bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The first five minutes: Initial impressions during autism spectrum disorder diagnostic evaluations in young children
Authors: Wieckowski Andrea Trubanova , de Marchena Ashley , Algur Yasemin , Nichols Lashae , Fernandes Sherira , Thomas Rebecca P. , McClure Leslie A. , Dufek Sarah , Fein Deborah , Adamson Lauren B. , Stahmer Aubyn , Robins Diana L.
Published: May 2021

Diagnosticians report that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is immediately apparent in some, but not all, children ultimately diagnosed. Clinicians' initial diagnostic impressions have implications for ASD early detection, yet the literature raises questions about their accuracy. This study explores diagnostic impressions of ASD specialists made within the first 5 minutes of meeting a young child and investigates factors associated with the match between initial impressions and final diagnoses. Participants were children (n = 294, aged 12–53 months) referred for an ASD evaluation as part of multi‐site ASD screening studies. After 5 minutes observing each child, clinicians with expertise diagnosing ASD recorded if they thought the child would meet criteria for ASD following a complete evaluation, and recorded their confidence in this impression. Clinicians' initial impressions matched the final diagnosis in 81% of cases. Ninety‐two percent of cases initially thought to have ASD met criteria following a full evaluation; however, 24% of cases initially thought not to have ASD also met criteria, suggesting a high miss rate. Clinicians were generally confident in their initial impressions, reporting highest confidence for children initially thought correctly not to have ASD. ASD behavioral presentation, but not demographic characteristics or developmental level, were associated with matching initial impression and final diagnosis, and confidence. Brief observations indicating ASD should trigger referral to intervention services, but are likely to under‐detect positive cases and should not be used to rule out ASD, highlighting the need to incorporate information beyond initial clinical impression.

Lay Summary

When children come in for an autism evaluation, clinicians often form early impressions—before doing any formal testing—about whether the child has autism. We studied how often these early impressions match the final diagnosis, and found that clinicians could not easily rule out autism (many children who initially appeared not to have autism were ultimately diagnosed), but were generally accurate ruling in autism (when a child appeared to have autism within 5 minutes, they were almost always so diagnosed).
Cataloguing and characterizing interests in typically developing toddlers and toddlers who develop ASD
Authors: Burrows Catherine A. , Bodfish James W. , Wolff Jason J. , Vollman Elayne P. , Altschuler Melody R. , Botteron Kelly N. , Dager Stephen R. , Estes Annette M. , Hazlett Heather C. , Pruett John R. , Schultz Robert T. , Zwaigenbaum Lonnie , Piven Joseph , Elison Jed T. ,   the IBIS Network
Published: May 2021

Intense interests are common in children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and little research has characterized aspects of interests that are unique to or shared among children with and without ASD. We aimed to characterize interests in a sample of infants at high‐familial‐risk (HR) and low‐familial‐risk (LR) for ASD using a novel interview. Participants included HR siblings who were diagnosed with ASD at 24 months (HR‐ASD, n = 56), HR siblings who did not receive an ASD diagnosis at 24 months (HR‐Neg, n = 187), and a LR comparison group (n = 109). We developed and collected data with the Intense Interests Inventory at 18‐ and 24‐months of age, a semi‐structured interview that measures intensity and peculiarity of interests in toddlers and preschool‐aged children. Intensity of interests differed by familial risk at 24 months, with HR‐ASD and HR‐Neg groups demonstrating equivalent intensity of interests that were higher than the LR group. By contrast, peculiarity of interest differed by ASD diagnosis, with the HR‐ASD group showing more peculiar interests than the HR‐Neg and LR groups at 24 months. At 18 months the HR‐ASD group had more peculiar interests than the LR group, though no differences emerged in intensity of interests. This measure may be useful in identifying clinically‐relevant features of interests in young children with ASD. We also replicated previous findings of males showing more intense interests at 18 months in our non‐ASD sample. These results reveal new information about the nature of interests and preoccupations in the early autism phenotype.

Lay summary

Intense interests are common in young children with autism and their family members. Intense interests are also prevalent among typically‐developing children, and especially boys. Here we catalog interests and features of these interests in a large sample of toddlers enriched for autism risk. Children who had family members with autism had more intense interests, and those who developed autism themselves had more unusual interests at 24 months. These results highlight the importance of different aspects of interest in autism.
Production of a fermented solid containing lipases from Penicillium roqueforti ATCC 10110 and its direct employment in organic medium in ethyl oleate synthesis
Authors: Soares Glêydison Amarante , Alnoch Robson Carlos , Silva Dias Glauco , Santos Reis Nadabe dos , Tavares Iasnaia Maria de Carvalho , Ruiz Héctor A. , Bilal Muhammad , de Oliveira Julieta Rangel , Krieger Nadia , Franco Marcelo
Published: May 2021

The production and direct employment in organic medium in the ethyl‐oleate synthesis of a fermented solid (FS) containing lipases by Penicillium roqueforti ATCC 10110 (PR10110) was investigated. For the production of this FS, the solid‐state fermentation of different agroindustrial waste was used, such as: cocoa shell, sugarcane bagasse, sugarcane bagasse with cocoa shell, and cocoa shell with soybean oil and nutrient solution. The response surface methodology was used to study the effect of independent variables of initial moisture content and inductor concentration, as carbon source and inducer on lipase production. The characterization of the fermented solid in organic medium was also carried out. The highest lipase activity (53 ± 5 U g−1) was 16% higher than that obtained with the nonoptimized conditions. The characterization studies observed high stability of the FS in organic solvents for 5 h at 30°C, as well as at different temperatures, and the residual activity was measured against triolein. The FS was also able to catalyze ethyl‐oleate synthesis maintaining high relative conversion over five reaction cycles of 96 h at 40°C in n‐heptane. These results are promising and highlight the use of the FS containing PR10110 lipases for the first time in biocatalytic processes.
An NHC‐Stabilised Phosphinidene for Catalytic Formylation: A DFT‐Guided Approach
Authors: Sreejyothi P. , Bhattacharyya Kalishankar , Kumar Shiv , Kumar Hota Pradip , Datta Ayan , Mandal Swadhin K.
Published: May 2021

In recent years, the applications of low‐valent main group compounds have gained momentum in the field of catalysis. Owing to the accessibility of two lone pairs of electrons, NHC‐stabilised phosphinidenes have been found to be excellent Lewis bases; however, they cannot yet be used as catalysts. Herein, an NHC‐stabilised phosphinidene, 1,3‐dimethyl‐2‐(phenylphosphanylidene)‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H imidazole (1), for the activation of CO2 is reported.A closer inspection of the CO2 activation process by DFT calculations along with intrinsic bond orbital analysis shows that phosphinidene is associated with phenylsilane through a noncovalent π‐π interaction between two phenyl rings which activates the Si−H bond facilitating hydride transfer to the CO2 molecule. Detailed DFT studies along with spectroscopic experiments were combined to understand the mechanism of CO2 activation and its catalytic reductive functionalisation leading to the formylation of a range of chemically inert primary amides under mild reaction conditions.
Effect of phosphorylation on the planar compaction of reinforcements made of unidirectional flax fibres supported by a thin flax fibre mat
Authors: Mbakop Rodrigue Stéphane , Brouillette François , Lebrun Gilbert
Published: May 2021

Transverse compaction of fibre reinforcements has significant importance in the production of complex dry fibre preforms for the resin transfer moulding (RTM) process of composite materials. This work investigates, for the first time, the planar compaction of phosphorylated stacks of unidirectional (UD) reinforcements made of flax yarns held together by a thin layer of short flax fibres. Planar compaction tests were carried out to evaluate the influence of temperature and humidity on the creep percentage, thickness recovery, and permanent deformation of UD reinforcements prepared with and without phosphorylation. It appears that the creep percentage and permanent deformation are more important for phosphorylated reinforcements than for untreated ones. Increasing the compaction temperature and humidity results in an increase of the creep and permanent deformation of phosphorylated fibres. The tensile strength of phosphorylated fibres‐reinforced composites is lower than that of untreated ones while there is no effect on the tensile modulus.
Isolation of Boswelliains A—E, Cembrane‐Type Diterpenoids from Boswellia papyifera, and an Evaluation of Their Wound Healing Properties
Authors: Yu Qi‐Hua , Sura Madhu Babu , Wang Dai‐Wei , Huang Danling , Yan Yong‐Ming , Jiao Ya‐Bin , Lu Qing , Cheng Yong‐Xian
Published: May 2021

Main observation and conclusion

Boswelliains A—E (1—5), five new cembrane‐type diterpenoids, were isolated from the resin of Boswellia papyifera. Their structures, determined by using spectroscopic, computational and chemical methods, demonstrate that 2—5 are novel 4,5‐seco‐, 4,5‐seco‐, 9,10‐seco‐, and 6,7‐seco‐cembrane diterpenoids, and that 1, 4 and 5 bear aldehyde moieties. An evaluation of the wound healing properties of these natural products along with a derivative of 2 shows that compounds 2 and 3 significantly stimulate proliferation, mobility and tuber formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) at the concentration of 20 μmol/L.
A weighted method for the exclusive hypothesis test with application to typhoon data
Authors: Wang Yi , Wu Peng , Tong Xingwei , Sun Jianguo
Published: May 2021

Motivated by the testing of genetic pleiotropy, we discuss a general class of hypothesis testing, the exclusive hypothesis test (EHT). A hypothesis test is an EHT if the null hypothesis can be divided into a set of exclusive sub‐hypotheses, and a main difficulty for testing an EHT is the calculation of the p‐value. To address this problem, we propose a weighted procedure and develop two methods, one likelihood‐based and the other Bayesian information criterion (BIC)‐based, for determining the corresponding weights. Furthermore, we show that the BIC‐based method can control the asymptotic type I error. We conduct an extensive simulation study of these two proposed methods, which suggests that they work well in practice. In particular, the new procedure is shown both theoretically and numerically to exhibit better performance than the existing two‐stage decision rule for testing genetic pleiotropy. Our proposed methodology is then applied to a set of data concerning tropical storms.
Risk factors and clinical outcomes of systemic cancer treatment delays in Filipino patients with solid tumor malignancy during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A single tertiary center study
Authors: Pandy Jessa Gilda , Maaño Omar , Balolong‐Garcia Joanmarie C. , Datukan Jay T. Y.
Published: May 2021

Background

Cancer care during the Covid‐19 pandemic has been challenging especially in a developing country such as the Philippines. Oncologists were advised to prioritize chemotherapy based on the absolute benefit that the patient may receive, which outbalances the risks of Covid‐19 infection. The results of this study will allow re‐examination of how to approach cancer care during the pandemic and ultimately, help optimize treatment recommendations during this crisis.

Aim

This study described the factors contributing to treatment delays during the pandemic and their impact on disease progression.

Materials and results

This retrospective cohort study was done in St. Luke's Medical Center, a private tertiary healthcare institution based in Metro Manila, Philippines, composed of two facilities in Quezon City and Global City. Patients with solid malignancy with ongoing systemic cancer treatment prior to the peak of the pandemic were identified. Clinical characteristics and treatment data were compared between those with delayed and continued treatments. Multivariate analysis was done to determine factors for treatment delays and association of delays with disease progression and Covid‐19 infection. Of the 111 patients, 33% experienced treatment delays and 67% continued treatment during the pandemic. There was a higher percentage of patients on palliative intent who underwent treatment delay, and 64% of delays were due to logistic difficulties. Treatment delays were significantly associated with disease progression (p < .0001). There was no evidence of association between delay or continuation of treatment and risk of Covid‐19 infection.

Conclusions

There was no difference in Covid‐19 infection between those who delayed and continued treatment during the pandemic; however, treatment delays were associated with a higher incidence of disease progression. Our findings suggest that the risks of cancer progression due to treatment delays exceed the risks of Covid‐19 infection in cancer patients implying that beneficial treatment should not be delayed as much as possible. Logistic hindrances were also identified as the most common cause of treatment delay among Filipino patients, suggesting that efforts should be focused into assistance programs that will mitigate these barriers to ensure continuity of cancer care services during the pandemic.
The colors of pre‐Hispanic textiles from cemeteries in the Quillagua and San Pedro de Atacama oases of Northern Chile
Authors: Niemeyer Hermann M. , Cárdenas Lina M. , Véliz David
Published: May 2021

Few sources of red (anthraquinoids) and blue (indigoids) dyes were used in pre‐Hispanic textiles from different cultures, periods, and areas in the South‐Central Andes. Yellow dyes have been shown to be mainly flavonoids. Since flavonoids exhibit wide color variations, ample distribution dependent on biogeographical region, and species‐specific patterns, color variation in yellow‐dyed textiles and sources of yellow dyes are predicted to be higher in relation to red‐ and blue‐colored textiles. The study of textile colors, in particular the comparison between yellow and other colors, should shed light on the relationship of people with the environment and on the processes of selection of sources of raw materials for textiles. Colorimetric data in the CIELAB three‐dimensional space were obtained of yarns sampled from pre‐Hispanic textiles from San Pedro de Atacama (37 textiles, 79 yarns of different colors) and Quillagua (41 textiles, 95 yarns of different colors), two archeological areas in Northern Chile sustaining different plant communities. The textiles were assigned to different styles (hence to different biogeographical regions). The results showed that the degree of dispersion of colorimetric data was larger in red than in blue yarns, and did not differ between any other pair of colors, and that the degree of dispersion of colorimetric data of yarns from textiles of different styles differed significantly within yellow yarns but not within yarns of other colors. These results are discussed in terms of the nature, variety, and sources of the dyes involved and reveal the use of a limited number of yellow dyes in Northern Chile.
Effect of water in color changes of historical paintings
Authors: Pasquale Stefania , Gueli Anna Maria
Published: May 2021

In conservation and cleaning of historical paintings, the use of water was discouraged because of its effects in terms of swelling and leaching of pictorial materials and of color modification. Nevertheless, water can represent a good substitute of organic solvents and of other tools recently employed for cleaning and restoration. The research article assesses the wetting characteristics and to quantifies the effect of the water absorption on the color changes for historical paintings. For these purposes, different typologies of painting mock‐ups have been prepared in the laboratory to reproduce the main antique pictorial techniques. The results highlighted that the binder played an important function in the wetting properties assessed by contact angle measurement. The water absorption tests underlined that the topography of the painting surface strongly influenced the water absorption. The data have been correlated to colorimetric measurements to quantify the color alteration induced by water. This quantification is important to define the role of water‐based products in cleaning and conservation procedures. The water, in fact, could be a good tool of green chemistry to save the health of the restorer and the environment.
CBCT‐based assessment of the anatomic relationship between maxillary sinus and upper teeth
Authors: Regnstrand Tobias , Torres Andres , Petitjean Eline , Lambrechts Paul , Benchimol Daniel , Jacobs Reinhilde
Published: May 2021

Objectives

To describe the relationship between maxillary sinus (MS) and upper teeth based on cone beam computed tomographic scans (CBCT).

Materials and methods

Based on CBCT maxillary imaging data of 147 patients, distance between MS and apices of canines and posterior maxillary teeth were assessed. Distances between tooth roots and sinus were classified into three groups: distant (>2 mm), close (<2 mm) or in contact with MS. Teeth with apical lesions and uncommon root configurations were excluded.

Results

In total, 1075 teeth of maxillary canines, upper premolars and upper molars were included in this study. Teeth most often in contact with MS were the second (89%) and first (81%) maxillary molar without any significant difference (p = 0.19). Roots most often in contact with MS were the mesiobuccal and distobuccal root of the second molar (85% and 76%; p = <0.01) followed by the palatal root of the first molar (73%). A fifth of the upper canines are situated less than 2 mm from MS.

Conclusions

More than four out of five upper molars (first and second) are in a close relationship to the MS. Knowledge of the anatomical relationship between posterior maxillary teeth and the MS is important for diagnosis and treatment in this area.
CdS‐Enhanced Ethanol Selectivity in Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction at Sulfide‐Derived Cu−Cd
Authors: Mosali Venkata Sai Sriram , Zhang Xiaolong , Liang Yan , Li Linbo , Puxty Graeme , Horne Michael D. , Brajter‐Toth Anna , Bond Alan M. , Zhang Jie
Published: May 2021

The development of Cu‐based catalysts for the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (eCO2RR) is of major interest for generating commercially important C2 liquid products such as ethanol. Cu is exclusive among the eCO2RR metallic catalysts in that it facilitates the formation of a range of highly reduced C2 products, with a reasonable total faradaic efficiency but poor product selectivity. Here, a series of new sulfide‐derived copper‐cadmium catalysts (SD‐CuxCdy) was developed. An excellent faradaic efficiency of around 32 % but with a relatively low current density of 0.6 mA cm−2 for ethanol was obtained using the SD‐CuCd2 catalyst at the relatively low overpotential of 0.89 V in a CO2‐saturated aqueous 0.10 m KHCO3 solution with an H‐cell. The current density increased by an order of magnitude under similar conditions using a flow cell where the mass transport rate for CO2 was greatly enhanced. Ex situ spectroscopic and microscopic, and voltammetric investigations pointed to the role of abundant phase boundaries between CdS and Cu+/Cu sites in the SD‐CuCd2 catalyst in enhancing the selectivity and efficiency of ethanol formation at low potentials.
Development and internal validation of a predictive model of cognitive decline 36 months following elective surgery
Authors: Jones Richard N. , Tommet Douglas , Steingrimsson Jon , Racine Annie M. , Fong Tamara G. , Gou Yun , Hshieh Tammy T. , Metzger Eran D. , Schmitt Eva M. , Tabloski Patricia A. , Travison Thomas G. , Vasunilashorn Sarinnapha M. , Abdeen Ayesha , Earp Brandon , Kunze Lisa , Lange Jeffrey , Vlassakov Kamen , Dickerson Bradford C. , Marcantonio Edward R. , Inouye Sharon K.
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Our goal was to determine if features of surgical patients, easily obtained from the medical chart or brief interview, could be used to predict those likely to experience more rapid cognitive decline following surgery.

Methods

We analyzed data from an observational study of 560 older adults (≥70 years) without dementia undergoing major elective non‐cardiac surgery. Cognitive decline was measured using change in a global composite over 2 to 36 months following surgery. Predictive features were identified as variables readily obtained from chart review or a brief patient assessment. We developed predictive models for cognitive decline (slope) and predicting dichotomized cognitive decline at a clinically determined cut.

Results

In a hold‐out testing set, the regularized regression predictive model achieved a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.146 and a model r‐square (R2) of .31. Prediction of “rapid” decliners as a group achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of .75.

Conclusion

Some of our models could predict persons with increased risk for accelerated cognitive decline with greater accuracy than relying upon chance, and this result might be useful for stratification of surgical patients for inclusion in future clinical trials.
Cryptococcus neoformans in a child with CSF rhinorrhoea: A cytopathological diagnosis
Authors: Sinha Pallavi , Singh Meeta , Sagar Tanu , Meher Ravi , Kumar Jyoti
Published: May 2021

Cryptococcosis is caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and is fatal in children. The fungus is known to enter respiratory tract by inhalation and localizes in lungs in immunocompetent host. Patients with immunocompromised state facilitate dissemination of disease. However, disseminated cases have been described in immunocompetent HIV‐negative individuals. CSF rhinorrhoea as a predisposing cause of cryptococcal meningitis has been rarely reported. We hereby describe C. neoformans directly spreading to the meninges in 1 year child due to CSF rhinorrhoea and the fungus was detected on fluid cytology.
Presence of the ketamine analog of 2‐fluorodeschloroketamine residues in wastewater
Authors: Shao Xue‐Ting , Yu Han , Lin Jian‐Guo , Kong Xiang‐Peng , Wang Zhuang , Wang De‐Gao
Published: May 2021

Ketamine (KET) analogs are increasingly emerging as new psychoactive substances (NPS). The present report describes the first detection of the KET analog, 2‐fluorodeschloroketamine (2F‐DCK), in influent samples collected from nine wastewater treatment plants in seven major Chinese cities from 2018 to 2020 by wastewater‐based epidemiology (WBE). An analytical method based on solid‐phase extraction and subsequent gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was developed for the detection of 2F‐DCK and KET. The stability experiments showed that 2F‐DCK and KET remained stable in wastewater for 15 days at room and frozen temperatures, and at two pH values (pH = 7 and pH = 2), with residue amounts between 90% and 110%. KET was detected in all samples, whereas 2F‐DCK was detected in only four samples: from Guangzhou in 2018, Shenzhen in 2019, and Quanzhou and Nanning in 2020, indicating that 2F‐DCK has been used as early as 2018 in China. The renal clearance of 2F‐DCK was predicted based on the quantitative structure–pharmacokinetic relationship model, which was used to calculate an excretion factor of 3.7. The 2F‐DCK consumption in four cities ranged from 3.71 ± 0.05 to 55 ± 0.09 mg/day/1000 inh, and KET ranged from 1.3 ± 0.04 to 76.5 ± 4.63 mg/day/1000 inh. This is the first study to investigate 2F‐DCK by WBE, which provides relevant real‐time data on the growth of NPS use, as well as useful information for the government to develop new policies.
Separating the wheat from the chaff: Observations on the analysis of lysergamides LSD, MIPLA, and LAMPA
Authors: Brandt Simon D. , Kavanagh Pierce V. , Westphal Folker , Stratford Alexander , Blanckaert Peter , Dowling Geraldine , Grill Matthias , Schwelm Hannes M. , Auwärter Volker , Chapman Stephen J.
Published: May 2021

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a potent psychoactive substance that has attracted great interest in clinical research. As the pharmacological exploration of LSD analogs continues to grow, some of those analogs have appeared on the street market. Given that LSD analogs are uncontrolled in many jurisdictions, it is important that these analogs be differentiated from LSD. This report presents the analysis of blotters found to contain the N‐methyl‐N‐isopropyl isomer of LSD (MIPLA), and techniques to differentiate it from LSD and the N‐methyl‐N‐propyl isomer (LAMPA) under routine conditions. Gas chromatography (GC)‐solid phase infrared spectroscopy was particularly helpful. GC‐electron ionization‐tandem mass spectrometry of the m/z 72 iminium ion also provided sufficient information to distinguish the three isomers on mass spectral grounds alone, where chromatographic separation proved challenging. Derivatization with 2,2,2‐trifluoro‐N,N‐bis (trimethylsilyl)acetamide (BSTFA) also led to improved GC separation. Liquid chromatography single quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC‐Q‐MS) and in‐source collision‐induced dissociation allowed for the differentiation between MIPLA and LAMPA based on distinct m/z 239 ion ratios when co‐eluting. An alternative LC‐MS/MS method improved the separation between all three lysergamides, but LSD was found to co‐elute with iso‐LSD. However, a comparison of ion ratios recorded for transitions at m/z 324.2 > 223.2 and m/z 324.2 > 208.2 facilitated their differentiation. The analysis of two blotters by LC‐Q‐MS revealed the presence of 180 and 186 μg MIPLA per blotter. These procedures may be used to avoid inadvertent misidentification of MIPLA or LAMPA as LSD.
Autumn larval cold tolerance does not predict the northern range limit of a widespread butterfly species
Authors: Tremblay Philippe , MacMillan Heath A. , Kharouba Heather M.
Published: May 2021

Climate change is driving range shifts, and a lack of cold tolerance is hypothesized to constrain insect range expansion at poleward latitudes. However, few, if any, studies have tested this hypothesis during autumn when organisms are subjected to sporadic low‐temperature exposure but may not have become cold‐tolerant yet. In this study, we integrated organismal thermal tolerance measures into species distribution models for larvae of the Giant Swallowtail butterfly, Papilio cresphontes (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae), living at the northern edge of its actively expanding range. Cold hardiness of field‐collected larvae was determined using three common metrics of cold‐induced physiological thresholds: the supercooling point, critical thermal minimum, and survival following cold exposure. P. cresphontes larvae were determined to be tolerant of chilling but generally die at temperatures below their SCP, suggesting they are chill‐tolerant or modestly freeze‐avoidant. Using this information, we examined the importance of low temperatures at a broad scale, by comparing species distribution models of P. cresphontes based only on environmental data derived from other sources to models that also included the cold tolerance parameters generated experimentally. Our modeling revealed that growing degree‐days and precipitation best predicted the distribution of P. cresphontes, while the cold tolerance variables did not explain much variation in habitat suitability. As such, the modeling results were consistent with our experimental results: Low temperatures in autumn are unlikely to limit the distribution of P. cresphontes. Understanding the factors that limit species distributions is key to predicting how climate change will drive species range shifts.
Detection of prey DNA in bat feces: Effects of time since feeding, meal size, and prey identity
Authors: Schattanek Petra , Riccabona Sophie Anna , Rennstam Rubbmark Oskar , Traugott Michael
Published: May 2021

Molecular analyses of feces are widely used to study the feeding ecology of bats. However, little is known about how detectability of prey DNA from bat feces is influenced by gut retention time, mass of prey eaten, or prey identity, which hampers the interpretation of field data. Here, we address these knowledge gaps by conducting a feeding experiment in which different insect species and meal sizes were offered to two bat species, Myotis daubentonii and Pipistrellus nathusii. The feeding regime consisted of three main and three side prey species fed in different masses, whereupon feces were collected over 72 h and examined for prey DNA using a species‐specific multiplex PCR system. DNA of all three main prey species was detectable from feces produced within 1 h after consumption of a meal. Prey detectability decreased over the following 10–20 h, and after 40 h only spurious detections occurred. For both prey and bats, species identity affected detectability: for example, mealworms were detected for a longer time post‐feeding compared to wax moths/house flies, and the latter were detected for a shorter time in M. daubentonii than in P. nathusii. While DNA from all three side prey species was detectable, signals were weak and detections limited to the first 20 h after consumption. These findings indicate that detectability of prey DNA from bat feces is foremost affected by the mass of prey consumed and time post‐feeding, whereas it does not strongly differ between prey species. To increase the detection of prey ingested in low mass, we suggest collecting fecal samples soon after bats return from foraging, as detectability is highest right after feeding occurs, and detections largely depict the previous foraging bout (with detection windows usually <24 h).
Nanodelivery of the Gramicidin Peptide for Enhancing Antimicrobial Activity
Authors: Antezana Pablo E. , Municoy Sofia , Bellino Martín G. , Martini M. Florencia , Desimone Martín F.
Published: May 2021

Gramicidin S (GraS) is an amphiphilic peptide that has emerged as an effective alternative antibiotic. However, its applicability is restricted for clinical uses due to its effect on eukaryotic cells and low aqueous solubility. In this work, a novel water‐soluble peptide formulation with bactericidal activity is developed by the incorporation of Gramicidin S in the lipid bilayer of liposomes (L‐GraS). As a result, GraS included in the lipid vesicles is stabilized in aqueous medium and showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, L‐GraS reveals enhanced biocompatibility with mammalian cells in comparison with the free peptide. Molecular dynamics simulations shed light on the collective behavior between GraS peptides and liposomes from a molecular approach. The molecular dynamic simulations are in agreement with experimental results and further confirm the effective incorporation of GraS in the liposomes, letting understand the best formulation procedure of the vesicles. Therefore, the L‐GraS nanosystem presented here is an interesting alternative to conventional antibiotics, with less restrictions and promising features to improve current therapies.

Practical Applications: Incorporation of GraS in liposomes is an interesting approach to increase the solubility of the peptide, thus expanding its therapeutic horizon as a promising alternative to combat bacterial colonization especially in wound infections.
A simple, rapid, and robust “on‐the‐go” identity testing of biotherapeutics using FTIR spectroscopy
Authors: Afzal Mohammad A. , Bhojane Purva P. , Rathore Anurag S.
Published: May 2021

The stunning rise of biotherapeutics as successful treatments of complex and hard‐to‐treat diseases, in particular cancer, has necessitated the development of a rapid analytical method capable of differentiating these otherwise significantly similar antibody‐based products. The existing methods for product identification pose significant drawbacks in terms of the consumption of time and labor. Here, we present an FTIR spectroscopy‐based simple, rapid, and robust method that is capable of differentiating between the biotherapeutics (both innovator products and biosimilars). The proposed approach uses partial least‐squares‐discriminant analysis to pinpoint subtle differences in the FTIR spectra of the samples, enabling us to not only identify the product but also calculate its concentration. This FTIR‐based method can be used to fulfill the identity testing requirement of a pharmaceutical drug in its final packaged form set by the US Food and Drug Administration. Along with this, identity testing can also be deployed at multiple steps in the manufacturing process and can also be used by the appropriate regulatory or government agency for tackling counterfeits of biotherapeutic products.
The electrochemistry of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, disodium phosphate, ammonium chloride on Mg‐based and polycrystalline Pt electrodes
Authors: Kékedy‐Nagy László , Abolhassani Mojtaba , Greenlee Lauren F. , Pollet Bruno G.
Published: May 2021

In this study, the electrochemical mechanisms of struvite formation were investigated by studying the behavior of Mg‐based and (poly)crystalline‐Pt electrodes in the presence of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, disodium phosphate, and ammonium chloride solutions. It was found that a precipitate was formed on the Mg‐based electrodes, while the poly‐Pt electrode showed typical voltammetric features in aqueous electrolytes. The structure, morphology, and composition of the electrochemically obtained precipitates collected from the surface of the Mg‐based electrodes were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that the precipitate morphology was impacted by the composition of the electrolytes and the purity of the magnesium. Moreover, the Tafel kinetics and corrosion rates (vcorr) directly correlated with the electrolyte and the electrode material compositions, whereby both showed a general increase when the Mg‐based electrodes were employed in the presence of chloride anions. The Tafel slopes (β) obtained for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with the poly‐Pt electrode showed a significant difference between the forward and reverse potential scans in the various electrolytes used, a finding which was mainly attributed to the adsorption of hydroxide species, alkali cations, and phosphate anions to the surface whereby these species blocked the ORR active sites.
A Wearable Sensor Based on Gold Nanowires/Textile and Its Integrated Smart Glove for Motion Monitoring and Gesture Expression
Authors: Zhao Zhiqi , Li Qiujin , Dong Yu , Gong Jixian , Li Zheng , Qiao Xiran , Zhang Jianfei
Published: May 2021

Nowadays, flexible piezoresistive sensors have drawn considerable attention in e‐skin, motion monitoring devices, etc. Wearability is an important nature of various flexible sensors. Herein, a sensitive flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor with gold nanowires (AuNWs) combined textile with high sensitivity and durability is presented. The knitted cotton fabric is used as the matrix for loading conductive material AuNWs to fabricate the wearable pressure sensors as clothing components. Cotton fabric can be easily transformed into conductive textile due to impregnation and combination with AuNWs. This AuNWs/textile material is demonstrated to be an appropriate flexible sensor to monitor various human motions, such as finger pressing, joints bending, and foot status. A smart glove is integrated with this AuNWs/textile as the sensing block for gesture expression and recognition, signal reading, and transmission. Besides the common gesture with finger movement combination, e.g., numbers, the simple AuNWs/textile‐based smart glove can also serve for expressing some emoji symbol and be considered as a human–machine interface for some gesture emoji used in internet social platform. This AuNWs/textile is expected to be used as a practical wearable sensor with great potential for extensive applications, including human–machine interface, healthcare monitoring, and the Internet of Things construction.
Chemoselective Hydrogenation of Ring‐Strained Monoterpenes: A Route to High‐Performance Sustainable Aviation Fuels
Authors: Woodroffe Josanne-Dee , Harvey Benjamin G.
Published: May 2021

Sabinene and 3‐carene, bio‐based monoterpene precursors to high‐performance jet fuels, are chemoselectively hydrogenated with reduced PtO2 at low temperatures (263–298 K), to yield products in which the alkene groups are saturated, whereas cyclopropane rings from the parent hydrocarbons are conserved. Sabinene is selectively converted to a 79:21 mixture of cis:trans‐thujane (1), whereas 3‐carene is converted to a 72:28 mixture of cis:trans‐carane (3). For comparison, the fully hydrogenated species tetrahydrosabinene (2) and 1,1,4‐trimethylcycloheptane (4) are prepared by hydrogenation with Pd/C. To evaluate 1−4 as advanced jet fuel blendstocks, several key fuel properties are measured. Compared with conventional jet fuel, the hydrogenated monoterpenes exhibit up to 8.6% higher density, 1.3% higher gravimetric net heat of combustion (NHOC), 9.7% higher volumetric NHOC, and 64% lower kinematic viscosity at −20 °C. These properties suggest that 1−4 are valuable blendstocks for conventional jet fuel or sustainable aviation fuel, providing enhanced operability and performance.
Dynamics characteristics of geometrically nonlinear isolation systems for seismic protection of equipment
Authors: Hsu Ting‐Wei , Chang Chia‐Ming
Published: May 2021

Earthquakes pose risks to sensitive equipment and may result in dramatic economic loss. A widely used control strategy is to install an isolation system underneath equipment; however, excessive isolation displacements may be induced during severe earthquakes. Viscous dampers are recommended to be placed along with the isolation layer and to reduce displacements. Indeed, this combination is designed for a certain earthquake level and may be less effective in other earthquake levels. In this study, an isolation system with viscous dampers, which is installed perpendicular to the motion direction at the equilibrium position, is proposed to enhance seismic performance of important equipment through this geometrically nonlinear configuration. This configuration provides a better reduction in absolute accelerations during small‐to‐moderate earthquakes, while isolation displacements can be effectively mitigated during severe earthquakes. To understand the dynamic characteristics of this system, a series of investigations are carried out. The features of the effective control force are explored by the effective damping, and the phase plane analysis is conducted to understand the isolation system behavior. Then, the averaging method is employed to obtain the frequency–amplitude relationship of the proposed system, and the results inform the frequency domain behavior. The geometrically nonlinear damping is experimentally explored. Control effectiveness of the proposed system is also evaluated under seismic excitation and compared with the conventional isolation system (i.e., viscous dampers installed parallel to the isolation motion direction). As a result, the viscous damper with geometric nonlinearity can be more adaptive to different earthquake levels and thereby improves seismic isolation performance.
Influence of a new‐bored neighbouring cavity on the seismic response of an existing tunnel under incident P‐ and SV‐waves
Authors: Zlatanović Elefterija , Šešov Vlatko , Lukić Dragan Č. , Bonić Zoran
Published: May 2021

One of the important problems regarding the tunnel design in seismically active areas is the assessment of the mutual effect of two closely running tunnels. With the propagation of seismic waves, the stresses in certain sections of a tunnel, owing to the presence of an adjacent tunnel, can exceed those occurring when considering the single‐tunnel case. In the focus of this study is the hitherto unexplored elastic wave diffraction problem, which considers the influence of the presence of a new‐bored neighbouring cavity on the seismic response of an existing tunnel, under incident P‐waves/SV‐waves. The wave function expansion method, the corresponding boundary conditions along the tunnel and cavity contours, and the translational addition theorem for bi‐cylindrical wave functions are jointly employed to develop an exact mathematical solution of the given problem in the form of infinite FourierBessel series, under the plane‐strain conditions. The dynamic effects of structures are presented in the form of a newly introduced dynamic stress alteration factor as a measure of the variation of dynamic hoop stress amplitudes in the lining and the surrounding medium of an existing tunnel affected by the presence of a closely running newly‐constructed tunnel opening. The results of this study are believed to be useful for interpretation of design rules, particularly considering that seismic standards for tunnels are still in the preliminary stage, where the aspect of the minimum seismically safe distance of a newly‐constructed tunnel opening in the vicinity of an existing tunnel should be of particular concern.
Experimental study on solar air heater with encapsulated phase change material on its absorber plate
Authors: Raju Gadi , Kumar Mandapati Mohan Jagadeesh
Published: May 2021

Effective usage of solar air heaters (SAH) is limited to specific time due to nonavailability and low intensity of solar radiation. In addition, SAH suffers from lower thermal efficiencies. Encapsulated phase change material (PCM) on absorber plate of SAH is one of the passive techniques to improve thermal efficiency of SAH as well as to extend its application to nonsunshine hours. In this article, capsules of circular and square cross sections filled with PCM were used on absorber plate of a double pass counter flow SAH and SAH efficiency was experimentally determined. Capsules were placed in inline and staggered grid arrangements perpendicular to the flow direction of the air and paraffin wax was used as the PCM. Experiments were conducted each day in two cycles (charging PCM from 10:00 amto 2:00 pmand discharging PCM from 4:30 pmto 5:30 pm), with fixed mass flow rate of air in between 0.00879 and 0.01484 kg/s. It is found from the results that, efficiency of SAH with square staggered encapsules is at an average of 15.8% higher than the remaining arrangements. During PCM discharge, air temperature at the SAH exit was at an average of 5.17°C greater than ambient temperature for all arrangements.
Ameliorative impacts of Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract against nephrotoxicity induced by gentamicin in mice
Authors: Nassan Mohamed A. , Soliman Mohamed M. , Aldhahrani Adil , Althobaiti Fayez , Alkhedaide Adel Q.
Published: May 2021

Gentamicin is an effective antibiotic that has been used worldwide for many years. While considered an essential medicine by the WHO, gentamicin can also lead to severe kidney damage. This study explored the ameliorative effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract on gentamicin‐induced renal injury in mice. Four groups of n = 7 mice were used: (a) control; (b) G. glabra‐only; (c) gentamicin‐only; and (d) gentamicin plus G. glabra. Kidney samples were tested for: antioxidant enzyme activity (superoxide dismutase [SOD] and glutathione peroxidase [Gpx]); expression of HO‐1 and nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 genes; expression of Cox‐2 and Bax; cytokine levels (IL‐1β, and IL‐6); histopathological anomalies; and standard renal functional component levels (creatinine, urea, and blood urea nitrogen). The effects of gentamicin were generally reversed or normalized following treatment with G. glabra root extract. Gentamicin decreased Gpx and SOD parameters and increased IL‐1 β and IL‐6 levels, but these returned to normal in the G. glabra‐treated group. Gentamicin upregulated tissue levels of Cox‐2 and Bax, and downregulated HO‐1 and Nrf‐2 expression but again, and these levels returned to normal in the group treated with G. glabra. Mice that had received gentamicin exhibited acute renal blood vessel congestion, focal interstitial round cell aggregation, and hydropic degeneration of renal tubular epithelium. However, those that had also received G. glabra showed a normal histopathology. Findings from this study indicate that in mouse models, gentamicin‐induced kidney damage can be reversed or ameliorated by administering G. glabra, so it can be considered as an effective complimentary therapy.
A control approach for alternating current disturbance signal of fuel cells based on MOSFET high‐speed switch
Authors: Zhou Y. F. , Dong Q. C. , Huang L. J. , Li L. H. , Lian J.
Published: May 2021

Internal resistance is currently one of the most effective ways to achieve the performance improvement, control optimization, and on‐line fault diagnosis of fuel cells. In the fuel cell internal resistance test (FCIRT) system (FCIRTS), the alternating current (AC) disturbance signal is mainly achieved through the use of DC/DC converters or other expensive program‐controlled equipments, which are expensive and large, and it is not conducive to the commercial application of low‐cost FCIRTS. In particular, for the fuel cell vehicles based on dual‐source motors, the DC/DC structure is cancelled. Therefore, a new method should be used in the FCIRTS. To solve this problem, a low‐cost fuel cell AC disturbance signal control approach based on MOSFET high‐speed switch was proposed in this paper. In the approach, a circuit model of MOSFET high‐speed regulation was built, and the AC control of the fuel cells was achieved finally by simulation analysis and experimental verification. The proposed approach can not only independently control the AC components, but also save the system space and cost because of reducing reliance on DC/DC converters and dedicated equipments. Therefore, it is of great value to the development of low‐cost, high‐precision, and real‐time FCIRTS.
Detrital zircon LA–ICP–MS U–Pb ages for sedimentary rocks from the Kuhai–Saishitang area, NE Tibet: Constraints on provenance and Cu exploration
Authors: Chen Jia , Zhao Yun , Pan Tong , Xue Chunji , Mathur Ryan , Sun Pengfei
Published: May 2021

The Kuhai–Saishitang area, which can be divided into the Tongyugou–Saishitang and southern Kuhai areas, is located in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Numerous Cu deposits have been discovered in the Tongyugou–Saishitang area, with the ore‐forming materials being derived from both sedimentary rocks and igneous intrusions. In contrast, no deposits have been found in the southern Kuhai area. The mineralization potential in the southern Kuhai area remains unclear. We collected a siltstone sample from the Tongyugou–Saishitang area and a sandstone sample from the southern Kuhai area for zircon LA–ICP–MS U–Pb dating, which yielded the youngest ages of 228 and 277 Ma, respectively. The samples exhibit similar age spectra, suggesting that these rocks have a common source. Detrital zircons from the samples can be divided into five groups on the basis of their U–Pb ages: Early Mesozoic–Late Palaeozoic (228–335 Ma), Early Palaeozoic (372–565 Ma), Neoproterozoic (645–995 Ma), Mesoproterozoic (1,154–1,693 Ma), and Paleoproterozoic–Neoarchaean (1,827–3,128 Ma). On the basis of a detailed comparison of the age spectra with those in the adjacent regions, we propose that the sedimentary rocks of the Kuhai–Saishitang area have an identical provenance that was derived mainly from the northern margin of the Qaidam Basin during the Middle–Late Triassic. The southern Kuhai area is also a potential target for further Cu exploration.