 0.001), creatine-kinase MB (p < 0.001), D-Dimer levels (p < 0.001). STEMI presentation and higher Killip class/GRACE score were more common in the LF group (p < 0.001). 71 patients experienced 110 AEs. At the multivariate analysis including clinical and laboratory risk factors, FIB-4 > 3.25 (OR 3.1, 95%CI 1.4–6.9), admission left ventricular ejection fraction% below median (OR 9.2, 95%CI 3.9–21.7) and Killip class ≥ II (OR 6.3, 95%CI 2.2–18.4) were the strongest independent predictors of in-hospital AEs. Similar results were obtained using the APRI score.

Conclusion

LF detected by FIB-4 score > 3.25 was associated with more severe ACS presentation and worse in-hospital AEs irrespective of clinical and laboratory variables.

Graphical abstract
Fibroblast activation protein in the tumor microenvironment predicts outcomes of PD-1 blockade therapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Zhao Yan , Liu Yueping , Jia Yunlong , Wang Xiaoxiao , He Jiankun , Zhen Shuman , Wang Jiali , Liu Lihua
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The identification of robust predictive biomarkers of the response to programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) blockade remains a critical concern. Here, we investigated on fibroblast activation protein (FAP) as a microenvironment-derived biomarker of clinical outcomes of PD-1 blockade therapy, and the correlation between FAP expression and T cell infiltration in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

A total of 135 patients with advanced NSCLC who received PD-1 blockade therapy were retrospectively analyzed. The potential associations among FAP expression, CD3 + T cell and CD8 + T cell infiltration, and clinical outcomes of immunotherapy were validated by immunohistochemistry, bioinformatic analyses, and statistical measurements.

Results

FAP was widely expressed in advanced NSCLC tissues. FAP was correlated with decreased density of CD8 + T cells (Spearman’s rho  – 0.32, p < 0.001) and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) status. No correlations were detected between FAP and PD-L1 expression or with the density of CD3 + T cells. The patients with higher expression of FAP showed worse response rate (16.4% vs. 38.7%, p < 0.001) and worse progression-free survival (HR = 2.56, 95% CI 1.69–3.87, p < 0.001). In addition, FAP contributed to shortened overall survival in subgroups of the patients with squamous cell lung cancer (p = 0.020), PD-1 blockade monotherapy (p = 0.017), and first-line therapy (p = 0.028).

Conclusion

FAP is a potential predictive biomarker of resistance to PD-1 blockade. Further investigation is warranted to identify a strategy for targeting FAP to alleviate the immunosuppressive TME and broaden the clinical effectiveness of PD-1 blockade therapy.
Early-succession secondary forests following agropastoral abandonment are key winter habitats for the conservation of a priority bird in the European Alps
Authors: Scridel D. , Tenan S. , Brambilla M. , Celva R. , Forti A. , Fracasso I. , Volcan G. , Dorigatti E. , Anderle M. , Marchesini A. , Crestanello B. , Vernesi C. , Pedrini P. , Partel P.
Published: August 2022

In contrast to old-growth forests, early-successional stands remain understudied despite potentially harbouring species of conservation interest. With this work, focused on hazel grouse Tetrastes bonasia, a cryptic and indicator species known to select for close-to-natural forests, we evaluated winter densities, home range, microhabitat selection and diet, combining DNA-based mark-recapture and metabarcoding from faecal samples. In total, 216 droppings, collected over 2 years along forest transects in the Italian Alps, were successfully genotyped and 43 individuals were identified. Density estimates were similar to values reported by other studies in the Alps with an average of 4.5 and 2.4 individuals/km2 in the first and second study year, respectively, and mean home ranges estimated at 0.95 km2. According to habitat selection models and eDNA-based diet analysis, hazel grouse selected early-succession secondary-growth forests formed after the abandonment of traditional agropastoral activities. These forests, mostly composed of hazel Corylus avellana, Norway spruce Picea abies and Sorbus spp., provided winter food resources and shelter. The diet analysis also highlighted forest arthropods as a non-negligible source of food. Birds avoided areas subject to intensive browsing by ungulates; small forest roads seasonally closed to traffic had positive influence on hazel grouse (i.e. higher abundance of droppings), while roads open to traffic had no effect. Importantly, despite the high coverage of mature forest habitats of Community Interest (53% of our study area), droppings were more abundant in non-listed early-succession secondary forests with similar plant composition. Our results suggest that forest succession after agropastoral abandonment may be beneficial for some forest birds of conservation interest, while acknowledging its negative effects on the previous grassland biodiversity.

Graphical abstract
HybridRec: A recommender system for tagging GitHub repositories
Authors: Di Rocco Juri , Di Ruscio Davide , Di Sipio Claudio , Nguyen Phuong T. , Rubei Riccardo
Published: August 2022

Software repositories are increasingly essential to support the management of typical artifacts building up projects, including source code, documentation, and bug reports. GitHub is at the forefront of this kind of platforms, providing developer with a reservoir of code contained in more than 28M repositories. To help developers find the right artifacts, GitHub uses topics, which are short texts assigned to the stored artifacts. However, assigning inappropriate topics to a repository might hamper its popularity and reachability. In our previous work, we implemented MNBN and TopFilter to recommend GitHub topics. MNBN exploits a stochastic network to predict topics, while TopFilter relies on a syntactic-based function to recommend topics. In this paper, we extend our work by building HybridRec, a recommender system based on stochastic and collaborative-filtering techniques to generate more relevant topics. To deal with unbalanced datasets, we employ a Complement Naïve Bayesian Network (CNBN). Furthermore, we apply a preprocessing phase to clean and refine the input data before feeding the recommendation engine. An empirical evaluation demonstrates that HybridRec outperforms three state-of-the-art baselines, obtaining a better performance with respect to various metrics. We conclude that the conceived framework can be used to help developers increase their projects’ visibility.
Where ecologically ‘tis better to go brown than green: enhanced seagrass macrobenthic biodiversity within the canals of a brownfield coastal marina
Authors: Barnes Richard S.K , Claassens Louw , Seath Jessica
Published: August 2022

At the start of the 21st century, a coastal residential-estate marina was developed on a previously degraded and polluted brownfield island site within Knysna estuarine bay, Garden Route National Park, South Africa, including the creation of 25 ha of new flow-through tidal canals. Canals near the larger entrance to this system now support permanently submerged beds of seagrass, which in turn support abundant macrobenthic invertebrates. In comparison with equivalent seagrass-associated assemblages present in natural channels around the island, those in the artificial marina canals were similarly structured and dominated by the same species, but the marina assemblages were significantly more species-rich (1.4 x on average) and were more abundant. Indeed, this area of marina supports the richest seagrass-associated macrofaunal biodiversity yet recorded from South Africa. The canals created de novo therefore now form a valuable addition to the bay’s marine habitat, in marked contrast to the generality that marinas developed on greenfield sites represent a net reduction in intertidal and shallow marine area and associated seagrass-associated benthos. If located and constructed appropriately, brownfield marina development and conservation of coastal marine biodiversity clearly need not be antithetical, and brownfield sites may provide opportunity for the location and management of ‘artificial marine micro-reserves’ or for the action of ‘other effective area-based conservation measures’ for soft-sediment faunas.
Improving Children’s Behavior in Seven Sessions: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Parent-Child Care (PC-CARE) for Children Aged 2–10 Years
Authors: Hawk Brandi N. , Timmer Susan G. , Armendariz Lindsay A. F. , Boys Deanna K. , Urquiza Anthony J. , Fernández y Garcia Erik
Published: August 2022

Parent-Child Care (PC-CARE) is a brief intervention for children with externalizing behaviors designed to address issues with their access to and retention in treatment. A growing evidence base of open trials and comparison studies support PC-CARE’s benefits, but no randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of its effectiveness exist. The current study presents the first RCT of PC-CARE, a 7-session dyadic parenting intervention (trial number removed for blind review). Participants included a racially/ethnically diverse sample of 49 children (29% female) aged 2–10 years and their caregivers. Participants were randomly assigned to PC-CARE or waitlist control. Families participating in PC-CARE showed greater reductions in children’s externalizing behaviors, improvements in children’s adaptive skills, declines in parental stress, and increases in parents’ positive communication skills, compared to families on the waitlist. The results of this first RCT of PC-CARE support the effectiveness of this brief intervention in improving children’s behaviors.
Ancestor simulations and the Dangers of Simulation Probes
Authors: Braddon-Mitchell David , Latham Andrew J.
Published: August 2022

Preston Greene (2020) argues that we should not conduct simulation investigations because of the risk that wemight be terminated if our world is a simulation designed to research various counterfactuals about the world of the simulators. In response, we propose a sequence of arguments, most of which have the form of an "even if? response to anyone unmoved by our previous arguments. It runs thus: (i) if simulation is possible, then simulators are as likely to care about simulating simulations as they are likely to care about simulating basement (i.e. nonsimulated) worlds. But (ii) even if simulations are interested only in simulating basement worlds the discovery that we are in a simulation will have little or no impact on the evolution of ordinary events. But (iii) even if discovering that we are in a simulation impacts the evolution of ordinary events, the effects of seeming to do so could also happen in a basement world, and might be the subject of interesting counterfactuals in the basement world. Finally, (iv) there is little reason to think that there is a catastrophic effect from successful simulation probes, and no argument from the precautionary principle can be used to leverage the negligible credence one ought have in this. Thus, if we do develop a simulation probe, then let?s do it.