bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating primary healthcare practitioners’ barriers and enablers to referral of patients with COPD to pulmonary rehabilitation: a mixed-methods study using the Theoretical Domains Framework
Authors: Watson Jane Suzanne , Jordan Rachel Elizabeth , Adab Peymane , Vlaev Ivo , Enocson Alexandra , Greenfield Sheila
Published: January 2022

Objectives

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a highly effective, recommended intervention for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Using behavioural theory within mixed-methods research to understand why referral remains low enables the development of targeted interventions in order to improve future PR referral.

Design

A multiphase sequential mixed-methods study.

Setting

United Kingdom (UK).

Participants

252 multiprofessional primary healthcare practitioners (PHCPs).

Measures

Phase 1: semistructured interviews. Phase 2: a 54-item paper and online questionnaire, based on the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Content and descriptive analysis utilised. Data mixed at two points: instrument design and interpretation.

Results

19 PHCPs took part in interviews and 233 responded to the survey. Integrated results revealed that PHCPs with a post qualifying respiratory qualification (154/241; 63.9%) referred more frequently (91/154; 59.1%) than those without (28/87; 32.2%). There were more barriers than enablers for referral in all 13 TDF domains. Key barriers included: infrequent engagement from PR provider to referrer, concern around patient’s physical ability and access to PR (particularly for those in work), assumed poor patient motivation, no clear practice referrer and few referral opportunities. These mapped to domains: belief about capabilities, social influences, environment, optimism, skills and social and professional role. Enablers to referral were observed in knowledge, social influences memory and environment domains. Many PHCPs believed in the physical and psychological value of PR. Helpful enablers were out-of-practice support from respiratory interested colleagues, dedicated referral time (annual review) and on-screen referral prompts.

Conclusions

Referral to PR is complex. Barriers outweighed enablers. Aligning these findings to behaviour change techniques will identify interventions to overcome barriers and strengthen enablers, thereby increasing referral of patients with COPD to PR.
Exploring the role of social capital, self-efficacy and social contagion in shaping lifestyle and mental health among students representing the future healthcare workforce in Palestine: social cohort study protocol
Authors: Darkhawaja Ranin A M , Kwiatkowski Marek , Vermes Thomas , Allabadi Hala , Merten Sonja , Alkaiyat Abdulsalam , Probst-Hensch Nicole
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and depression form an unhealthy mix. The project focuses on potentially effective psychosocial factors shaping health-related habits and mental health. The study is conducted among health domain students. Understanding what shapes their health will determine their quality of care. The study is implemented at An-Najah National University in Palestine. This zone of continuous conflict psychological stress is high and mental health problems are stigmatised.

Methods and analysis

Students who are enrolled in second and third year will be invited to fill in a baseline and two follow-up online questionnaires. The questionnaires will assess: health behaviours and outcomes (health-related habits, obesity and mental health), main predictors (social capital, social network, self-efficacy), confounders (general and sociodemographic characteristics) and effect modifiers (sense of coherence (SOC) and family SOC). Friendships within participating students will be identified by allowing students to name their friends from a pull-down menu of all students. Descriptive statistics and scores will describe participant’s characteristics. The relationship between health behaviour, outcomes and main predictors will be examined by regression and structural equation models. Clustering of health behaviours and outcomes will be assessed by permutation tests. Their spread within the network of friends will be investigated by longitudinal generalised estimating equations.

Discussion

The study will identify the prevalence of NCD-related health habits and mental health aspects in the future healthcare workforce in Palestine. It will be the first study to address the role of psychosocial factors for the targeted students. It has the potential to identify targets for promoting physical and mental health among these future professionals.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval was obtained from Ethikkommission Nordwest- und Zentralschweiz (EKNZ) in Switzerland and the Institutional Review Board Committee (IRBC) in Palestine. Participation in the study is voluntary and requires informed consent. The data management methodology ensures the confidentiality of the data. The outcomes of the study will be published as scientific papers. In addition, it will be presented in stakeholder conferences and to students at An-Najah National University.
Non-invasive ventilation versus oxygen therapy after extubation in patients with obesity in intensive care units: the multicentre randomised EXTUB-OBESE study protocol
Authors: De Jong Audrey , Huguet Helena , Molinari Nicolas , Jaber Samir
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Patients with obesity are considered to be at high risk of acute respiratory failure (ARF) after extubation in intensive care unit (ICU). Compared with oxygen therapy, non-invasive ventilation (NIV) may prevent ARF in high-risk patients. However, these strategies have never been compared following extubation of critically ill patients with obesity. Our hypothesis is that NIV is associated with less treatment failure compared with oxygen therapy in patients with obesity after extubation in ICU.

Methods and analysis

The NIV versus oxygen therapy after extubation in patients with obesity in ICUs protocol (EXTUB-obese) trial is an investigator-initiated, multicentre, stratified, parallel-group unblinded trial with an electronic system-based randomisation. Patients with obesity defined as a body mass index ≥30 kg/m² will be randomly assigned in the ‘NIV-group’ to receive prophylactic NIV applied immediately after extubation combined with high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) or standard oxygen between NIV sessions versus in the ‘oxygen therapy group’ to receive oxygen therapy alone (HFNO or standard oxygen,). The primary outcome is treatment failure within the 72 hours, defined as reintubation for mechanical ventilation, switch to the other study treatment, or premature study-treatment discontinuation (at the request of the patient or for medical reasons such as gastric distention). The single, prespecified, secondary outcome is the incidence of ARF until day 7. Other outcomes analysed will include tracheal intubation rate at day 7 and day 28, length of ICU and hospital stay, ICU mortality, day 28 and day 90 mortality.

Ethics and dissemination

The study project has been approved by the appropriate ethics committee ‘Comité-de-Protection-des-Personnes Ile de FranceV-19.04.05.70025 Cat2 2019-A00956-51’. Informed consent is required. The results will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at one or more scientific conferences. If use of NIV shows positive effects, teams (medical and surgical) will use NIV following extubation of critically ill patients with obesity.

Trial registration number

NCT04014920.
Systematic review of psychosocial needs assessment tools for caregivers of paediatric patients with dermatological conditions
Authors: Walsh Carleen , Leavey Gerard , McLaughlin Marian
Published: January 2022

Objective

To identify validated dermatology-specific and disease-specific psychosocial needs assessment tools for caregivers of paediatric patients with dermatological conditions. A secondary objective was to assess the adequacy of their measurement properties.

Design

Systematic review.

Data sources

EMBASE, PsycINFO, MEDLINE (in Ovid SP), Cochrane, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health EBSCO, U Search and Web of Science were searched (2000–5 October 2021). Grey literature, bibliographies, online databases of QoL tools and several trial registers were searched (2000–5 Oct 2021).

Eligibility criteria

Eligible studies involved adult caregivers caring for a child (no age limit) with any form of any skin condition. Predetermined exclusion criteria, as per protocol, were applied to the search results.

Data abstraction and synthesis

Title, abstract, full-text screening and data abstraction (standardised forms) were done independently in duplicate. Both’s predefined methodological criteria assessed risk of bias. Narrative synthesis was used to present the findings.

Results

187 full-text articles were examined from a total of 8979 records. Most tools were generic QoL tools, relevant to spouse/partner or based on their child’s perception of the disease or assessed patients’ quality of life. Following quality appraisal, 26 articles were identified, and 11 tools (1 dermatology-specific and 10 disease-specific) were included. Information outcome domains were provided for each tool (study specific, questionnaire specific, adequacy of measurement properties and risk of bias). No literature was found pertaining to the use of these tools within healthcare settings and/or as e-tools.

Discussion

With limited evidence supporting the quality of their methodological and measurement properties, this review will inform future dermatological Core Outcome Set development and improve evidence-based clinical decisions. Increasing demand on limited healthcare resources justifies the codevelopment of an accessible solution-focused psychosocial needs assessment e-tool to promote caregiver health outcomes.

PROSPERO registration number

PROSPERO (CRD42019159956).
Atrial fibrillation and mortality in outpatients with heart failure in Tanzania: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Chen Yunchan , Alphonce Emmanuel , Mujuni Eva , Kisigo Godfrey A , Kingery Justin R , Makubi Abel , Peck RN , Kalokola Fredrick
Published: January 2022

Objective

In recent years, the prevalence and mortality of heart failure (HF) and other associated cardiovascular diseases have doubled in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Studies in high-income countries indicate that HF with concurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) is linked to increased mortality. Our objective was to determine the incidence and clinical outcomes of AF among patients with HF in SSA.

Design

A prospective cohort study using data collected between October 2018 and May 2020.

Setting

Outpatient clinic at a tertiary hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Participants

303 adult participants (aged ≥18 years) with HF as defined by the European Society of Cardiology guidelines (2016) and 100 adults with HF as defined by clinical criteria alone were enrolled into the study. Patients with comorbid medical condition that had prognosis of <3 months (ie, advance solid tumours, advance haematological malignancies) were excluded.

Methods

Participants were screened for AF, and their medical history, physical examinations and sociodemographic information were obtained. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine factors associated with AF incidence. Cox regression models were used to analyse 3-month mortality and its associated risk factors.

Results

We enrolled 403 participants with HF (mean age 60±19 years, 234 (58%) female). The AF prevalence was 17%. In multivariable models, factors associated with AF were low income, alcohol consumption and longer duration of HF. At the end of the 3-month follow-up, 120 out of 403 (30%) participants died, including 44% (31/70) of those with AF. Higher heart rate on ECG, more severe New York Heart Association HF class, rural residence and anaemia were significantly correlated with mortality.

Conclusion

AF is common, underdiagnosed and is associated with significant mortality among outpatients with HF in Tanzania (HR 1.749, 95% CI 1.162 to 2.633, p=0.007). Our findings additionally identify tachycardia (>110 bpm, HR 1.879, 95% CI 1.508 to 2.340, p<0.001) as an easily measurable, high-impact physical examination finding for adverse outcomes in patients with HF.
Impact of unacceptable behaviour between healthcare workers on clinical performance and patient outcomes: a systematic review
Authors: Guo Linda , Ryan Benjamin , Leditschke Isabel Anne , Haines Kimberley J , Cook Katrina , Eriksson Lars , Olusanya Olusegun , Selak Tanya , Shekar Kiran , Ramanan Mahesh
Published: January 2022

Background

Recent studies suggest that displays of unacceptable behaviour, including bullying, discrimination and harassment, between healthcare workers (HCWs) may impair job performance, and in turn, increase the frequency of medical errors, adverse events and healthcare-related complications. The objective of this systematic review was to summarise the current evidence of the impact of unacceptable behaviour occurring between HCWs on clinical performance and patient outcomes.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and CINAHL from 1 January 1990 to 31 March 2021. The search results were screened by two independent reviewers and studies were included if they were original research that assessed the effects of unacceptable behaviour on clinical performance, quality of care, workplace productivity or patient outcomes. Risk of bias was assessed using tools relevant to the study design and the data were synthesised without meta-analysis.

Results

From the 2559 screened studies, 36 studies were included: 22 survey-based studies, 4 qualitative studies, 3 mixed-methods studies, 4 simulation-based randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and 3 other study designs. Most survey-based studies were low quality and demonstrated that HCWs perceived a relationship between unacceptable behaviour and worse clinical performance and patient outcomes. This was supported by a smaller number of higher quality retrospective studies and RCTs. Two of four RCTs produced negative results, possibly reflecting inadequate power or study design limitations. No study demonstrated any beneficial effect of unacceptable behaviour on the study outcomes.

Conclusions

Despite the mixed quality of evidence and some inconsistencies in the strengths of associations reported, the overall weight of evidence shows that unacceptable behaviour negatively affects the clinical performance of HCWs, quality of care, workplace productivity and patient outcomes. Future research should focus on the evaluation and implementation of interventions that reduce the frequency of these behaviours.
Phenanthrene-degrading Sphingobium xenophagum are widely distributed in the western Pacific Ocean
Authors: Iwabuchi Tokuro
Published: January 2022

Six phenanthrene-degrading bacteria were isolated from surface seawater sampled from the western Pacific Ocean. They were identified as Sphingobium xenophagum (formerly Sphingomonas xenophaga) based on morphological, biochemical, and chemical characteristics, and 16S rRNA sequences. The salinity ranges for the growth of these isolates were broader than those of the seven reported Sphingomonas strains isolated from soil, and the optimum NaCl concentration in the growth medium was higher than that for soil sphingomonads. These isolates also exhibited higher phenanthrene-degrading activity under briny conditions than that of a phenanthrene-degrading Sphingomonas strain isolated from soil. A DNA fragment carrying nah genes, which are encoded on the naphthalene-catabolic plasmid NAH of Pseudomonas putida PpG7, hybridised less strongly with the total DNA of all isolates. Certain genes involved in phenanthrene degradation were also preliminarily characterised in all isolates. This is the first demonstration that S. xenophagum strains, which are able to degrade phenanthrene, are widely distributed in marine environments, and that the growth and phenanthrene-degrading activity of these strains are adapted to briny conditions. The results also suggest that genes for phenanthrene degradation, which are dissimilar to nah genes, were also ubiquitously distributed in marine strains.
Isolated by dry lands: integrative analyses unveil the existence of a new species and a previously unknown evolutionary lineage of Brazilian Lanceheads (Serpentes: Viperidae: Bothrops) from a Caatinga moist-forest enclave
Authors: Barbo Fausto E. , Grazziotin Felipe G. , Pereira-Filho Gentil A. , Freitas Marco A. , Abrantes Stephenson H.F. , Kokubum Marcelo N. de C.
Published: January 2022

Here we describe a new species of Lancehead (Bothrops jabrensis sp. nov.) based on three individuals sampled from a previously unknown population from Pico do Jabre, an isolated and small Caatinga moist-forest enclave (CMFE) located in northeastern Brazil. Although this new species has an external morphology resembling those found in representatives of the Bothrops jararaca (Wied-Neuwied, 1824) species group, B. jabrensis can be diagnosed by a combination of meristic and color characters. Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicates the new species represents a unique and highly divergent lineage within Bothrops revealing the existence of a previously unknown phylogenetic lineage that has been evolving as an independent unit for more than 8 million years. Additionally, the estimated divergence time of this lineage conflicts with some proposed scenarios of historical processes associated with the evolution of CMFEs. Finally, the uniqueness of this species indicates its relevance for the maintenance of the phylogenetic diversity of Lanceheads in South America. Like other CMFEs, Pico do Jabre is consistently threatened by poaching, illegal fires, deforestation for agricultural purposes, and illegal logging. The restricted distribution of B. jabrensis, in a small and disturbed CMFE, strongly suggests that this species is critically endangered and is likely approaching extinction as a natural population.
Controllable doping concentration and defects in Zn:Ru:Fe:LiNbO3 by [Li]/[Nb] ratios
Authors: Dai Li , Yuan Yue , Yang Shunxiang , He Keqi , Wang Yuning
Published: January 2022

Lithium niobate is a crystal with excellent electric-optic and nonlinear optical properties. Double-doped and multi-doped lithium niobate are widely used in a wide variety of optical devices. A series of Zn:Ru:Fe:LiNbO3 crystals with different lithium-niobium molar ([Li]/[Nb]) ratios were grown by the Czochralski method. The structures of the crystals with different [Li]/[Nb] ratios are analyzed using X-ray diffraction patterns and infrared spectra. The effect of the [Li]/[Nb] ratio dependence of the doped element concentration and segregation coefficient was studied using an inductive coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES). It was found that the doping elements do not change the crystal structure, and the change of the [Li]/[Nb] ratio will affect the concentration and the occupancy of the doped ions in the crystal. The segregation coefficient and defect structures can be controlled by different [Li]/[Nb] ratios in Zn:Ru:Fe:LiNbO3 crystal.
Overview of the exploration potential of offshore Argentina – insight from new seismic interpretations
Authors: DeVito Steve , Kearns Hannah
Published: January 2022

Argentina's offshore sedimentary basins cover a vast area on one of the widest continental margins on the planet, yet they remain underexplored today. Previous exploration drilling has failed to encounter commercial volumes of hydrocarbons, in part due to the poor seismic imaging of legacy 1960s–1990s 2D seismic data, and to the majority of wells being drilled on structural highs outside of the source rock kitchens. In this study, we reviewed 52 000 km of recently acquired (2017–2018) regional 2D long-offset seismic data with broadband pre-stack time (PSTM) and depth migration (PSDM) processing. We identified five major structural domains with hydrocarbon prospectivity on the Northern Margin of Argentina and four on the Southern Margin, and the presence of previously unseen structural and stratigraphic traps involving sequences assigned to proven regional source rocks and reservoirs in Permian, Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks. The source and reservoir rocks, petroleum systems, and play types present in the deepwater of the undrilled Argentina Basin represent a true frontier for hydrocarbon exploration. Pseudo relief attribute seismic displays and amplitude v. angle (AVA) analysis are demonstrated to be valuable tools in predicting the stratigraphy of the basins. A new framework for understanding the oil and gas prospectivity of the study area is presented.
Unlikely allies in preventing sexual misconduct: Student led prevention efforts in a technical communication classroom
Authors: Edenfield Avery , Judd Hailey , Fishburn Emmalee , Gallegos Felicia
Published: January 2022

Students' participation in relevant service learning can have a unique impact on their institution of higher education, if provided the opportunity. This article explores student-designed sexual misconduct prevention efforts taking place in an undergraduate project management course at one institution of higher education. We found that involving students in particular kinds of campus communication design and implementation simultaneously improved those efforts and offered students the opportunity to participate in impactful civic projects. In our article, we first examine the most common approach to sexual misconduct prevention, while considering its limitations. We then introduce a nontraditional collaboration---technical communication student involvement within prevention work---which resulted in new efforts. Finally, we illustrate how instructors can integrate similar collaborations.
Chinese Event Extraction via Graph Attention Network
Authors: Wu Xiaohua , Wang Tengrui , Fan Youping , Yu Fangjian
Published: January 2022

Event extraction plays an important role in natural language processing (NLP) applications, including question answering and information retrieval. Most of the previous state-of-the-art methods were lack of ability in capturing features in long range. Recent methods applied dependency tree via dependency-bridge and attention-based graph. However, most of the automatic processing tools used in those methods show poor performance on Chinese texts due to mismatching between word segmentation and labels, which results in error propagation. In this article, we propose a novel character-level
C
hinese
e
vent
e
xtraction framework via graph
a
ttention network (CAEE). We build our model upon the sequence labeling model, but enhance it with word information by incorporating the word lexicon into the character representations. We further exploit the inter-dependencies between event triggers and argument by building a word-character-based graph network via syntactic shortcut arcs with dependency-parsing. The architecture of the graph minimizes error propagation, which is the result of the error detection of the word boundaries in the processing of Chinese texts. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our work, we build a large-scale real-world corpus consisting of announcements of Chinese financial news without golden entities. Experiments on the corpus show that our approach achieves competitive results compared with previous work in the field of Chinese texts.
Transition Model–driven Unsupervised Localization Framework Based on Crowd-sensed Trajectory Data
Authors: Shen Xingfa , Li Chuang , Chen Weijie , Wang Yongcai , Ge Quanbo
Published: January 2022

The rapid popularization of mobile devices makes it more convenient and cost-efficient to collect synchronized WiFi received signal strength (RSS) and inertial measurement unit sequences by crowdsensing. The
transition model
has proven to be a promising unsupervised localization approach that captures the transition relationship between the change of RSS signal space and the change of physical space, alleviating the need of extra knowledge for creating radio map. However, it faces two essential challenges in real-world deployments. First, model coverage affects its locating performance, because a specific transition model only represents its local space. Second, the instability of RSS leads to a conflicting relationship between changes of two spaces because of the complex environment and the heterogeneous type of devices. To address these challenges, we propose Lightgbm-CTMM, a novel unsupervised localization framework. First, a clustering method is adopted to capture the expected relationship to ensure robust coverage. Second, direction filter is employed to guarantee that the change in signal space corresponds to the change in physical space. The feasibility and effectiveness of Lightgbm-CTMM are evaluated by extensive experiments, and the locating performance of Lightgbm-CTMM is better than that of conventional approaches. Moreover, Lightgbm-CTMM reduces the work on quality assessment of trajectories.
Tissue-Resident Immune Cells in Humans
Authors: Gray Joshua I. , Farber Donna L.
Published: January 2022

Tissue-resident immune cells span both myeloid and lymphoid cell lineages, have been found in multiple human tissues, and play integral roles at all stages of the immune response, from maintaining homeostasis to responding to infectious challenges to resolution of inflammation to tissue repair. In humans, studying immune cells and responses in tissues is challenging, although recent advances in sampling and high-dimensional profiling have provided new insights into the ontogeny, maintenance, and functional role of tissue-resident immune cells. Each tissue contains a specific complement of resident immune cells. Moreover, resident immune cells for each lineage share core properties, along with tissue-specific adaptations. Here we propose a five-point checklist for defining resident immune cell types in humans and describe the currently known features of resident immune cells, their mechanisms of development, and their putative functional roles within various human organs. We also consider these aspects of resident immune cells in the context of future studies and therapeutics.
Degradation Phenomena in Silicon/Graphite Electrodes with Varying Silicon Content
Authors: Ghamlouche Ahmad , Müller Marcus , Jeschull Fabian , Maibach Julia
Published: January 2022

The degradation phenomena of Silicon/Graphite electrodes and the effect of FEC as electrolyte additive was investigated through galvanostatic cycling, XPS analyses and SEM cross section analyses. To understand the direct influence of silicon on the electrode degradation, the silicon amount was varied between 0%–30%. By evaluating the cycling performance and the accumulated capacity loss of the different Si/Gr electrodes (cycled with and without 10 vol-% of FEC), we see that the capacity decay can be distinguished into two phenomena, where one is independent of the Si/Gr ratio while the other one depends on the Si content. As expected, adding FEC improves the cell performance and minimizes the capacity decay. Combing our XPS data and SEM cross section analyses on cycled electrodes, this improvement stems from a thin and flexible SEI including poly(vinyl carbonate) that helps maintaining the overall electrode integrity as we observe less electrode fractures and less pronounced thickness increase. Si/Gr electrodes with 10 and 20% Si content showed very similar accumulated irreversible capacity losses over 100 cycles indicating that with 10 % FEC as electrolyte additive, also higher Si contents could be feasible for future high energy density anodes.
Layer-by-Layer Nanoarchitectonics of Electrochemically Active Thin Films Comprised of Radical-Containing Polymers
Authors: Easley Alexandra D. , Shaligram Sayali V. , Echols Ian J. , Nixon Kevin , Regen Steven L. , Lutkenhaus Jodie L.
Published: January 2022

Electroactive coatings based on non-conjugated redox-active polymers have increased in popularity with the development of thin film organic batteries. Control over coating deposition, redox-activity, and ion transport are key to improving their energy storage performance. In this work, the synthesis, solution state electrochemical characterization, and layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly of a nitroxide-based polycation and polyanion are presented. Solution state electrochemical characterization indicates that the rate of electron transfer for the nitroxide polyanion is much higher as compared to the nitroxide polycation. LbL thin films of the nitroxide polyanion and nitroxide polycation are assembled, demonstrating linear growth and tunable thickness (28 nm/layer pair). This work confirms that the ion transport mechanism of the LbL films during the redox reaction is influenced depending on the charge of the terminating layer, where the nitroxide polyanion can participate in self-doping, which leads to a contribution from cation transport. The nitroxide polyanion-terminated film also exhibits a higher capacity and a slightly reduced charge transfer resistance. However, it was also observed that a more pronounced capacity fade occurred for the polyanion-terminated film than the polycation-terminated film. Taken together, this highlights how oppositely charged radical-containing polyelectrolytes can form electroactive coatings for possible applications in energy storage or sensing.
Free Radicals: Reflections from the Fire
Authors: Hall Dale
Published: January 2022

The world is white and starkly beautiful. The trees are thickly rimed in ice, bending awkwardly under its weight to the snapping point. The lawns, bushes, rooftops—everything is covered as far as we can see. The roads are empty. No lights shine in the windows up and down the street. Last night, I awoke again and again to the bangs of electrical transformers going out all over the area. We are trapped in a massive ice storm that has paralyzed Montgomery County, Maryland and left nearly half a million people without power.
Solvent Dynamic Control of Co {111/11} Heterogeneous Kinetics Over a 1011 Range
Authors: Williams Mary Elizabeth
Published: January 2022

A Summary Report to The Electrochemical Society for the 1997 Department of Energy Summer Research Fellowship.
Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist treatment of established pulmonary arterial hypertension improves interventricular dependence in the SU5416-hypoxia rat model
Authors: Lu Mengyun , Chen Li-Yuan , Gairhe Salina , Mazer Adrien J. , Anderson Stasia A. , Nelson Jasmine N.H. , Noguchi Audrey , Siddique Mohammad Abdul Hai , Dougherty Edward J. , Zou Yvette , Johnston Kathryn A. , Yu Zu-Xi , Wang Honghui , Wang Shuibang , Sun Junfeng , Solomon Steven B. , Vanderpool Rebecca R. , Solomon Michael A. , Danner Robert L. , Elinoff Jason M.
Published: January 2022

Treatment with mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists beginning at the outset of disease, or early thereafter, prevents pulmonary vascular remodeling in preclinical models of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, the efficacy of MR blockade in established disease, a more clinically relevant condition, remains unknown. Therefore, we investigated the effectiveness of two MR antagonists, eplerenone (EPL) and spironolactone (SPL), after the development of severe right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in the rat SU5416-hypoxia (SuHx) PAH model. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in SuHx rats at the end of week 5, before study treatment, confirmed features of established disease including reduced RV ejection fraction and RV hypertrophy, pronounced septal flattening with impaired left ventricular filling and reduced cardiac index. Five weeks of treatment with either EPL or SPL improved left ventricular filling and prevented the further decline in cardiac index compared with placebo. Interventricular septal displacement was reduced by EPL whereas SPL effects were similar, but not significant. Although MR antagonists did not significantly reduce pulmonary artery pressure or vessel remodeling in SuHx rats with established disease, animals with higher drug levels had lower pulmonary pressures. Consistent with effects on cardiac function, EPL treatment tended to suppress MR and proinflammatory gene induction in the RV. In conclusion, MR antagonist treatment led to modest, but consistent beneficial effects on interventricular dependence after the onset of significant RV dysfunction in the SuHx PAH model. These results suggest that measures of RV structure and/or function may be useful endpoints in clinical trials of MR antagonists in patients with PAH.
High-altitude exposures and intestinal barrier dysfunction
Authors: McKenna Zachary J. , Gorini Pereira Felipe , Gillum Trevor L. , Amorim Fabiano T. , Deyhle Michael R. , Mermier Christine M.
Published: January 2022

Gastrointestinal complaints are often reported during ascents to high altitude (>2,500 m), though their etiology is not known. One potential explanation is injury to the intestinal barrier which has been implicated in the pathophysiology of several diseases. High-altitude exposures can reduce splanchnic perfusion and blood oxygen levels causing hypoxic and oxidative stress. These stressors might injure the intestinal barrier leading to consequences such as bacterial translocation and local/systemic inflammatory responses. The purpose of this mini-review is to 1) discuss the impact of high-altitude exposures on intestinal barrier dysfunction and 2) present medications and dietary supplements which may have relevant impacts on the intestinal barrier during high-altitude exposures. There is a small but growing body of evidence which shows that acute exposures to high altitudes can damage the intestinal barrier. Initial data also suggest that prolonged hypoxic exposures can compromise the intestinal barrier through alterations in immunological function, microbiota, or mucosal layers. Exertion may worsen high-altitude-related intestinal injury via additional reductions in splanchnic circulation and greater hypoxemia. Collectively these responses can result in increased intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation causing local and systemic inflammation. More research is needed to determine the impact of various medications and dietary supplements on the intestinal barrier during high-altitude exposures.
Inhibition of POMC neurons in mice undergoing activity-based anorexia selectively blunts food anticipatory activity without affecting body weight or food intake
Authors: Daimon Caitlin M. , Hentges Shane T.
Published: January 2022

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a debilitating eating disorder characterized by severely restricted eating and significant body weight loss. In addition, many individuals also report engaging in excessive exercise. Previous research using the activity-based anorexia (ABA) model has implicated the hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin (POMC) system. Using the ABA model, Pomc mRNA has been shown to be transiently elevated in both male and female rodents undergoing ABA. In addition, the POMC peptide β-endorphin appears to contribute to food anticipatory activity (FAA), a characteristic of ABA, as both deletion and antagonism of the µ opioid receptor (MOR) that β-endorphin targets, results in decreased FAA. The role of β-endorphin in reduced food intake in ABA is unknown and POMC neurons release multiple transmitters in addition to β-endorphin. In the current study, we set out to determine whether targeted inhibition of POMC neurons themselves rather than their peptide products would lessen the severity of ABA. Inhibition of POMC neurons during ABA via chemogenetic Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADD) technology resulted in reduced FAA in both male and female mice with no significant changes in body weight or food intake. The selective reduction in FAA persisted even in the face of concurrent chemogenetic inhibition of additional cell types in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus. The results suggest that POMC neurons could be contributing preferentially to excessive exercise habits in patients with AN. Furthermore, the results also suggest that metabolic control during ABA appears to take place via a POMC neuron-independent mechanism.
Isoforms of the neuropeptide myosuppressin differentially modulate the cardiac neuromuscular system of the American lobster, Homarus americanus
Authors: Oleisky Emily R. , Stanhope Meredith E. , Hull J. Joe , Dickinson Patsy S.
Published: January 2022

Myosuppressin (pQDLDHVFLRFamide), a well-characterized crustacean neuropeptide, and its noncyclized (QDLDHVFLRFamide) and nonamidated (pQDLDHVFLRFG) isoforms alter the output of the cardiac neuromuscular system of the American lobster, Homarus americanus. Mature myosuppressin and noncyclized myosuppressin elicited similar and significant changes across all levels of the isolated system, whereas responses to nonamidated myosuppressin were significantly different from other isoforms and were highly variable. These data support the diversity of peptide action as a function of peptide structure.
Rapid fluctuations in brain oxygenation during glucose-drinking behavior in trained rats
Authors: Curay Carlos M. , Irwin Matthew R. , Kiyatkin Eugene A.
Published: January 2022

Oxygen sensors coupled with high-speed amperometry were used to examine brain oxygen fluctuations during glucose-drinking behavior in trained rats. Oxygen levels rapidly increased following presentation of a glucose-contained cup, peaking at the initiation of glucose drinking, and relatively decreasing during drinking. Oxygen increases were larger when rats were exposed to concealed glucose and made multiple attempts to obtain it. We discuss the mechanisms underlying behavior-related brain oxygen fluctuations and their functional significance.
Study on the Multitarget Mechanism and Active Compounds of Essential Oil from Artemisia argyi Treating Pressure Injuries Based on Network Pharmacology
Authors: Lu Shu-ting , Tang Lu-lu , Zhou Ling-han , Lai Ying-tao , Liu Lan-xing , Duan Yifan
Published: January 2022

In order to comprehensively explore multitarget mechanism and key active compounds of Artemisia argyi essential oil (AAEO) in the treatment of pressure injuries (PIs), we analyzed the biological functions and pathways involved in the intersection targets of AAEO and PIs based on network pharmacology, and the affinity of AAEO active compounds and core targets was verified by molecular docking finally. In our study, we first screened 54 effective components according to the relative content and biological activity. In total, 103 targets related to active compounds of AAEO and 2760 targets associated with PIs were obtained, respectively, and 50 key targets were overlapped by Venny 2.1.0. The construction of key targets-compounds network was achieved by the STRING database and Cytoscape 3.7.2 software. GO analysis from Matespace shows that GO results are mainly enriched in biological processes, including adrenergic receptor activity, neurotransmitter clearance, and neurotransmitter metabolic process. KEGG analysis by the David and Kobas website shows that the key targets can achieve the treatment on PIs through a pathway in cancer, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, human immunodeficiency virus 1 infection, MAPK signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, etc. In addition, molecular docking results from the CB-Dock server indicated that active compounds of AAEO had good activity docking with the first 10 key targets. In conclusion, the potential targets and regulatory molecular mechanisms of AAEO in the treatment of PIs were analyzed by network pharmacology and molecular docking. AAEO can cure PIs through the synergistic effect of multicomponent, multitarget, and multipathway, providing a theoretical basis and new direction for further study.
An Incentive Mechanism for Computation Offloading in Satellite-Terrestrial Internet of Vehicles
Authors: Zhang Xingyu , Zhang Heyang , Dai Sida , Liu Yang
Published: January 2022

With the development of satellite-terrestrial technology and the popularity of the Internet of Vehicles, how to improve the efficiency of mobile cloud computing (MCC) has become the next concern. However, the resource of cloudlets is not sufficient to perform large-scale computation tasks, or some applications designed to run on vehicles have more efficiency executed on vehicles than executed on cloudlets. Additionally, it is still challenging for platforms to motivate mobile vehicle owners to join in the process while the existing mechanisms cannot provide all the desired properties in cloudlet scenarios. To this end, we design a satellite-terrestrial IoV based on an incentive mechanism for computation offloading (IMCO) in mobile edge computing to motivate vehicle owners to perform computation offloading tasks so as to offload certain kinds of tasks to the mobile vehicles. By optimizing the MCC model, we integrate auction theory into the mechanism to ensure individual rationality, budget balance, system efficiency, and truthfulness for both sellers and buyers. Through rigorous theoretical analysis, we prove that our mechanism can achieve computational efficiency under the condition that all algorithm outputs be computed in polynomial time. Both theoretical derivations and numerical calculations prove that all the desired properties of the mechanism hold.
Tamarindus indica Seed Extract-Based Botanical Compositions Alleviate Knee Pain and Improve Joint Function in Mild-to-Moderate Osteoarthritis: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study
Authors: Kare Sanjeev Kumar , Vinay Vineet , Maresz Katarzyna , Prisk Victor , Vik Hogne
Published: January 2022

Objective. Knee pain and reduced joint function affect the quality of life of subjects suffering from knee osteoarthritis (KOA). The present randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study aimed to assess the clinical efficacy of two botanical compositions, NXT15906F6 and NXT19185, in pain relief and improvement in the musculoskeletal function of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) subjects. NXT15906F6 contains ethanol/aqueous extract of Tamarindus indica seeds and aqueous ethanol extract of Curcuma longa rhizome, and NXT19185 is a combination of NXT15906F6 and an aqueous ethanol extract of Garcinia mangostana fruit rind. Methods. The present trial recruited ninety subjects with mild-to-moderate KOA, using a radiographic Kellgren–Lawrence (KL) grading system. The participants were randomized into one of three groups (n = 30) to receive either placebo, NXT15906F6 (250 mg/day), or NXT19185 (300 mg/day) for 56 days. The change in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) score was the primary efficacy measure of the study. Improvements in the functional scores, serum proinflammatory modulators, and cartilage degradation product in the urine samples were the secondary efficacy measures. Twenty-seven subjects in each group completed the trial. Results. After the trial, NXT15906F6 and NXT19185 significantly improved

P
<
0.05

the WOMAC scores from baseline compared with placebo. In the subgroup analyses, the knee pain and functional scores were significantly improved in the KL-II and KL-III grade KOA subjects. At the end of the study, the NXT15906F6- and NXT19185-supplemented participants showed significant

P
<
0.05

improvement in the functional scores, inflammatory status, and collagen breakdown product in the urine samples. Summary. The present study demonstrates that NXT15906F6 and NXT19185 supplementations reduce knee pain and improve the musculoskeletal function of KOA subjects. Moreover, these herbal compositions helped reduce inflammation and inflammation-induced cartilage degeneration in the participants. NXT15906F6 and NXT19185 supplementations are further documented to be tolerable and safe to the participants.
GPR30 Activation Promotes the Progression of Gastric Cancer and Plays a Significant Role in the Anti-GC Effect of Huaier
Authors: Wang Xiao-feng , Hu Can , Mo Shao-Wei , Xu Jing-Li , Liu Yan , Xu Han-dong , Yuan Li , Huang Ling , Yu Jian-fa , Cheng Xiang-Dong , Xu Zhi-yuan
Published: January 2022

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common types of cancer. The n-butanol extract of Huaier (NEH) is the alcohol-soluble part extracted by the systematic solvent method, which is effective against gastric cancer (GC). However, the mechanism of action of NEH remains unclear. In this study, we aim to evaluate the clinical relevance of GPR30 expression in GC patients and the role of the GPR30/PI3K/AKT signalling pathway in the anti-GC effect of NEH. The expression of GPR30 was examined using immunohistochemistry. Cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) assay, wound healing, and transwell experiments were used to investigate the viability, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of GPR30 and its downstream signalling molecules of the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. Gastric cancer patient-derived xenografts (PDX) mouse model was used to evaluate the antitumor effect of NEH in vivo. In addition, the graded doses and the maximum tolerated dose of NEH were administered intraperitoneally into the mice for acute toxicity test. We demonstrate that GPR30 expression in GC tissues was significantly higher than that in corresponding adjacent noncancerous tissues and the expression of GPR30 was correlated with a poor prognosis in GC patients. Moreover, GPR30 expression was involved in the migration and invasion of GC cells in vitro. Additionally, we found that NEH can suppress the growth of GC in patient-derived xenograft tumors in vivo. Furthermore, NEH inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion in GC cells in a concentration-dependent manner through inhibiting the GPR30-mediated PI3K/AKT signalling pathway in vitro. Acute toxicity test showed that NEH caused no toxic reaction or death and the maximum tolerated dose of NEH in mice was greater than 1600 mg/kg. Our results demonstrate that the high expression of GPR30 is an independent factor of poor prognosis in patients with GC and NEH could be a new agent for the treatment of gastric cancer.
Nutraceutical Profiling, Bioactive Composition, and Biological Applications of Lepidium sativum L.
Authors: Painuli Sakshi , Quispe Cristina , Herrera-Bravo Jesús , Semwal Prabhakar , Martorell Miquel , Almarhoon Zainab M. , Seilkhan Ainur , Ydyrys Alibek , Rad Javad Sharifi , Alshehri Mohammed M. , Daştan Sevgi Durna , Taheri Yasaman , Calina Daniela , Cho William C.
Published: January 2022

The roots, leaves, and seeds of Lepidium sativum L., popularly known as Garden cress in different regions, have high economic importance; although, the crop is particularly cultivated for the seeds. In traditional medicine, this plant has been reported to possess various biological activities. This review is aimed at providing updated and critical scientific information about the traditional, nutritional, phytochemical, and biological activities of L. sativum. In addition, the geographic distribution is also reviewed. The comprehensive literature search was carried out with the help of different search engines PubMed, Web of Science, and Science Direct. This review highlighted the importance of L. sativum as an edible herb that possesses a wide range of therapeutic properties along with high nutritional values. Preclinical studies (in vitro and in vivo) displayed anticancer, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, hypoglycemic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, gastrointestinal, and fracture/bone healing activities of L. sativum and support the clinical importance of plant-derived bioactive compounds for the treatment of different diseases. Screening of literature revealed that L. sativum species and their bioactive compounds may be a significant source for new drug compounds and also could be used against malnutrition. Further clinical trials are needed to effectively assess the actual potential of the species and its bioactive compounds.