bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamic gas‐diffusion electrodes for oxygen electroreduction to hydrogen peroxide
Authors: Xia Baokai , Huang Qi , Wu Kaijie , Jiang Lili , Li Ming , Yu Licheng , Ding Shan , Nie Zhihao , Hua Dingyang , Duan Jingjing , Chen Sheng
Published: January 2023

Flow‐type electrolytic cell is a viable system for many electrochemical processes, in which gas‐diffusion electrode (GDE) plays a vital role in providing optimal reacting interfaces for improved performances. Different from traditional GDEs with fixed porosity, here we propose a new type of GDE that features flexible diffusion channels. Particularly, the GDE has been assembled by pairing PTFE substrate with Ag‐TCNQ/graphene hydrogels that can be further manipulated through capillary compression. With dynamic adjustment, the average pore size inside GDE ranges from 1750 to 125 nm, and the packing density varies from 56.81 to 446.07 mg cm−3. As a consequence, the as‐assembled flow‐type electrolytic cell can display excellent performances, with a yield rate of 5572 mmol gcat−1 h−1 and Faradic efficiency of 86.4% at 0.267 V (vs. RHE). In addition, a photovoltaic (PV)‐driven flow‐electrolytic system has been assembled that achieves a record solar‐to‐hydrogen peroxide efficiency of 14.8%.
Amide group enhanced self‐assembly and adsorption of thioether‐containing hydroxamic acid on cassiterite surface
Authors: Sun Qing , Dong Yan , Wang Shuai , Cao Zhanfang , Ma Xin , Zhong Hong
Published: January 2023

Modified surfactants can regulate their adsorption at the target surface and are essential for various separation applications such as froth flotation. Thioether‐containing hydroxamic acid (BTHA) is an excellent oxidized‐ore collector with poor dispersibility. Herein, acylamino, which possesses the ability to improve the surfactants' self‐assembly and dispersion, was introduced to synthesize N‐[6‐(hydroxyamino)‐6‐oxohexyl] benzylthioacetamide (BTAHA); thus, applying it to cassiterite flotation. Surface tension, adsorption capacity, in situ AFM, and surface energy results reveal BTAHA displays strong bubble stability and readily adsorbs onto the mineral's surface, promoting hydrophobic flotation. BTAHA is an effective cassiterite collector and has good separation effects on cassiterite against calcite. It can form Van der Waals forces and five‐membered hydroxamate‐(O,O)‐Sn rings with Sn atoms on cassiterite surfaces via thioether and hydroxamate groups. Meanwhile, the presence of intermolecular hydrogen bond between the amide groups facilitates the self‐assembly of the collectors on the cassiterite surface, and has broad industrial application prospects in various separation processes.
Disease Activity and Health‐Related Quality of Life Among Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis With Different Alcohol Consumption Habits
Authors: Alfredsson Lars , Klareskog Lars , Hedström Anna Karin
Published: January 2023

Objective

Multiple studies have found a relationship between alcohol consumption and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), although reverse causation has been suggested to explain the association. We aimed to study the relationship between alcohol consumption and disease activity, disease progression, and health‐related quality of life in patients with RA.

Methods

We followed up 1,228 patients with newly diagnosed RA from a population‐based case–control study, Epidemiological Investigation of Rheumatoid Arthritis (EIRA). Drinkers and non‐drinkers were compared to evaluate risk of unfavorable outcomes regarding disease activity and health‐related quality of life. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using logistic regression models.

Results

Non‐drinkers at baseline had higher disease activity and estimated their pain as more severe compared to drinkers. At 1 year of follow‐up, non‐drinkers reported higher swollen and tender joint counts and experienced more pain and fatigue, lower global health scores, and lower health‐related quality of life. The inverse relationship between alcohol consumption and RA‐specific outcomes was also observed when comparing drinkers and non‐drinkers who had not changed their alcohol consumption habits at or after the year of disease onset. Those who stopped drinking postbaseline experienced higher disease activity, more pain, and lower health‐related quality of life at 1 year of follow‐up, compared to drinkers, although there was no difference in disease activity at baseline between drinkers who continued versus discontinued drinking. Our findings argue against bias due to reverse causation.

Conclusion

Alcohol consumption was associated with lower disease activity and higher health‐related quality of life in RA patients in a dose‐dependent manner.
Statistical inference for strong gravitational lensing observations in the presence of dark matter
Authors: Negrete‐Serrato Jose Salvador , Ureña‐López Luis Arturo
Published: January 2023

We study the properties of strong lenses generated by dark matter galaxy halos in the Universe and the statistical inference process to understand the density profile of the lens. For that, we used mock data of strong gravitational lenses using the publicly available software paltas, which is a pipeline based on the well‐known package lenstronomy and written in Python. The deflectors are modeled according to the so‐called elliptical power law lens profile, and the background cosmology is assumed to be that of the standard cosmological model ΛCDM. The generated lensing observations include the contribution of dark matter substructure in the form of either subhalos or halos along the line of sight. In both cases, the underlying profile is the Navarro‐Frenk‐White one, which corresponds to the cold dark matter model. Performing a statistical inference process on these mock observations, our final objective is to identify the influence of the substructure on the inferred parameters that describe the lens profile.
Effects of soybean varieties on life‐cycle greenhouse gas emissions of biodiesel and renewable diesel
Authors: Li Yuan , Xu Hui , Northrup Daniel , Wang Michael
Published: January 2023

This study presents a life‐cycle analysis (LCA) of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of biodiesel (BD) and renewable diesel (RD) produced from soybean varieties with altered oil profiles and meal composition. The varieties evaluated include those with high oleic oil content (78% of oil being oleic oil vs. the current content of 25%), high lipid content (25% vs. the current content of 19%) or high protein content (45% vs. the current content of 35%). The results suggest that high‐oleic soybean oil could reduce GHG emissions of RD by 1 g CO2e/MJ by reducing hydrogen consumption in the hydro‐treating stage of RD production. With the default allocation method (mass‐based allocation between oil and meal), changes in lipid and protein contents have negligible impacts on GHG emissions of BD/RD pathways. Since high‐protein soybean meal has a higher nutrient value, we employed the market‐based allocation for sensitivity analysis. Assuming a market price of $1.17/dry kg and an average of two substitute feeds with similar protein contents (corn gluten and fish meal), the allocation factor for soybean meal increases from 63 to 81%. Compared with the results for the case with commodity soybean using mass allocation, GHG emissions could be 1.9 and 1.8 g CO2e/MJ lower for BD and RD, respectively. In addition to product‐level LCA, we employed a land‐based LCA to evaluate the effect of soybean properties on product slates with the same land area and the associated displacement of conventional products. The results suggest that high‐lipid soybeans may offer more GHG savings than other varieties as the higher BD/RD yield replaces more fossil diesel. © 2023 UChicago Argonne, LLC, Operator of Argonne National Laboratory and Northrup, Ag. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Discovery of novel 4‐methylpiperidinyl benzamide derivatives as 5‐HT4 receptor agonist for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders
Authors: Choi Sunho , Lee Min Jung , Ahn Kwang‐Hyun
Published: January 2023

Novel 4‐methypiperidinyl benzamide derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for in vitro and in vivo prokinetic activities. In these derivatives, 3‐methoxypiperidine moiety of norcisapride, a pharmacophore of cisapride and DA‐6650, were replaced to 4‐methylpiperidinyl moiety without chiral center. Among these derivatives, Compound 28b had a potent 5‐HT4 receptor‐binding affinity (IC50 = 0.067 μM) and improved safety profiles without inhibiting CYP3A4 (IC50 = 7.272 μM) and blocking human ether‐à‐go‐go‐related gene (hERG) channel (IC50 > 10 μM). In vivo rat models, Compound 28b enhanced gastric emptying rate (68.2%) and showed over twofold increased defecation weight compared to the control. Moreover, it showed the alleviation effect of visceral hypersensitivity in the irritation rat model. Thus, Compound 28b was selected preclinical candidate as a prokinetic agent with a favorable safety profile for treating gastrointestinal disorders.
Top advances of the year: Melanoma
Authors: Augustin Ryan C. , Luke Jason J.
Published: January 2023

This commentary highlights the key, recent advances made in the field of melanoma. Although significant gains have been made, particularly for resectable disease, ongoing challenges remain in the PD1‐refractory setting.
Throughput analysis in censoring‐based cooperative cognitive radio network with energy harvesting
Authors: Chandra Das Gopal , Saha Seemanti , Bhowmick Abhijit , Maity Santi P.
Published: January 2023

An energy harvesting (EH) and cooperative cognitive radio (CR) network (CRN) is studied in this paper where CR users transmit data through a primary user (PU) channel if the channel remains idle, else an optimal number CRs helps in transmission of PU. To achieve the optimum number of CRs (ONCR) involved in cooperation, a novel scheme based on a combination of channel censoring and total error is proposed. The performance of the proposed scheme is investigated under RF harvesting scenario. The EH is dependent on sensing decision and a CR source harvests energy from PU's RF signal. The harvested energy (HE) is split into two parts: One part is used by the CR network (CRN) for its own transmission, and the other part is used for supporting PU. The effect of the energy allocation factor on total throughput is also investigated. New expressions for optimal number of CRs and throughput are developed. The effect of network parameters such as sensing time, censoring threshold, and energy allocation parameter (EAP) on throughput is investigated. Impact of distance between nodes is also studied.
Superficial radiation therapy for nonmelanoma skin cancer: A review
Authors: Han Haowei , Gade Anita , Ceci Francesca M. , Lawson Alec , Auerbach Sloane , Nestor Mark S.
Published: January 2023

Background

The high prevalence of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) has become a global health‐care burden. Various modalities have been established to treat NMSC, with surgery being the mainstay approach. Superficial radiation therapy (SRT) has been in use for over a century to treat various conditions. Recent discussion among the dermatological community has promoted the use of SRT for the treatment of NMSC.

Materials and Methods

A literature search was conducted using electronic databases (Medline, Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, EBSCO) and textbooks, in addition to the authors' clinical experience with SRT.

Results

Multiple retrospective medical record reviews have deemed SRT to be highly effective and associated with minimal side effects. Moreover, SRT yields superior cosmetic results. Over the past decade, SRT has become a mainstay of dermatologist treatment of NMSC due to the new technological advances of the devices. These advances include improved controllability, precision in delivery, additional safety precautions, and have sparked a resurgence in research and clinical evidence on SRT. Most recent data have revealed that the NMSC cure rate is about 93%–100% with excellent 5‐year follow‐up data. Image‐guided SRT using ultrasound guidance may additionally improve cure rates in the future.

Conclusion

SRT has shown to be an effective option for NMSC. It can also be effectively used in the management of keloids. The limitations across most studies encompass localized patient selection and a predominance of retrospective reviews in the literature. Additional research is warranted to further support SRT's efficacy in clinical practice.
Nutrient loss to erosion responds to rain characteristics under transformed landscapes in the Río Grande basin, Colombian Andes
Authors: Suescún Diego , León Juan Diego , Villegas Juan Camilo , Correa‐Londoño Guillermo Antonio
Published: January 2023

The functioning of tropical montane ecosystems are key provider of environmental services. However, climate and land use change interactively affect the ecohydrological and biogeochemical processes that support the provision of such services. We evaluate the effect of land use/land coverand the seasonality and intensity of the rainfall on the ecological functions of erosion control and nutrient regulation in a gradient of human intervention in the Central Andes of Colombia. Our results show that soil erosion (kg/ha/year) was higher in the transitory crop (187.7), followed by the permanent crop (98.2), and much lower in the pasture (8.0) and native forest (7.2). Our results also indicate a differential effect of land use and rainfall seasonality on erosion and nutrient transport, both processes being significantly higher in crops and lower in forest, both for the wet and dry seasons. However, the relationships between erosion and rainfall intensity varied depending on the hydrological season (in the wet seasons, no linear model was significant, while in the dry seasons, linear models for maximum rainfall intensity were significant in both crops and in the oak forest, and linear models with mean intensity were significant for both types of crops). Nitrogen exhibited the highest rates of transport, which can have important implications for water and soil pollution. Nitrogen transport via erosion (g/ha/year) was consistent with erosion results, being higher in the transitory crop (399.9) and permanent crop (265.3) that in the oak forest (6.9) and pasture (6.8). These results indicate that converting forests affects the capacity of ecosystems to provide environmental services, which is further amplified by projections of climate change.
How accurately do adult patients report their absence seizures?
Authors: Pizarro Joao , O'Sullivan Suzanne , Walker Matthew C.
Published: January 2023

We depend upon self‐reporting to determine seizure frequency for epilepsy management decisions, but people often misreport their seizures. Here, we determined misreporting rates in adults with absence seizures, undergoing inpatient video‐EEG telemetry (VET) or outpatient ambulatory electroencephalography (aEEG). Under‐reporting rates were based on VET data, where behavior could be assessed, whilst over‐reporting was assessed using both VET and aEEG. Forty‐two patients (31 female and 11 males, median age 28.5 years) and 759 reported absence seizures were included in this study. Overall, only 24% of the 759 reported seizures had an associated EEG correlate, indicating a high over‐reporting rate, which occurred in 57% of patients. Age, sex, time of epilepsy, VET versus aEEG, epilepsy syndrome, or medication were not significant predictors of over‐reporting. In the VET group in which we could assess both over‐ and under‐reporting (22 patients), only 2 patients correctly reported their seizures, and patients were predominantly over‐reporters or under‐reporters, not both. Only 26% of 423 absence seizures were reported. Use of zonisamide or valproate was associated with under‐reporting, possibly through an impact on attention. These findings indicate that self‐reported absence seizures are a poor measure to use for treatment decisions due to both over‐ and under‐reporting.
Effect of spectrum measurement position on detection of Klason lignin content of snow pears by a portable NIR spectrometer
Authors: Wu Xin , Li Guanglin , Fu Xinglan , He Fengyun , Wu Weixin
Published: January 2023

Snow pears are an important and widespread agricultural product that can relieve respiratory symptoms, constipation, and alcoholism. Lignin content (LC) has a direct and negative role on the fruit texture and taste of snow pears. Here, we studied the effect on the near‐infrared (NIR) spectroscopy determination of the LC in snow pears due to the position at which spectral measurements were obtained. NIR diffuse reflection spectra were collected from nine measurement positions on each sample by a portable NIR spectrometer. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was used to develop spectrum compensation models of the LC for three local spectrum models, an average spectrum model, and a global spectrum model. The results indicated that the prediction accuracy of the LC was affected by the spectral measurement position. Compared with the local spectrum models and the global spectrum model, the average spectrum model had good prediction results. Next, synergy interval partial least squares, bootstrapping soft shrinkage, competitive adaptive reweighted sampling, genetic algorithm, and an improved variable stability and frequency analysis algorithm (VSFAA) method were used to select the most effective variables to build the PLSR model. The average spectrum calibration model established using the 10 effective variables selected by VSFAA reduced the influence of the variation of the spectral measurement position for LC prediction and achieved more promising results, with the correlation coefficient of calibration and prediction of 0.842 and 0.824, respectively. The root mean square error of cross‐validation and prediction were 0.736 and 0.694, respectively. The overall results showed that the average spectrum model based on the nine spectral measurement positions reduced the sensitivity to the variation of spectral measurement position for predicting the LC and combined the VSFAA variable selection algorithm to improve the accuracy and provide a robust model for prediction of LC in snow pears. Compared with the local spectrum position models and the global spectrum position model, the average spectrum position model combining the nine measurement positions (three stem‐calyx longitudes intersected three latitudes (stem, equator, calyx)) produced good prediction results and reduced the sensitivity to the variation of the spectral measurement position. The effective wavelengths (SNV‐VSFAA‐PLSR)‐average spectrum position model achieved good results, reducing the influence of the variation of the spectral measurement position for LC prediction, and the effective wavelengths selected from the average spectrum position model were helpful for offsetting the influence of the variation of spectral measurement position on the PLSR models based on the spectrum from the equatorial positions alone.
Nutritional qualities and antioxidant properties of ginger‐flavored biscuits developed from wheat, bambara groundnut, and plantain flour blends
Authors: Arogundade Toyin Joy , Oluwamukomi Matthew Olusola , Dada Mopelola Ajoke
Published: January 2023

Global research toward the utilization of spices in plant‐based foods for the management of diseases resulting from the generation of free radicals has been progressive drastically. Ginger contains bioactive compounds with anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Hence, the effect of ginger on nutritional and antioxidant properties of biscuits produced from wheat, bambara groundnut, and plantain was investigated. Bambara groundnut flour (BF) and unripe plantain flour (PF) were used to supplement wheat flour (WF) to produce flour blends that were flavored with 2.5% ginger powder (GP) to produce ginger‐flavored biscuits, whereas 100% WF biscuit served as the control. The protein content of the biscuits ranged from 8.07% to 10.30%, whereas calcium (33.01–42.33 mg/100 g) was the most abundant mineral element in the biscuits. Essential amino acids, in vitro protein, and starch digestibility of the biscuits ranged from 30.03 to 35.31 g/100 g protein, 67.95% to 69.36%, and 51.86% to 52.35%, respectively. Total phenol and total flavonoid contents of the biscuits ranged from 2.86 to 4.48 mg GAE/g and 1.65 to 2.87 mg QE/g, respectively. However, there was no significant difference (p ≥ .05) in the overall acceptability of the biscuits. The ginger‐flavored biscuits demonstrated higher antioxidant properties than the control biscuit. Nevertheless, BFB‐1 (biscuit produced from 54.74% WF:13.68% BF:31.58% PF:2.5% GP) had the highest total phenol content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant properties that could be attributed to its level of phenolic constituents. Hence, BFB‐1 could serve as a functional food for the management of oxidative stress‐related diseases.
Personality and contextual predictors of career advancement procrastination: An application of the social cognitive model of career self‐management
Authors: Zhu Lin , Hecht Tracy D. , Lefter Alexandru M. , Boies Kathleen
Published: January 2023

This research explored procrastination in the context of career self‐management, a construct that we refer to as career advancement procrastination (CAP). Drawing on the career self‐management model extension of social cognitive career theory, we hypothesized that personality traits (i.e., trait passive procrastination and trait active procrastination) and contextual factors (i.e., career resources and career barriers) have effects on passive CAP and active CAP via career self‐efficacy. Hypotheses were tested on a sample of employed Canadians in a two‐wave study (N = 201). As predicted, we found that trait passive procrastination was positively related to passive CAP, trait active procrastination was positively related to active CAP, and career barriers were related to both passive CAP and active CAP. We also found positive indirect effects of trait passive procrastination and career barriers, and negative indirect effects of career resources, on both passive CAP and active CAP via career self‐efficacy. Taken together, these findings suggest that companies can decrease CAP by helping employees curb their dispositional procrastination tendencies, as well as by reducing career barriers and increasing career resources, all of which should also aid in increasing employees' career self‐efficacy.
The role of immunotherapy and targeted therapy in the multimodal therapy for resectable lung cancer
Authors: Deboever Nathaniel , Eisenberg Michael , Chidi Alexis , Sepesi Boris
Published: January 2023

As the immunotherapeutic milieu in resectable nonsmall cell lung cancer continues to evolve, the field of thoracic oncology actively moves towards better patient selection based on biomarkers and oncogenic drivers. In this article, we review the current standard of oncologic care in this population and discuss the ongoing phase III clinical trials investigating the use of immunotherapy or targeted therapy in the perioperative period. We also discuss genotyping initiatives, biomarkers, and trial endpoints.
Prevalence, incidence and relative risk of cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults with atopic dermatitis: A systematic review
Authors: Thyssen Jacob P. , Ross Terres Jorge A. , Pierce Evangeline J. , Feely Meghan A. , Silverberg Jonathan I.
Published: January 2023

Atopic dermatitis (AD) has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). A better understanding of CVD risk factors in AD populations may help dermatologists better counsel their patients regarding potential risks and treatment choices. This systematic literature review evaluated the prevalence, absolute risk (i.e.,  incidence) and relative risk of CVD risk factors in adults with AD. MEDLINE, Embase and The Cochrane Library were searched for English‐language articles published between January 2005 and the search date (16–17 March 2021) using terms for AD, prevalence/risk and CVD risk factors. Observational studies that reported the prevalence, absolute risk and/or relative risk of CVD risk factors in adults with AD were eligible. Of the 1277 unique articles identified, 71 met the inclusion criteria. Most studies were cross‐sectional or retrospective cohort studies from Europe, North America or Asia; many used national databases. Studies were heterogeneous, with inconsistent definitions of AD and risk factors (especially smoking and obesity), different methodologies and different populations (e.g., ethnicity). Within most controlled studies, the prevalence of several risk factors, particularly obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia, was higher for AD than for controls. Where assessed, the prevalence of most CVD risk factors increased with increasing AD severity. Relative risks varied across studies. Only nine studies reported the temporal relationship between AD and CVD risk factors. Six studies reported absolute or relative risk of developing CVD risk factors (diabetes, hypertension and smoking) in AD populations; only one of these reported an elevated risk (hypertension). Despite the high number of studies to date, conclusive data regarding the relationship between AD and many CVD risk factors are lacking, and additional, carefully designed, prospective studies are required.

Video content can be heard at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jvc2.87

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Mechanistic understanding of diazotroph aggregation and sinking: “A rolling tank approach”
Authors: Ababou Fatima‐Ezzahra , Le Moigne Frédéric A. C. , Grosso Olivier , Guigue Catherine , Nunige Sandra , Camps Mercedes , Bonnet Sophie
Published: January 2023

Diazotrophs are ubiquitous in the surface (sub)tropical ocean, where they sustain most new primary production. Several recent studies also report the presence of diverse cyanobacterial diazotrophs in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic ocean, suggesting that they gravitationally sink, potentially supporting organic matter export and the biological carbon pump. Yet, the mechanisms leading to their export are not elucidated. Here, we simulated the sinking of diazotrophs in the water column by using rolling tanks, and measured the aggregation capacity and sinking velocities of four globally distributed strains having different sizes, shapes, and abilities to produce transparent exopolymer particles (TEP): two filamentous diazotrophs (Trichodesmium erythraeum, Calothrix sp.) and two unicellular cyanobacterial diazotrophs (UCYN‐B, Crocosphaera watsonii) and (UCYN‐C, Cyanothece sp.). All diazotrophs tested, regardless their size and shape, were capable of forming aggregates and sunk, albeit at different velocities depending on the aggregation capacity. Overall, UCYN formed aggregates as large as those formed by the filamentous diazotrophs (7000–32,014 μm ESD, equivalent spherical diameter), and sunk at 100–400 m d−1, i.e., at the same velocity as filamentous diazotrophs (92–400 m d−1). Although TEP are generally considered as enhancers of aggregation, TEP did not clearly influence aggregation rates nor sinking velocities during our study. We conclude that diazotrophs may be important contributors to carbon export in the ocean and need to be considered in future studies to improve the accuracy of current regional and global estimates of export.
Response of zooplankton to inputs of terrestrial dissolved organic matter: Food quality constraints induced by microbes
Authors: Tang Yali , Su Ling , Xu Ruohua , Wang Sirui , Su Yaling , Liu Zhengwen , Yu Jinlei , Dumont Henri J. , Jeppesen Erik
Published: January 2023

Terrestrial inputs of dissolved organic matter (DOM) stimulate microbial growth by supplying organic carbon and DOM‐associated nutrients, and thus increase food availability for zooplankton. Terrestrial inputs of DOM might decrease the content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in particular organic matter (POM) due to an increase in biomass of EPA‐poor microbes, for example, heterotrophic bacteria and autotrophic cyanobacteria, thereby reducing food quality and filter‐feeding zooplankton's biomass. We performed a 26‐d mesocosm experiment where terrestrial DOM was manipulated by adding (treatments) and kept without adding (controls) 13C‐labeled maize leachate to evaluate the effect of food quality changes induced by terrestrial DOM inputs on zooplankton. DOM addition treatments had significantly higher concentrations of POM and Chlorophyll a relative to controls, but significant lower EPA content of POM, responding to increased biomass of bacteria and chlorophytes. Biomass and EPA content of filter‐feeding cladoceran Chydorus sphaericus was significantly reduced by terrestrial DOM addition. Stable isotope analyses showed 13C enrichments in bacteria and cryptophytes in the treatment of 13C‐labeled maize leachate, indicating a growth stimulation of heterotrophic microbes by organic carbon addition. Although the 13C enrichment in Chydorus evidenced the extensive use of terrestrial DOM by this cladoceran, positive relationships between Chydorus biomass and EPA content of POM suggest that terrestrial DOM inputs increase food quality constrains on filter‐feeding zooplankton. Our study suggests that the response of filter‐feeding zooplankton to inputs of terrestrial DOM depends on how the terrestrial inputs change the microbial communities and thus the food quality in the receiving aquatic ecosystems.
Stabilization of distributed systems via bilinear boundary control
Authors: Benoudi Mustapha , Hassan Zerrik El , Larhrissi Rachid
Published: January 2023

In this paper, the focal point is to study the stabilization problem of distributed systems via bilinear boundary control. Hence, we give some sufficient conditions to ensure weak, strong, and exponential stabilization of the considered system. Finally, an example of application is devoted, and the attained results are illustrated through numerical simulations.
Potentiation of Lipotoxicity in Human EndoC‐βH1 β‐Cells by Glucose is Dependent on the Structure of Free Fatty Acids
Authors: von Hanstein Anna‐Sophie , Tsikas Dimitrios , Lenzen Sigurd , Jörns Anne , Plötz Thomas
Published: January 2023

Scope

Lipotoxicity is a significant element in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Since pro‐diabetic nutritional patterns are associated with hyperglycemia as well as hyperlipidemia, the study analyzes the effects of combining these lipid and carbohydrate components with a special focus on the structural fatty acid properties such as increasing chain length (C16–C20) and degree of saturation with regard to the role of glucolipotoxicity in human EndoC‐βH1 β‐cells.

Methods and results

β‐cell death induced by saturated FFAs is potentiated by high concentrations of glucose in a chain length‐dependent manner starting with stearic acid (C18:0), whereas toxicity remains unchanged in the case of monounsaturated FFAs. Interference with FFA desaturation by overexpression and inhibition of stearoyl‐CoA‐desaturase, which catalyzes the rate‐limiting step in the conversion of long‐chain saturated into corresponding monounsaturated FFAs, does not affect the potentiating effect of glucose, but FFA desaturation reduces lipotoxicity and plays an important role in the formation of lipid droplets. Crucial elements underlying glucolipotoxicity are ER stress induction and cardiolipin peroxidation in the mitochondria.

Conclusion

In the context of nutrition, the data emphasize the importance of the lipid component in glucolipotoxicity related to the development of β‐cell dysfunction and death in the manifestation of T2DM.
Dual photo/thermal initiation with charge transfer complexes based on bromide‐based electron acceptors
Authors: Ma Qiang , Zhang Xiaoxiang , Liu Yiwu , Graff Bernadette , Lalevee Jacques
Published: January 2023

Different combinations of donors and acceptors of charge transfer complexes (CTCs) can realize visible light catalysis in multiple wavelength bands. Here, we successfully demonstrated that 2‐bromoacetophenone as an electron acceptor, combined with amines (for formation of CTC), can achieve photopolymerization under LED@405 nm visible light irradiation, initiating the polymerization of (meth)acrylates, and the induction time can be completely eliminated by condition optimization. The CTC was also shown to have dual photo/thermal initiation capability and was eventually applied to 3D printing as well.
KASP genotyping and semi‐quantitation of G275E mutation in the α6 subunit of Thrips palminAChR gene conferring spinetoram resistance
Authors: Shi Pan , Shen Xiu‐Jing , Chen Jin‐Cui , Zhang Yu‐Jie , Cao Li‐Jun , Pang Bin‐Shuang , Liu Li‐Hua , Zhang Ming‐Ming , Hoffmann Ary Anthony , Wei Shu‐Jun
Published: January 2023

BACKGROUND

Pesticide resistance is a long‐standing and growing problem in the chemical control of invertebrate pests. Molecular diagnostic methods can facilitate pesticide resistance management by accurately and efficiently detecting resistant mutations and their frequency. In this study, the kompetitive allele specific PCR (KASP) approach, a technology for high‐throughput single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping, is validated as a useful method for characterizing genotypes at a pesticide‐resistance locus for the first time. We focus on the spinetoram resistance mutation of G275E in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 6 (nAChR α6) subunit gene of Thrips palmi.

RESULTS

Of the 341 individuals of Thrips palmi tested, 98.24% were successfully genotyped, with 100% concordance with Sanger sequencing results. We then quantitatively mixed genomic DNA of known genotypes to establish 21 DNA mixtures with a resistant allele frequency ranging from 0 to 100% at steps of 5%. The linear discriminant analysis (LDA) showed that 75.8% of original grouped cases were correctly classified; six groups had no overlap in membership (resistant allele frequency: 0%, 5%, 10–75%, 80–85%, 90–95%, and 100%). When we chose 11 pooled samples with 10% steps for LDA, 84.4% of original grouped cases were correctly classified; seven groups had no overlap in membership (0%, 10%, 20–30%, 40–70%, 80%, 90%, 100%). The results indicated that KASP applied to pooled samples may provide a semi‐quantitative estimate of resistance.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study points to the suitability of KASP for high‐throughput genotyping of genotypes affecting pesticide resistance and semi‐quantitative assessments of resistance allele frequencies in populations. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Inhalation bioaccessibility of inhaled triazole fungicides and health risk assessment during spraying
Authors: Xiao Jinjing , Fang Ke , Zhang Sidong , Jiang Siyuan , Liu Tianhe , Lv Mengjiao , Liao Min , Cao Haiqun , Shi Yanhong
Published: January 2023

Background

Ambient air pollution caused by pesticide drift has received great attention. To accurately evaluate the health risk of inhaled pesticides, bioaccessibility should be considered. However, methods to reliably assess pesticide residues remain limited, hindering the precise estimation of exposure assessment. We aimed to optimize an in vitro method for the inhalation bioaccessibility (IBA) measurement of triazole fungicides and to incorporate this into inhalation exposure assessment during pesticide spraying.

Results

The IBA of triazole fungicides increased logarithmically with extraction duration, plateauing after 6 h. The frequency of agitation displayed a similar pattern, whereas the ratio of solid to liquid between 1/1500 and 1/250 was considerably negatively associated. The predicted values (35.9–53.5%) for IBA based on optimized methodological parameters determined using a response surface methodology showed an acceptable deviation from experimental values (30.7–50.8%), suggesting feasibility for in vitro IBA measurement. Incorporating IBA into calculations of inhalation exposure amount (IE) yielded a value of 8.5 × 10−7−2.1 × 10−5 mg kg−1 day−1, a 50–68% reduction compared to IE based on total amount. Additionally, the safety exposure threshold was determined for triazole fungicides using benchmark dose modelling of data from lung A549 cell proliferation toxicity assays, and in this context, margin of exposure (MOE) values were calculated to be within an acceptable level.

Conclusion

This in vitro method supplements bioaccessibility evaluation based on pesticide inhalation exposure, along with the risk to human health. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Natural cubic splines for the analysis of Alzheimer's clinical trials
Authors: Donohue Michael C. , Langford Oliver , Insel Philip S. , van Dyck Christopher H. , Petersen Ronald C. , Craft Suzanne , Sethuraman Gopalan , Raman Rema , Aisen Paul S. ,   For the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: January 2023

Mixed model repeated measures (MMRM) is the most common analysis approach used in clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease and other progressive diseases measured with continuous outcomes over time. The model treats time as a categorical variable, which allows an unconstrained estimate of the mean for each study visit in each randomized group. Categorizing time in this way can be problematic when assessments occur off‐schedule, as including off‐schedule visits can induce bias, and excluding them ignores valuable information and violates the intention to treat principle. This problem has been exacerbated by clinical trial visits which have been delayed due to the COVID19 pandemic. As an alternative to MMRM, we propose a constrained longitudinal data analysis with natural cubic splines that treats time as continuous and uses test version effects to model the mean over time. Compared to categorical‐time models like MMRM and models that assume a proportional treatment effect, the spline model is shown to be more parsimonious and precise in real clinical trial datasets, and has better power and Type I error in a variety of simulation scenarios.
Perinatal diesel exhaust exposure causes persistent changes in the brains of aged mice: An assessment of behavioral and biochemical endpoints related to neurodegenerative disease
Authors: Garrick Jacqueline M. , Cole Toby B. , Dao Khoi , Phillips Ashley , Costa Lucio G.
Published: January 2023

Epidemiological studies support an association between air pollution exposure, specifically particulate matter (PM), and neurodegenerative disease. Diesel exhaust (DE) is a principal component of ambient air pollution and a major contributor of PM. Our study aimed to examine whether early‐life perinatal DE exposure is sufficient to affect behavioral and biochemical endpoints related to Alzheimer's disease later in life. To achieve this, mice were perinatally exposed (embryonic day 0–postnatal day 21) to DE (250–300 μg/m3) or filtered air (FA), and allowed to reach aged status (>18 months). Mice underwent behavioral assessment at 6 and 20 months of age, with tissue collected at 22 months for biochemical endpoints. At 6 months, minimal changes were noted in home‐cage behavior of DE treated animals. At 20 months, an alternation deficit was noted with the T‐maze, although no difference was seen in the object location task or any home‐cage metrics. DE exposure did not alter the expression of Aβ42, phosphorylated tau S199, or total tau. However, IBA‐1 protein, a microglial activation marker, was significantly higher in DE exposed animals. Further, lipid peroxidation levels were significantly higher in the DE exposed animals compared to FA controls. Cytokine levels were largely unchanged with DE exposure, suggesting a lack of inflammation despite persistent lipid peroxidation. Taken together, the findings of this study support that perinatal exposure alone is sufficient to cause lasting changes in the brain, although the effects appear to be less striking than those previously reported in younger animals, suggesting some effects do not persist over time. These findings are encouraging from a public health standpoint and support the aggressive reduction of DE emissions to reduce lifetime exposure and potentially reduce disease outcome.
Portable in situ temperature‐dependent spectroscopy on a low‐cost microfluidic platform integrated with a battery‐powered thermofoil heater
Authors: Katla Sai Krishna , Zhou Wan , Tavakoli Hamed , Méndez Elvia Lilia Padilla , Li Xiujun
Published: January 2023

A low‐cost microfluidic platform integrated with a flexible heater was developed for in situ temperature‐dependent spectroscopic measurement at the point of care. After verifying the system by comparing on‐chip spectroscopic measurement of methylene blue with the conventional spectroscopy, we demonstrated its applications in temperature‐dependent absorption spectroscopy of a model biomolecule, curcumin. The system is portable, battery‐powered and requires ultra‐low volumes of analytes, which is highly suitable for point‐of‐care characterization.
Blindness associated with presumed bilateral optic neuritis and sphenoid bone osteomyelitis in a dog with leishmaniosis
Authors: Safrany Ben , Rushton James , Barthez Paul Y. , Holmes Andrea
Published: January 2023

Leishmaniosis is an uncommon, non‐endemic disease of dogs in the United Kingdom, associated with a range of clinical signs. An 11‐month‐old, neutered, female crossbreed recently imported from Macedonia was presented for evaluation of progressive weight loss, lameness and acute vision loss. Joint effusions, bilateral exophthalmos, deficits in menace response and pupillary light reflex were detected. The dog was serologically diagnosed with leishmaniosis. Computed tomography imaging was consistent with osteomyelitis of the sphenoid bones, with associated meningeal enhancement. The dog demonstrated an excellent clinical response to treatment with meglumine antimoniate, allopurinol and amoxicillin‐clavulanic acid, regaining vision within 30 days. This case is the first to report leishmaniosis‐related osteomyelitis of the sphenoid bones resulting in blindness and describes the imaging findings and response to treatment.
Generating cosmological perturbations in non-singular Horndeski cosmologies
Authors: Ageeva Yulia , Petrov Pavel , Rubakov Valery
Published: January 2023

Abstract

We construct a concrete model of Horndeski bounce with strong gravity in the past. Within this model we show that the correct spectra of cosmological perturbations may be generated at early contracting epoch, with mild fine-tuning ensuring that the scalar spectral tilt nS and tensor-to-scalar ratio r are consistent with observations. The smallness of r is governed by the smallness of the scalar sound speed. Arbitrarily small values of r are forbidden in our setup because of the strong coupling in the past. Nevertheless, we show that it is possible to generate perturbations in a controllable way, i.e. in the regime where the background evolution and perturbations are legitimately described within classical field theory and weakly coupled quantum theory.
$$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2* Schur indices
Authors: Hatsuda Yasuyuki , Okazaki Tadashi
Published: January 2023

Abstract

We find closed-form expressions for the Schur indices of 4d $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2* super Yang-Mills theory with unitary gauge groups for arbitrary ranks via the Fermi-gas formulation. They can be written as a sum over the Young diagrams associated with spectral zeta functions of an ideal Fermi-gas system. These functions are expressed in terms of the twisted Weierstrass functions, generating functions for quasi-Jacobi forms. The indices lie in the polynomial ring generated by the Kronecker theta function and the Weierstrass functions which contains the polynomial ring of the quasi-Jacobi forms. The grand canonical ensemble allows for another simple exact form of the indices as infinite series. In addition, we find that the unflavored Schur indices and their limits can be expressed in terms of several generating functions for combinatorial objects, including sum of triangular numbers, generalized sums of divisors and overpartitions.
Das Reifegradmodell für den Öffentlichen Gesundheitsdienst – Ein Instrument zur Erfassung und Verbesserung des digitalen Reifegrades von deutschen Gesundheitsämtern
Authors: Eymann Torsten , Fürstenau Daniel , Gersch Martin , Kauffmann Anna Lina , Neubauer Maria , Schick Doreen , Schlömer Nina , Schulte-Althoff Matthias , Stark Jeannette , von Welczeck Laura
Published: January 2023

Die COVID-19-Krise verdeutlichte die Schlüsselrolle des Öffentlichen Gesundheitsdienstes (ÖGD) mit den rund 375 kommunalen Gesundheitsämtern in der Pandemiebekämpfung. Dabei stellte neben fehlenden personellen Ressourcen auch die unzureichende digitale Reife vieler Gesundheitsämter eine Hürde für die effektive und skalierbare Infektionsmeldung und Kontaktnachverfolgung dar. In diesem Artikel stellen wir das Reifegradmodell (RGM) für die Digitalisierung von Gesundheitsämtern vor, dessen Erarbeitung im Zeitraum Januar 2021 bis Februar 2022 stattfand und durch das Bundesministerium für Gesundheit gefördert wurde. Es findet seit Anfang 2022 Anwendung mit dem Ziel der Stärkung der Digitalisierung des ÖGD. Das RGM zielt darauf ab, Gesundheitsämter Schritt für Schritt anzuleiten, ihre digitale Reife zu erhöhen, um so für zukünftige Herausforderungen gerüstet zu sein. Entwickelt und evaluiert wurde das RGM anhand qualitativer Interviews mit Mitarbeitenden der Gesundheitsämter und weiteren Expert*innen des ÖGD sowie in Workshops und im Rahmen einer quantitativen Umfrage. Das RGM erlaubt die Messung der digitalen Reife in 8 Dimensionen, welche jeweils in 2–5 Subdimensionen untergliedert sind. Innerhalb der Subdimensionen erfolgt eine Einstufung auf 5 verschiedenen Reifegradstufen. Derzeit dient das RGM neben der Erfassung der digitalen Reife der einzelnen Gesundheitsämter auch als Management-Tool für die Planung von Digitalisierungsprojekten. Ziel ist es, auf Basis des RGM eine zielgerichtete Kommunikation zwischen den Gesundheitsämtern zu fördern, um Best Practices für die einzelnen Dimensionen auszutauschen.
Resonante ZCS-Konverter mit beschränktem Arbeitsbereich
Authors: Himmelstoss Felix A. , Jungmayer Michael
Published: January 2023

DC/DC-Konverter wandeln eine Eingangsspannung in eine Ausgangsspannung. In diesem Beitrag werden drei solche Konverter behandelt, die aus den drei Grundschaltungen hergeleitet sind. Im Gegensatz zu den Originalstrukturen sind diese nur für einen geringeren Spannungsübersetzungsbereich geeignet, haben aber den Vorteil, dass die elektronischen Schalter immer bei Strom null schalten und die Dioden nicht zwangsweise, sondern immer von selbst ausschalten. Die Gewinnung der Konverterschaltungen wird erläutert, und die Funktionsweisen werden durch mathematische Beschreibung, durch Skizzen und mithilfe des uZ-i-Diagramms erklärt. Weiters werden einige mögliche Erweiterungen der Schaltungen gezeigt.