bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metaphor comprehension and production in verbally able children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Lampri Stella , Peristeri Eleni , Marinis Theodoros , Andreou Maria
Published: August 2024

Research in the field of figurative language processing in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has demonstrated that autistic individuals experience systematic difficulties in the comprehension of different types of metaphors. However, there is scarce evidence regarding metaphor production skills in ASD. Importantly, the exact source of metaphor processing difficulties in ASD remains largely controversial. The debate has mainly focused on the mediating role of structural language skills (i.e., lexical knowledge) and cognitive abilities (i.e., Theory of Mind and executive functions) in ASD individuals' ability to comprehend and generate metaphors. The present study examines metaphor comprehension and production in 18 Greek‐speaking verbally able children with ASD and 31 typically‐developing (TD) controls. Participants completed two tasks, namely, a low‐verbal multiple‐choice sentence‐picture matching task that tested their ability to comprehend conventional predicate metaphors, and a sentence continuation task that assessed their ability to generate metaphors. The study also included measures of fluid intelligence, expressive vocabulary, and working memory within the sample. The results show that the ASD group had significantly lower performance than the TD group in both metaphor comprehension and production. The findings also reveal that expressive vocabulary skills were a key factor in the metaphor comprehension and production performance of the children with ASD. Working memory capacity was also found to correlate significantly with metaphor comprehension performance in the ASD group. Conversely, no correlations were found in the TD group with neither of the above factors. Of note, children with ASD generated significantly more inappropriate responses and no‐responses to the metaphor production task compared with the control group. The overall results reveal that children with ASD had difficulty with both comprehending and using metaphorical language. The findings also indicate that TD children may employ diverse cognitive strategies or rely on different underlying skills when processing metaphors compared with children with ASD.
Adaptive Multiple Comparisons With the Best
Authors: Chen Haoyu , Brannath Werner , Futschik Andreas
Published: August 2024

Subset selection methods aim to choose a nonempty subset of populations including a best population with some prespecified probability. An example application involves location parameters that quantify yields in agriculture to select the best wheat variety. This is quite different from variable selection problems, for instance, in regression.

Unfortunately, subset selection methods can become very conservative when the parameter configuration is not least favorable. This will lead to a selection of many non‐best populations, making the set of selected populations less informative. To solve this issue, we propose less conservative adaptive approaches based on estimating the number of best populations. We also discuss variants of our adaptive approaches that are applicable when the sample sizes and/or variances differ between populations. Using simulations, we show that our methods yield a desirable performance. As an illustration of potential gains, we apply them to two real datasets, one on the yield of wheat varieties and the other obtained via genome sequencing of repeated samples.
Biosensor‐based active ingredient recognition system for screening potential small molecular Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 entry blockers targeting the spike protein from Rugosa rose
Authors: Yu Wei , Yi Sheng‐Zhe , Jiang Cheng‐Yu , Guan Jia‐Wei , Xue Rui , Zhang Xu‐Xuan , Zeng Tao , Tang Hui , Chen Wen , Han Bo
Published: August 2024

The traditional formulation Hanchuan zupa granules (HCZPs) have been widely used for controlling coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). However, its active components remain unknown. Here, HCZP components targeting the spike receptor‐binding domain (S‐RBD) of SARS‐CoV‐2 were investigated using a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor‐based active ingredient recognition system (SPR‐AIRS). Recombinant S‐RBD proteins were immobilized on the SPR chip by amine coupling for the prescreening of nine HCZP medicinal herbs. Ultra‐performance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS/MS) identified gallic acid (GA) and methyl gallate (MG) from Rosa rugosa as S‐RBD ligands, with KD values of 2.69 and 0.95 μM, respectively, as shown by SPR. Molecular dynamics indicated that GA formed hydrogen bonds with G496, N501, and Y505 of S‐RBD, and MG with G496 and Y505, inhibiting S‐RBD binding to angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). SPR‐based competition analysis verified that both compounds blocked S‐RBD and ACE2 binding, and SPR demonstrated that GA and MG bound to ACE2 (KD = 5.10 and 4.05 μM, respectively), suggesting that they blocked the receptor and neutralized SARS‐CoV‐2. Infection with SARS‐CoV‐2 pseudovirus showed that GA and MG suppressed viral entry into 293T‐ACE2 cells. These S‐RBD inhibitors have potential for drug design, while the findings provide a reference on HCZP composition and its use for treating COVID‐19.
Novel machine‐learning prediction tools for overall survival of patients with chondrosarcoma: Based on recursive partitioning analysis
Authors: Yang Xiong‐Gang , Yang Shan‐Shan , Bao Yi , Wang Qi‐Yang , Peng Zhi , Lu Sheng
Published: August 2024

Background

Chondrosarcoma (CHS), a bone malignancy, poses a significant challenge due to its heterogeneous nature and resistance to conventional treatments. There is a clear need for advanced prognostic instruments that can integrate multiple prognostic factors to deliver personalized survival predictions for individual patients. This study aimed to develop a novel prediction tool based on recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) to improve the estimation of overall survival for patients with CHS.

Methods

Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were analyzed, including demographic, clinical, and treatment details of patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2018. Using C5.0 algorithm, decision trees were created to predict survival probabilities at 12, 24, 60, and 120 months. The performance of the models was assessed through confusion scatter plot, accuracy rate, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve, and area under ROC curve (AUC).

Results

The study identified tumor histology, surgery, age, visceral (brain/liver/lung) metastasis, chemotherapy, tumor grade, and sex as critical predictors. Decision trees revealed distinct patterns for survival prediction at each time point. The models showed high accuracy (82.40%–89.09% in training group, and 82.16%–88.74% in test group) and discriminatory power (AUC: 0.806–0.894 in training group, and 0.808–0.882 in test group) in both training and testing datasets. An interactive web‐based shiny APP (URL: https://yangxg1209.shinyapps.io/chondrosarcoma_survival_prediction/) was developed, simplifying the survival prediction process for clinicians.

Conclusions

This study successfully employed RPA to develop a user‐friendly tool for personalized survival predictions in CHS. The decision tree models demonstrated robust predictive capabilities, with the interactive application facilitating clinical decision‐making. Future prospective studies are recommended to validate these findings and further refine the predictive model.
Structure‐Activity Relationship of Hydrazinylthiazole‐5‐Carbaldehydes as Potential Anti‐Diabetic Agents
Authors: Siddique choudhry Sabah , Mehmood Hasnain , Haroon Muhammad , Akhtar Tashfeen , Tahir Ehsaan , Ehsan Muhammad , Musa Mustapha
Published: August 2024

Diabetes is an emerging threat to the world due to large number of deaths reported within the last decade. To overcome its spread and complications, herein, we reported synthesis and anti‐diabetic potential of twelve novel 2‐[(arylidenyl)methylidene]hydrazinyl‐1,3‐thiazole‐5‐carbaldehydes (3 a–l). All compounds have shown good to excellent α‐amylase inhibitory activity, among them ortho substituted analogues, the compound 3 a (IC50=14.6 mM) and 3 l (IC50=17.9 mM) showed excellent inhibition potential due to the strong electron donating nature of the substituents attached at the aryl ring. The compounds 3 a–3 h (IC50=6.70–10.80 ppm) exhibited excellent anti‐glycation potential as compared to standard amino‐guanidine (IC50=11.92 ppm). Almost all the tested compounds are found biocompatible and very safe to the human erythrocyte cells at all tested concentrations. The molecular docking results have found that the binding energy score of all the tested compounds against human serum albumin protein (pdb: 1AO6) is between −5.1827 and −6.8661 kcal/mol which is far better than standard amino‐guanidine (−4.234 kcal/mol).
Synthesis and Anti‐Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity of Pterostilbene Derivatives
Authors: Zhang Xingxing , Li Bin , Liu Xiaohan , Chen Liuzeng , Ruan Banfeng , Xia Chun
Published: August 2024

The aberrant activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes is intricately linked to various inflammatory diseases. In this study, we present the discovery and optimization of a series of NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors based on the pterostilbene skeleton. All compounds underwent screening to evaluate their inhibitory effects on LPS/Nigericin‐induced IL‐1β secretion and anti‐cellular pyroptosis. Most compounds exhibit good biological activity and cellular safety, with compound D20 showing the most prominent activity. Preliminary mechanism studies suggest that compound D20 may affect the assembly of NLRP3 inflammasomes by targeting the NLRP3 protein, thereby inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes. The in vivo anti‐inflammatory activity demonstrated significant therapeutic effect of compound D20 on DSS‐induced acute colitis model in mice. This work has important reference significance for the development of drugs targeting NLRP3 inflammasomes.
Parkinsonism as an initial presentation of Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease: A case report and review of literature
Authors: Bahrami Sahar Nikkhah , Karimi Asal Sadat , Khosravi Sepehr , Almasi‐Dooghaee Mostafa
Published: August 2024

Key Clinical Message

Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease (CJD) is a rapidly progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disorder. This case highlights parkinsonism as a rare initial manifestation of sporadic CJD (sCJD), emphasizing the need for heightened clinical awareness to prevent misdiagnosis. Early and accurate diagnosis of sCJD is crucial for preventing potential iatrogenic transmission and optimizing patient management.

Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease (CJD) is a fatal neurodegenerative illness. While movement disorders may be present at the onset of the disease in about half of those with sporadic CJD (sCJD), parkinsonism is a rare initial presentation. In this article, we report a case of CJD with parkinsonism as the initial presentation of the disease. We report a 69‐year‐old lady with initial symptoms of gait difficulty, tremor, and bradykinesia. Later, she developed cognitive impairment, ataxia, chin tremor, and myoclonic jerks. Her condition worsened to the point of akinetic mutism. She was diagnosed with probable sCJD after detecting protein 14‐3‐3 in her cerebrospinal fluid and observing typical imaging features.This case report illustrates important aspects of an inevitably fatal and rapidly progressing disease's early presentation and clinical features. The uncommon initial presentations of sCJD should be considered with the intent of preventing misdiagnosis in the future. Early diagnosis of sCJD can prevent possible iatrogenic disease transmission and improve patient care.
Spindle epithelial tumor with thymus‐like element (SETTLE)—Report of a rare thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Bernardo Patrícia , Messias Henrique , Nogueira Ricardo , Lopes Brazão , Gomes Pedro
Published: August 2024

Key Clinical Message

Spindle epithelial tumor with thymus‐like element should be included in the differential diagnosis of thyroid gland cancers, particularly in medullary carcinoma, younger patients and indolent clinical presentation, because it may influence treatment and prognosis.
A case of COVID‐19‐associated C‐ANCA vasculitis, was successfully treated with rituximab therapy
Authors: Filoramo Michael , Contractor Renish , Chandramohan Deepak , Singh Prabhat , Jena Nihar , Simhadri Prathap Kumar
Published: August 2024

Key Clinical Message

Both C‐anti‐neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) and P‐ANCA vasculitis were reported to be associated with COVID‐19 infection. The ideal management of COVID‐19‐associated ANCA vasculitis is unclear, as the experiences were limited to case reports. We presented a case of COVID‐19‐associated C‐ANCA vasculitis, successfully treated with steroids and rituximab therapy without any significant adverse reactions.
Solar‐Assisted CO2 Methanation via Photocatalytic Sabatier Reaction by Calcined Titanium‐based Organic Framework Supported RuOx Nanoparticles
Authors: Rueda‐Navarro Celia M. , González‐Fernández Marta , Cabrero‐Antonino María , Dhakshinamoorthy Amarajothi , Ferrer Belén , Baldoví Herme G. , Navalón Sergio
Published: August 2024

CO2 reduction by sunlight under mild reaction conditions is a research area of increasing interest expected to favor decarbonization and produce fuels and chemicals in the circular economy. We hereby report on the development of a series of titanium oxide‐based solids produced by calcination of MIL‐125(Ti)‐NH2 decorated with RuOx nanoparticles (1 wt %) material at temperatures from 350 to 650 °C and used as photocatalysts for CO2 methanation under simulated sunlight irradiation (45 mW/cm2) at <200 °C and 1.5 atm total pressure. The material synthesized at 350 °C produced the highest photoactivity of the series (4.73 mmol g−1 CH4 at 22 h and an apparent quantum yield at 400, 500 and 750 nm of 0.76, 0.65 and 0.54 %, respectively), comparing favorably with the activities of other MOF‐based materials reported so far. Insights into the material's photocatalytic performance and a study of the possible reaction pathways during CO2 methanation were obtained by electrochemical impedance, electron spin resonance, photoluminescence and in situ FT‐IR spectroscopies together with transient photocurrent and hydrogen temperature programed desorption measurements. The study showed the possibility of using MOF‐based materials as precursors to develop metal oxide photocatalysts with enhanced activities for solar‐driven gaseous CO2 photomethanation.
A historical assessment of the number of days required to plant the Arkansas soybean crop
Authors: Badarch Bayarbat , Watkins K. Bradley , Griffin Terry
Published: August 2024

The primary objective of this paper is to quantitatively analyze the number of acres planted per suitable fieldwork day and the total number of fieldwork days available for the complete planting of soybeans (Glycine max L.) in Arkansas. Total days to plant soybeans in each spring from 1980 to 2023 averaged about 33 days, indicating that roughly 33 days are expected, on average, from the month of April to May based on USDA‐NASS weekly crop progress and condition data. Furthermore, the average soybean planted acres is estimated at 106,736 acres per day within the study period. Recently, variations in this range appear more pronounced, likely due to the significant impact of extreme spring weather conditions. However, technological advancements have enabled soybean producers to plant crops as early as the first half of March or as late as June, contributing to the increased variability observed from year to year in recent times. Furthermore, Arkansas's optimal soybean planting window typically provides an average of 4.7 fieldwork days per week. These quantified estimates offer historical data on Arkansas's soybean planting performance and will prove highly valuable for informing future soybean planting strategies.
Photo‐/Electrocatalytic Difunctionalization of Alkenes Enabled by C−H Radical Functionalization
Authors: Zhou Zi‐Long , Zhang Yin , Cui Pei‐Zhe , Li Jin‐Heng
Published: August 2024

The difunctionalization of alkenes represents a powerful tool to incorporate two functional groups into the alkene bones for increasing molecular complexity and has been widely utilizations in chemical synthesis. Upon the catalysis of the green, sustainable, mild photo‐/electrochemistry technologies, much attentions have been attracted to the development of new tactics for the transformations of the important alkene and alkane feedstocks driven by C−H radical functionalization. Herein, we summarize recent advances in the photo‐/electrocatalytic difunctionalization of alkenes enabled by C−H radical functionalization. We detailedly discuss the substrate scope and the mechanisms of the photo‐/electrocatalytic alkene difunctionalization reactions by selecting impressive synthetic examples, which are divided into four sections based on the final terminated step, including oxidative radical‐polar crossover coupling, reductive radical‐polar crossover coupling, radical‐radical coupling, and transition‐metal‐catalyzed coupling.
One‐Pot Synthesis of 1, 2‐Dihydro [1,2,4] Triazinium Salt by Copper‐Assisted Unprecedented Cyclization Reaction: Applications in DNA and Protein Interaction Studies
Authors: Maji Ankur , Yadav Aditya , Sharma Shubham , Saini Rajat , Singh Anshu , Mohanty Aurobinda , Nandi Chayan K. , Ghosh Kaushik
Published: August 2024

Copper catalyzed intramolecular annulation of 2‐((2‐benzylidene‐1‐phenylhydrazineyl)methyl)pyridine derivatives was described. It was found that Cu(II) is reduced under the reaction condition to Cu(I). Synthesized 1,2‐dihydro [1,2,4] triazinium salt showed fluorescence activity in the solid state. On treating with base, an instant increase in fluorescence was observed. A detailed physicochemical assessment underscored the robust DNA‐binding capabilities of the [1,2,4]triazinium cationic species (C1–C3) via intercalative mechanisms. Notably, binding assays with BSA accentuated the heightened nucleic acid affinity of these cationic species.
Tax avoidance and sustainability reporting: Alignment or greenwashing strategy?
Authors: Nasih Mohammad , Harymawan Iman , Abdul Rasid Siti Zaleha , Putra Fajar Kristanto Gautama
Published: August 2024

This study examines the relationship between sustainability reporting and tax avoidance, distinguishing genuine alignment with environmental and social commitments from greenwashing strategies. We also examine the impact of tax amnesty programs on these reporting motives. Using Indonesian nonfinancial listed firms in the 2010–2018 period, this study reveals that these firms employ sustainability reporting as a means of impression management to conceal their tax avoidance practices. Moreover, we document a negative relationship between sustainability reporting and tax avoidance when the firms participate in the tax amnesty program. Our findings are robust, and we provide several additional analyses to expand our contribution. Lastly, our study is believed to be one of the few that focuses on providing empirical evidence on how sustainability reporting is utilized as a “smokescreen” of tax avoidances.
Selective Lithium Recovery from Spent Lithium Manganate Batteries Using Oxidative Stabilization Technique
Authors: Yan Yong , Zhang Ming , Zhang Zhi‐Jie , Ma Shan , Chen Min , Zhou Dan , Sun Lei , Cheng Haibin , Chen Zhi , Tang Cong‐Ming , Xu Jun‐Qiang
Published: August 2024

Using oxidizing compounds to handle the recycling of discarded lithium batteries has advanced significantly in recent years. One of the most prominent methods is the sintered electrode powder treatment using pre‐used additives, with an aqueous solution of the oxidizing agent fueling highly selective lithium extraction and transition metals retention in the refractory material. Herein, phosphoric acid (H3PO4) was used as the exchanger and hydrogen ions provider, the oxidant (K2S2O8) activity was driven by heating, the raw material structure was deformed and adjusted by the oxidizing drive, and lithium was exhausted, while manganese was converted into manganese(III) phosphate hydrate and manganese dioxide insoluble material. The optimized conditions resulted in a lithium leaching rate of 94.16 % and a separation factor of 95.74 %, while the corresponding manganese leaching rate was limited to less than 5 %. The X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry measurements were used to investigate the influence of oxidation driving force and lithium leaching. Finally, the lithium leach solution was continuously stirred with sodium carbonate in boiling water to obtain the precipitate, which was separated and washed several times to obtain high‐purity lithium carbonate.
Aperture coupled elliptic patch nanoantenna for low‐cost interchip/intrachip optical‐wireless communication
Authors: Sangeeta Tulasi Ramachandran , Samuvel Deny John
Published: August 2024

This research proposes a novel low‐cost aperture coupled elliptic patch nanoantenna which works best when it has a stable radiation pattern and good gain. On the upper portion of the substratum, a cross‐shaped hole was additionally engraved from a metallic strip with a silver composition. Elliptical‐shaped silicon material is employed as a patch in this antenna design which is made on a substrate made of inexpensive glass epoxy. The silver substance makes up the nanometallic strip line at the substrate's base. A cross‐shaped hole has also been etched from a metallic strip with a silver composition on the upper section of the substrate. As the foam substrate to be used in between the feed and antenna substrates, Rohacell was adopted. A proposed simple cross‐shaped aperture enhanced the bandwidth of the planned antenna without degrading its radiation performance and is loaded on a proximity‐linked elliptical microstrip antenna. To achieve the highest coupling, the lowest back radiation, the least amount of spurious radiation, and good efficiency, the patch and feed line are positioned in the middle, at a right angle over the slot. The proposed antenna was simulated in HFSS, and optimum results were observed from the output. The results were evaluated based on radiation pattern, return loss, smith chart, radiation efficiency, and 3D polar plot for 300, 500, and 800 THz frequencies. Also, the impedance bandwidth, gain, and a number of bands were compared with other conventional methods and our proposed method proved to outperform the existing method in all aspects.
Interobserver Variability in HER‐2 Immunostaining Interpretation of Metastatic HER2 Low Breast Cancers in Cytology Specimens
Authors: Desai Niyati , Connelly Courtney F. , Sung Simon , Cimic Adela , Baskota Swikrity U.
Published: August 2024

Background

Approximately, 55% of breast carcinomas are reported to be HER‐2 low breast carcinomas. Trastuzumab‐Deruxtecan is a new FDA‐approved targeted therapy for HER‐2 low metastatic breast carcinomas, making it essential that all efforts are made to identify these tumors in specimens submitted for pathologic examination. Cytology specimens are often the first and only modality of this assessment due to the ease of specimen procurement. This study aimed to determine the variability in HER‐2 immunostaining interpretation among observers using cytologic specimens from metastatic sites.

Design

A pathology database search was made to identify metastatic breast carcinoma reported in cytology specimens. A manual search was then done to identify cases of HER‐2 low category, H&E cell block and HER‐2 neu immunostain slides were retrieved for a total of 50 cases. Reviewer #1 and #2 independently interpreted HER‐2 immunostain of all 50 cases. Only discordant cases were sent for reviewer‐3 interpretation. All three were blinded by the metastatic site, and original HER‐2 interpretation.

Results

Of 50 cases, 11 cases (22%) were reported as concordant scores between reviewer #1 and reviewer #2 but had a discordant original IHC report. Additionally, 4 cases (8%) had discordant reporting of HER2 IHC stain between reviewer #1 and reviewer #2 making a total of 15 cases (30%) with overall discordant results.

Conclusion

This study highlights the interobserver variability of HER‐2 immunostain interpretation for HER‐2 low category of breast carcinomas. We recommend the need for more robust laboratory techniques including molecular for uniform identification of these unique targetable metastatic breast carcinoma groups.
Variation in plant functional traits explains the substitution distribution and allocation strategy of Stipa species across natural grasslands of Ningxia, Northern China
Authors: Yang Jun , Li Xiaowei , Yang Junlong , Yu Shuang , Zhang Hongmei , Yang Bo
Published: August 2024

Functional traits reflect plants' adaptability to their environment, and environmental gradients influence their distribution. But few studies have investigated the link between these traits and species substitution patterns or the relevant ecological factors. We measured the aboveground (leaf) and belowground (root) functional traits of Stipa species in 17 plots across natural grasslands in Ningxia in Northern China. Redundancy analysis was used to explore the relationships between Stipa's functional traits and its species substitution distribution. Then, on the species substitution gradient, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to verify and quantify the leaf economic spectrum (LES), root economic spectrum (RES), and whole‐plant economic spectrum (WPES), with the relation between these spectra investigated by fitting standardized major axis regressions. The effects of aboveground, belowground, and whole‐plant ecological factors were quantified and ranked by variance decomposition and hierarchical partitioning. Our results showed that functional traits drive the substitution distribution of Stipa species, in being variously coupled with its desert, typical, and meadow steppe habitat types. The leaf, root, and whole‐plant economic spectra of Stipa species in desert steppe exhibit a “quick investment‐acquisition” strategy. In typical steppe, the leaf and whole‐plant economic spectra of Stipa species correspond to a “fast investment‐acquisition” strategy, whereas the root economic spectrum adopts a “slow investment‐acquisition” strategy. On meadow steppe, the leaf, root, and whole‐plant economic spectra of Stipa species similarly adopt a “slow investment‐acquisition” strategy. Finally, when considering the environmental factors involved, we find that the substitution distribution of Stipa spp. is chiefly a response to shifting soil patterns, these mainly driven by soil total nitrogen and nitrogen/phosphorus ratio. Collectively, these findings provide an important reference for the ecological restoration and reconstruction of grassland ecosystems, to better understand the relationship between plant functional traits and ecological niche attributes, and thus guide the reasonable restoration of grassland vegetation.
Seed‐Mediated Growth of a High‐Nuclearity Titanium‐Oxide Cluster with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activities in CO2/Epoxide Cycloaddition
Authors: Liu Caiyun , Liu Yanshu , Zhang Guanyun , Wang Dexin , Chen Guanjie , Gao Fangfang , Liu Linping , Tung Chen‐Ho , Wang Yifeng
Published: August 2024

A high‐nuclearity titanium‐oxide cluster (TOC), Ti31O52(OiPr)4Bz24 (denoted as Ti31; Bz=PhCO2), was synthesized via a seed‐mediated synthesis method during the solvothermal reaction of the super‐Keggin cluster Ti17O24(OiPr)20 (denoted as Ti17) and Ti(OiPr)4. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses indicate that Ti17 acts as a template for the addition of two Ti7O6 rings to form Ti31. The optical absorption edge of Ti31 slightly shifts to 446 nm, relative to the 419 nm absorption edge of Ti17. Ti31 has much better visible‐light response and charge‐separation properties than Ti17, as confirmed by electrochemical impedance, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and transient photocurrent response. Ti31 also shows much better activity and stability than Ti17 in the solar synthesis of cyclocarbonate through CO2/epoxide cycloaddition. This study not only provides a high‐nuclearity member of the TOC family, but also suggests a potential method to enhance the photocatalytic activity of the known TOCs for more efficient solar energy harvesting.
A brief history and future directions of dielectrophoretic filtration: A review
Authors: O'Donnell Mary Clare , Kepper Mariia , Pesch Georg R.
Published: August 2024

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is an electrokinetic effect first studied in the early 20th century. Since then, DEP has gained significant interest in research, owing to its ability to solve particle separation problems in various industries. Dielectrophoretic filtration (DEP filtration) is a separation method using DEP to filter a wide range of microparticles, from bacterial cells to catalytic particles. DEP filtration can selectively separate particles based on size or dielectric properties, recover trapped particles and avoid common problems associated with mechanical filtration based on pore size (e.g. pressure drops and regular filter replacements). This review describes the simple beginnings of DEP filtration and how our understanding and applications for DEP filtration have progressed over time. A brief section of DEP theory as well as a note on the general outlook for DEP filtration in the future is presented. DEP filtration offers an exciting opportunity to selectively separate diverse particle mixtures. To achieve such a feat, technical challenges such as Joule Heating and low throughputs must be addressed.
Food intake and eating behaviour during a real‐life Snack Scenario in childhood obesity—An experiment using a hidden camera
Authors: Mack Isabelle , Godwin Jessica , Klos Bea , Sauer Helene , Weiland Alisa , Horing Björn , Zipfel Stephan , Enck Paul , Mazurak Nazar
Published: August 2024

Objective

To compare food intake and eating behaviour in children and adolescents with obesity (OBE) undergoing weight loss intervention and normal weight (NW) in a real‐life Snack Scenario.

Methods

Sixty OBE were examined before (T0) and after weight loss (T1) and compared to a single measurement comparison group of 27 NW. Participants watched a 20‐min film and were encouraged to snack from a variety of foods ad libitum. Food intake was measured and eating behaviour assessed via a hidden camera and a validated questionnaire.

Results

The food and energy intake did not differ between NW (155 ± 83 g, 1067 ± 732 kJ) and OBE at T0 (144 ± 106 g, 1088 ± 883 kJ) but increased in OBE at T1 (187 ± 91 g, 1544 ± 845 kJ). Latency of food intake was significantly shorter in NW (0 m:07 s ± 0 m:08 s) compared to OBE (T0: 1 m:11 s ± 2 m:57 s). After weight loss, latency decreased in OBE (0 m:26 s ± 1 m:00 s). NW touched food more often (49 ± 24) than OBE (T0: 29 ± 23), but takes from plate were similar. The questionnaire revealed differences between OBE and NW, not correlating with Snack Scenario observations.

Conclusion

Eating behaviours differed in NW versus OBE at T0 but food intake was similar. Therefore, behaviour while eating may be an underestimated factor in the considerations for childhood obesity.

Clinical Trial Registration

German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) with the trial number DRKS00005122.
Macroeconomic real‐time forecasts of univariate models with flexible error structures
Authors: Trinh Kelly , Zhang Bo , Hou Chenghan
Published: August 2024

This paper investigates the importance of flexible error structure specifications in two widely used univariate models, namely, autoregressive and unobserved component models, in fitting and forecasting 20 significant US macroeconomic variables. The in‐sample estimation reveals that the models with flexible error structures provide better in‐sample fit than the univariate models with homoscedastic errors. Furthermore, the density forecast analysis suggests that accommodating heavy tail, stochastic volatility, and serial correlation in error structures leads to significant improvements in short‐term forecasts. For most macroeconomic variables, the univariate models tend to yield more accurate one‐step‐ahead forecasts than the multivariate (vector autoregressive) models in terms of both point and density forecasts.
Modeling the acceptance of vegetarian diets to promote sustainable food systems
Authors: Rajeh Caroline , Hunter Jean B. , Levitsky David A. , Zeineddine Myra , Kharroubi Samer A. , Olabi Ammar
Published: August 2024

With increasing concerns about health, animal welfare, and the environment, changes in dietary patterns are emerging, as evidenced by the gradual shift toward plant‐rich diets. To appropriately plan vegetarian meals with high consumer satisfaction that would help promote this dietary pattern and ultimately improve the sustainability of food systems, meal acceptability testing would be crucial. The present work aims to investigate the influence of individual food components' acceptability on the overall meal acceptability in vegetarian diets. Over four taste‐testing periods, 94 panelists of US nationality recruited from Cornell University staff (47 males and 47 females; 30–50 years of age) were asked to rate the acceptability of 41 vegetarian meals containing various food category items, including a main dish, side dish, appetizer, salad, soup, bread, dessert, beverage, and a control food. Each meal included six menu items to ensure the tested foods resembled a typical meal. Consequently, some meals lacked one or more of the nine total food categories. Participants were asked to rate the acceptability of the six meal items and the overall meal acceptability on a 9‐point hedonic scale. Multiple imputation was used to fill in any missing data, and multiple linear regression analysis was then performed. Through this study, a model that predicts the overall meal acceptability of vegetarian diets based on individual meal category components was developed with an R‐squared value of .7033, suggesting that around 70.33% of the variation in overall meal acceptability could be explained by the nine food category predictors. The findings also suggested that the most influential food item on overall meal acceptability was the main dish followed by the side dish. For every unit increase in the acceptability score of the main dish on a 9‐point hedonic scale, the overall meal acceptability increased by 0.324 points. The positive findings would be beneficial to food service providers in designing a vegetarian meal with high meal acceptability. By focusing on optimizing the acceptability of these two key categories, menu planners can effectively elevate customers' satisfaction of their meals.
Numerical simulation of CO2 geological sequestration and CO2‐ECBM in coal beds of Longtan Formation, Xiangzhong Depression, Hunan Province, China
Authors: Zou Mingjun , Ding Zibin , Cheng Yiyi , Yao Linlin , Sun Yue , Wang Keying
Published: August 2024

Geological sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) is an effective method to reduce greenhouse gases and an important technology for carbon neutralization. Among all geological sequestration sites, coal reservoirs are potentially effective and practicable. The Xiangzhong Depression of Hunan Province of China is selected as the research area, and the coal seam of Longtan Formation is the target reservoir in this paper. CO2‐enhanced coalbed methane (CO2‐ECBM) and CO2 sequestration capacity are both simulated according to the laboratory experiments on reservoir parameters. During simulation, four production wells and one injection well were designed, and the simulation process can be divided into two stages: CO2‐ECBM and CO2 geological storage. The CO2‐ECBM stage refers to CO2 injection for increasing methane production, and the CO2 geological storage stage aims to predict the CO2 sequestration capacity. After that, sensitivity analyses of sequestration effect are carried out. During the simulation, when maintaining a constant pressure injection of CO2 under the original conditions of 0.01 mD permeability, 9% porosity, and 1.47 MPa reservoir methane pressure, the total storage amount is only 0.14 × 106 m3. However, the storage amount increases significantly to 6.62 × 106 m3 if the permeability increases to 1.5 mD. Orthogonal simulation indicates that permeability has the greatest impact on CO2 sequestration. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Estimating the Prevalence of Dementia in New Zealand Using Capture‐Recapture Analysis on Routinely Collected Health Data
Authors: Ma'u E. , Cullum S. , Mukadam N. , Davis D. , Rivera‐Rodriguez C. , Cheung G.
Published: August 2024

Objectives

Community based dementia prevalence studies are expensive and resource intensive. Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) has never had a community based dementia prevalence study representing all major ethnic groups. In recent years, dementia prevalence estimates have been derived from routinely collected health data but issues of underdiagnosis and undercoding limit their utility. Capture‐recapture techniques can estimate the number of dementia cases missing from health datasets by modelling the ascertained overlaps between linked data sources.

Methods

Three routinely collected national health data sets—interRAI, Public hospital discharges, and Pharmaceuticals—were linked and all prevalent cases of dementia in NZ for the year 1 January 2021–31 December 2021 were identified. Capture‐recapture analysis fitted eight loglinear models to the data, with the best fitting model used to estimate the number of prevalent cases missing from all three datasets.

Results

We estimated that almost half (47.8%) of dementia cases are not present in any of the three datasets. Dementia prevalence increased from 3.7% to 7.1% (95% CI 6.9%–7.4%) in the NZ 60+ population and from 4.9% to 9.2% (95% CI 8.9%–9.6%) in the NZ 65+ population when missing cases were included. Estimates of missing cases were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in Māori (49.2%), Pacific peoples (50.6%) and Asian (59.6%) compared to Europeans (46.4%).

Conclusions

This study provides updated estimates of dementia prevalence in NZ and the proportion of undiagnosed dementia in NZ, highlighting the need for better access to dementia assessment and diagnosis.
Effects of rural hospital closures on nurse staffing levels and health care utilization at nearby hospitals
Authors: Dong Jing , Liu Siying , Covelli Asefeh Faraz , Cataife Guido
Published: August 2024

Our study examines the causal effect of rural hospital closures on nearby hospitals' nurse staffing levels and health care utilization. We use data from the 2014–2019 American Hospital Association Survey on nurse staffing level outcomes including licensed practical or vocational nurses (LPNs), registered nurses (RNs), and advanced practice nurses (APNs); and health care utilization outcomes, including inpatient and outpatient surgical operations and emergency department (ED) visits. Using propensity score matching and difference‐in‐differences (DID) methods, we find that rural hospital closures lead to an average increase of 37.3% in the number of nurses in nearby rural hospitals during the 4 years following the closure. This increase is found across all categories of nurses, including LPNs, RNs, and APNs. We also find a substantial increase in the provision of inpatient and outpatient surgical operations but there is no change in ED visits. We do not find any effects for nearby urban hospitals. Our study suggests that a large proportion of the nursing workforce relocates to nearby hospitals after a rural hospital closure, which mitigates the negative consequences of such closures and allows these nearby hospitals to provide a larger volume of highly profitable services.
Connectedness in exchange rates and news sentiment in the Asia‐Pacific region
Authors: Boonman Tjeerd M. , Fittje Jens C.
Published: August 2024

Exchange rate co‐movements can be pathways for contagion and reduce the ability for diversification. News sentiment on the currency, as a high frequency proxy for market expectations, may affect exchange rate dynamics. We use the connectedness approach from Diebold and Yilmaz (International Journal of Forecasting, 2012, 28(1), 57–66) to model co‐movements of exchange rate changes and news sentiment of 14 Asian‐Pacific currencies from 1998 to 2022. Our results indicate that the connectedness between the exchange rate changes increases over time, especially among advanced economies after the Global Financial Crisis. We do not find evidence that currency news sentiment can serve as an early warning indicator for exchange rate changes.
The HEADS‐ED under 6: Piloting a new communimetric mental health and developmental screening and triage tool for young children
Authors: Polihronis Christine , Cloutier Paula , Kempe Lori , Schryer Joel , Cappelli Mario
Published: August 2024

Communimetric screening tools help clinicians identify and communicate their patient's areas of need and the corresponding level of action. However, few tools exist to identify mental health (MH) and developmental needs in young children. We aimed to implement and evaluate a new communimetric MH and developmental screening tool for children under 6 (HEADS‐ED Under 6) in a community MH agency in Ontario, Canada. Using a prospective cohort design, we explored how intake workers used the HEADS‐ED Under 6 screening tool from November 2019 to March 2021. 94.5% of children (n = 535/566) were screened with the HEADS‐ED at intake. Total HEADS‐ED scores and domains were used to inform the intensity of recommended services. Three clinical domains (Eating & sleeping, Development, speech/language/motor, and Emotions & behaviors) also independently predicted a priority recommendation. The tool showed good concordance with the InterRAI Early Years for children under 4 years old. The HEADS‐ED Under 6 was a brief, easy, and valid screening tool, and can be used to identify important MH and developmental domains early, rate level of action/impairment, communicate severity of needs, and help determine intensity of service required.
Innovative resource allocation mechanism for optimizing 5G multi user‐massive multiple input multiple output system
Authors: Leela Rani P. , Devi N. , Guru Gokul AR.
Published: August 2024

5G networks are essential in all locations owing to the multitude of advantages they provide. As a result, the number of users has increased dramatically. Nevertheless, these users require a variety of resources in order to function efficiently. Deep learning techniques have been created to improve the precision and dependability of resource allocation in the context of 5G networks. This research utilizes an efficient recurrent neural network (ERNN) to handle resource allocation for 5G multiuser (MU)‐massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO). In order to optimize the objective functions, the first application of the multi‐objective differential evaluation algorithm (MODEA) is used. The neural network is provided with these updated goal functions in order to allocate resources. ERNN evaluates the level of need for each individual user. By partitioning the resource at this level, it maintains a high throughput while distributing it to each user. In addition, the fairness index of the resource distribution system based on neural networks is established. The suggested method achieves a data transfer rate of 290 bits per second (bps) and a fairness index of 0.97% when used by 50 users. The findings of the proposed method exhibit superior performance compared to other existing methods in the field of 5G massive MIMO.
Promoting the healing of infected diabetic wound by nanozyme‐containing hydrogel with anti‐bacterial inflammation suppressing, ROS‐scavenging and oxygen‐generating properties
Authors: Chen Le‐Ping , Wang Xin‐Yu , Ren Ming‐Jin , Wang Yuan , Zhao Jia‐Meng , Qiang Ti‐Ti , Dong Lin‐Yi , Wang Xian‐Hua
Published: August 2024

Bacterial infections already pose a significant threat to skin wounds, especially in diabetic patients who have difficulty healing wounds. However, wound or bacterial infections are known to produce excess reactive oxygen species (ROS), and hypoxia may further hinder wound healing and the development of chronic wounds. In this study, a multifunctional hydrogel for ROS scavenging and bacterial inhibition was developed by cross‐linking polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and sodium alginate (SA) with graphene oxide (GO) loaded with silver‐platinum hybrid nanoparticles (GO@Ag‐Pt). The PVA/SA hydrogel loaded with GO@Ag‐Pt exhibited the ability to scavenge different types of ROS, generate O2, and kill a broad spectrum of bacteria in vitro. The silver‐platinum hybrid nanoparticles significantly increased the antibacterial ability against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus compared with silver nanoparticles (AgNps). GO@Ag‐Pt loaded hydrogel was effective in treating infections caused by S.aureus, thereby significantly promoting wound healing during the inflammatory phase. Hydrogel therapy significantly reduced the level of ROS and alleviated inflammation levels. Notably, our ROS‐scavenging, antibacterial hydrogels can be used to effectively treat various types of wounds, including difficult‐to‐heal diabetic wounds with bacterial infections. Thus, this study proposes an effective strategy for various chronic wound healing based on ROS clearance and bacteriostatic hydrogels.
Perceptions of police as a moderator between negative experiences and mental health symptoms
Authors: Algrim Kaylise , Keita Mamadee , Herbert Christian , Moreno Franklin , Boxer Paul
Published: August 2024

Negative experiences with police present serious risks for mental health. However, interpretation plays a meaningful and little understood role in the effects of those experiences. This study expands on previous work exploring coping responses to negative police experiences and investigates the relation between negative experiences with police and mental health outcomes. Participants (N = 198) were from a diverse sample of young adults at a minority‐serving institution. Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, and Middle Eastern/North African participants reported significantly more negative police experiences than White and Asian/Asian American participants. Black/African American and Hispanic/Latinx also showed more negative perceptions of police. Negative police experiences were positively related to depression but not posttraumatic stress symptoms. There were also meaningful interactive effects between negative experiences and perceptions of police on levels of posttraumatic stress and depression, suggesting negative perceptions of police may buffer negative effects of negative police experiences. Our findings point to the importance of addressing negative encounters with police as mental health stressors, as well as effects of crucial differences in perceptions of police by race. This research contributes to a growing understanding of the complex nature and effects of experiences with police on mental health.