bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do rural banks matter that much? Burgess and Pande (2005) reconsidered
Authors: Buliskeria Nino , Baxa Jaromir
Published: July 2022

We replicate Burgess and Pande's (2005) analysis of the effect of India's state‐led bank expansion on poverty. The authors instrument rural bank branch expansion by its trend reversal explained by the 1977 licensing rule and find that the bank expansion decreased poverty. However, the authors do not consider other licensing rule amendments and concurrent policies. Thus, their instrument is not necessarily exogenous to poverty. We show that the significant effect of bank expansion on poverty disappears after summarizing the trend reversal with more breaks linked to the bank licensing policy.
Broad‐ranging review: configurations, membrane types, governing equations, and influencing factors on microbial desalination cell technology
Authors: Abd‐almohi Hussein H , Alismaeel Ziad T , M‐Ridha Mohanad J.
Published: July 2022

Seawater might serve as a fresh‐water supply for future generations to help meet the growing need for clean drinking water. Desalination and waste management using newer and more energy intensive processes are not viable options in the long term. Thus, an integrated and sustainable strategy is required to accomplish cost‐effective desalination via wastewater treatment. A microbial desalination cell (MDC) is a new technology that can treat wastewater, desalinate saltwater, and produce green energy simultaneously. Bio‐electrochemical oxidation of wastewater organics creates power using this method. Desalination and the creation of value‐added by‐products are expected because of this ionic movement. According to assessments, recent investigations on MDC configurations have led to significant changes in their operating characteristics, as well as their design and operational factors. Additionally, the study notes the expanding uses of MDC in bioremediation, nutrient recovery, water softening, and value‐added chemical manufacturing. Significant results show that the MDC system produced outstanding desalination without the need for external power, in addition to achieving wastewater treatment and energy recovery without the need for intermediary processes. When it comes to its practical application, some of the technical obstacles include keeping pH stable in cathodic and anodic fluids, increasing internal resistance using catalysts as electrode fillers, along with issues of biofouling and durability. Although MDC technology is currently being developed and scaled up, additional research on membrane fouling avoidance, material feasibility, electron transport kinetics, growth of microorganisms, and catalyst durability is needed. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Interpreting declines in HIV test positivity: an analysis of routine data from Zimbabwe's national sex work programme, 2009–2019
Authors: Jones Harriet S. , Hensen Bernadette , Musemburi Sithembile , Chinyanganya Lilian , Takaruza Albert , Chabata Sungai T. , Matambanadzo Primrose , Rice Brian , Cowan Frances M. , Hargreaves James R.
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Early diagnosis of HIV is critical for epidemic control. To achieve this, successful testing programmes are essential and test positivity is often used as a marker of their performance. The aim of this study was to analyse trends and predictors of HIV test positivity over time and explore how an understanding of seroconversion rates could build on our interpretation of this indicator among female sex workers in Zimbabwe.

Methods

We analysed HIV test data from Zimbabwe's nationally scaled sex work programme between 2009 and 2019. We defined test positivity as the proportion of all tests that were HIV positive and measured new diagnoses by estimating seroconversion rates among women with repeat tests, defined as an HIV‐positive test after at least one HIV‐negative test in the programme. We used logistic regression to analyse test positivity over three time‐periods: 2009–2013, 2014–2017 and 2018–2019, adjusting for potential confounding by demographic factors and the mediating effects of time since last HIV test. We calculated the seroconversion rates for the same time‐periods.

Results

During the 10‐year study period, 54,503 tests were recorded in 39,462 women. Between 2009 and 2013, 18% of tests were among women who reported testing in the previous 6 months. By 2018–2019, this had increased to 57%. Between 2018 and 2019, test positivity was 9.6%, compared to 47.9% for 2009–2013 (aOR 6.08 95% CI 5.52–6.70) and 18.8% for 2014–2017 (aOR 2.17 95% CI 2.06–2.28). Adjusting for time since last test reduced effect estimates for 2009–2013 (aOR 4.03 95% CI 3.64–4.45) and 2014–2017 (aOR 1.97 95% CI 1.86–2.09) compared to 2018–2019. Among 7573 women with an initial HIV‐negative test in the programme and at least one subsequent test, 464 tested HIV positive at a rate of 3.9 per 100 pyar (95% CI 3.5–4.2).

Conclusions

Test positivity decreased among women testing through the programme over time, while seroconversion rates remained high. These declines were partly driven by changes in individual testing history, reflecting comprehensive coverage of testing services and greater knowledge of HIV status, but not necessarily declining rates of seroconversion. Understanding testing history and monitoring new HIV infections from repeat tests could strengthen the interpretation of test positivity and provide a better understanding of programme performance.
PrEP user profiles, dynamics of PrEP use and follow‐up: a cohort analysis at a Belgian HIV centre (2017–2020)
Authors: Rotsaert Anke , Reyniers Thijs , Jacobs Bart K. M. , Vanbaelen Thibaut , Burm Christophe , Kenyon Chris , Vuylsteke Bea , Florence Eric
Published: July 2022

Introduction

The number of individuals initiating antiretroviral pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is increasing, but we do not fully understand who is coming forward for PrEP, how they use it and how they are followed‐up. The objective of this study was to examine PrEP user profiles, dynamics in PrEP use and follow‐up over time.

Methods

We conducted a cohort analysis of longitudinally collected clinical record and questionnaire data among PrEP users at an HIV centre in Antwerp, Belgium, between June 2017 and March 2020. PrEP follow‐up and user profiles were examined using descriptive analyses and bivariate logistic regression. We compared early adopting PrEP users (started before June 2018) with late users. We also calculated the probabilities of switching between daily and on‐demand PrEP, and interruption, using a naïve estimator.

Results and discussion

We included 1347 PrEP users in the analysis. After 12 months, retention in care was 72.3%. Median time between PrEP visits was 98 days (IQR 85–119 days). At screening visit, early adopting PrEP users (starting June 2017–May 2018) were significantly more likely to report one or more sexually transmitted infection in the prior 12 months, having used drugs during sex, a higher number of sexual partners and a history of paid sex and PrEP use prior to initiation, compared with PrEP users who initiated later (starting June 2018–February 2020). When taking PrEP daily, the probability of staying on daily PrEP at the next visit was 76%, while this was 73% when taking PrEP on‐demand. Those using on‐demand PrEP had a higher probability (13%) of interrupting PrEP care than daily PrEP users (7%), whereas those returning to PrEP care would mostly re‐start with on‐demand (35% vs. 13% for daily).

Conclusions

The majority of PrEP users in this sample remained in care after 12 months. The probability of remaining on the same PrEP regimen at the subsequent visit was high. Though, we observed a diversity of transitions between regimens and interruptions in between visits. Our findings reaffirm the need to provide tailored PrEP services, counselling PrEP users across their life course.
Ginsenoside Rg1 ameliorates sepsis-induced acute kidney injury by inhibiting ferroptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells
Authors: Guo Jun , Wang Rong , Min Fei
Published: July 2022

Acute kidney injury (AKI) represents a prevailing complication of sepsis, and its onset involves ferroptosis. Ginsenoside Rg1 exerts a positive effect on kidney diseases. This study explored the action of ginsenoside Rg1 in sepsis-induced AKI (SI-AKI) by regulating ferroptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells (TECs). Sepsis rat models were established using cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and cell models were established by treating human renal TECs (HK-2) with LPS to induce ferroptosis. Serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and urine KIM1 contents in rats were determined by ELISA kits. Kidney tissues were subjected to immunohistochemical and H&E stainings. Iron concentration, malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and ferroptosis-related protein (ferritin light chain [FTL], ferritin heavy chain [FTH], GSH peroxidase 4 [GPX4], and Ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 [FSP1]) levels in kidney tissues and HK-2 cells were measured using ELISA kits and Western blotting. HK-2 cell viability was detected by cell counting kit-8, and cell death was observed via propidium iodide staining. Reactive oxygen species accumulation in cells was detected using C11 BODIPY 581/591 as a molecular probe. In CLP rats, ginsenoside Rg1 reduced SCr, BUN, KIM1, and NGAL levels, thus palliating SI-AKI. Additionally, ginsenoside Rg1 decreased iron content, FTL, FTH, and MDA levels, and elevated GPX4, FSP1, and GSH levels, thereby inhibiting lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis. Moreover, FSP1 knockdown annulled the inhibition of ginsenoside Rg1 on ferroptosis. In vitro experiments, ginsenoside Rg1 raised HK-2 cell viability and lowered iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation during ferroptosis, and its antiferroptosis activity was dependent on FSP1. Ginsenoside Rg1 alleviates SI-AKI, possibly resulting from inhibition of ferroptosis in renal TECs through FSP1.
Time trends, irregularity and multifractal structure on the monthly rainfall regime at Barcelona, NE Spain, years 1786–2019
Authors: Lana Xavier , Casas‐Castillo M. Carmen , Rodríguez‐Solà Raül , Prohom Marc , Serra Carina , Martínez Maria Dolors , Kirchner Ricard
Published: July 2022

A long and complete series of monthly rainfall amounts corresponding to Barcelona city (Catalonia, NE Spain), exceeding two centuries (years 1786–2019), is analysed in detail. The obtained results of periodicity (annual scale), time trends (monthly, seasonal and annual scales), statistical distribution (seasonal and annual scale) and fractal/multifractal structures and self‐similarity at monthly scale depict the complex structure of this pluviometric regime, which is characterized by moderate increasing and decreasing trends on rain amounts, varying from +0.08 mm·year−1 (February) to −0.07 mm·year−1 (September) and quite evident changes on the pluviometric trends at annual and seasonal scales when the rainfall data are analysed for segments of 50 years from 1800 up to 2019. A good example could be the relevant change on the annual scale time trend, from +0.77 mm·year−1 (years 1800–1850) to −0.17 mm·year−1 (years 1950–2019). Clear evidences of decreasing pluviometry for spring, summer and autumn for the last segment (1950–2019) in comparison with the other three segments, including years 1800–1950, are also detected. Additionally, increasing rainfall patterns complexity, expected difficulties on monthly rainfall forecasting and the increasing irregularity of monthly amounts is also detected by interpreting fractal and multifractal results. Irregularity increases on the monthly rainfall series and on the rainfall regime complexity derived from multifractal parameters, could be associated with the very notable increase of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, globally varying from 51.1 × 106 metric tonnes (year 1820) to 36.6 × 109 metric tonnes (year 2019) and the tropospheric concentration increasing from 280.8 ppm (year 1850) to 397.5 ppm (year 2014), being the probable relationship between tropospheric concentrations and changes on rainfall patterns the objective of future researches.
Interface structure of escin at air–water interface probed by sum frequency generation spectroscopy
Authors: Kagiyama Yoshihide , Miyamae Takayuki
Published: July 2022

Saponins are natural amphiphilic surfactants with high surface activity and unique surface properties at the air–water interfaces. We have applied sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy to study escin, a kind of saponins that is extracted from chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), which adsorbed at water surfaces as a function of the solution concentrations, and have characterized the net orientation of the hydrophobic aglycone moieties at the water interfaces by varying the solution concentration of the escin. SFG results of escin adsorbed water surfaces demonstrate that the hydrophobic aglycone moieties show nearly standing‐up configuration above the critical micelle concentration (cmc), while its preferred orientation is nearly parallel to the surface below cmc. In addition to the changes in the CH stretching band intensities from the escin adsorbed interfaces, we found that the structural arrangement of the escin molecules at the air–water interface is also a function of solution pH and clarified the correlation between the ionic state of the solution and the structure.
Mannosylerythritol lipids as green pesticides and plant biostimulants
Authors: Matosinhos Renato Dias , Cesca Karina , Carciofi Bruno Augusto Mattar , de Oliveira Débora , de Andrade Cristiano José
Published: July 2022

Biosurfactants can be applied in the formulation of personal care products, as food additives, and as biocontrol agents in the agricultural sector. Glycolipids and lipopeptides represent an important group of microbial‐based biosurfactants with biostimulating properties. Among them, the mannosylerythritol lipids also presented antimicrobial activity, mostly against Gram‐positive bacteria and phytopathogenic fungi. In this sense, mannosylerythritol lipids are a potential safer green alternative for partially replacing synthetic pesticides. This review aimed to critically discuss the current state of the art and future trends of mannosylerythritol lipids as green pesticides and biostimulants for seed germination and plant growth. Due to their chemical structure, mannosylerythritol lipids are likely related to energy pathways such as glycolysis and Krebs cycle, i.e. a direct cellular biostimulant potential. In this case, experimental evidence from other glycolipids indicated that structural and chemical changes as a potential drug vehicle due to morphological changes caused by biosurfactant–membrane interaction. In addition, like other biosurfactants, mannosylerythritol lipids can trigger self‐defense mechanisms, leading to a lower frequency of phytopathogen infections. Therefore, mannosylerythritol lipids have the potential for biostimulation and antiphytopathogenic action, despite that to date no data are available on mannosylerythritol lipids as biostimulants and green pesticides simultaneously. Based on the current state of the art, mannosylerythritol lipids have great potential for a biotechnological advance toward more sustainable agriculture. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Publication practices during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Expedited publishing or simply an early bird effect?
Authors: Sevryugina Yulia V. , Dicks Andrew J.
Published: July 2022

This study explores the evolution of publication practices associated with the SARS‐CoV‐2 research papers, namely, peer‐reviewed journal and review articles indexed in PubMed and their associated preprints posted on bioRxiv and medRxiv servers: a total of 4,031 journal article‐preprint pairs. Our assessment of various publication delays during the January 2020 to March 2021 period revealed the early bird effect that lies beyond the involvement of any publisher policy action and is directly linked to the emerging nature of new and ‘hot’ scientific topics. We found that when the early bird effect and data incompleteness are taken into account, COVID‐19 related research papers show only a moderately expedited speed of dissemination as compared with the pre‐pandemic era. Medians for peer‐review and production stage delays were 66 and 15 days, respectively, and the entire conversion process from a preprint to its peer‐reviewed journal article version took 109.5 days. The early bird effect produced an ephemeral perception of a global rush in scientific publishing during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. We emphasize the importance of considering the early bird effect in interpreting publication data collected at the outset of a newly emerging event.
Quantum Magnetometer with Dual‐Coupling Optomechanics
Authors: Zhu Gui‐Lei , Liu Jing , Wu Ying , Lü Xin‐You
Published: July 2022

An experimentally feasible magnetometer based on a dual‐coupling optomechanical system is proposed, where the radiation‐pressure coupling transduces the magnetic signal to the optical phase, and the quadratic optomechanical interaction induces a periodic squeezing effect. The latter not only amplifies the signal to be measured, but also accelerates the signal transducing rate characterized by an experimentally observable phase accumulation efficiency. In the vicinity of opto‐mechanical decoupled time, the ultimate bound to the estimability of magnetic signal is proportional to , and then the optimized accuracy of estimation can be enhanced nearly three orders with a controllable squeezing parameter . Moreover, this proposal is robust against the mechanical thermal noise, and the sensitivity of a specific measurement can reach to the order of in the presence of dissipations and without ground state cooling of mechanical oscillator. The proposal fundamentally broadens the fields of quantum metrology and cavity optomechanics, with the potential application for on‐chip magnetic detection with high precision.
Further delineation of SLC9A3‐related congenital sodium diarrhea
Authors: Bogdanic Ema , Müller Thomas , Heinz‐Erian Peter , Garczarczyk‐Asim Dorota , Janecke Andreas R. , Rückel Aline
Published: July 2022

Background

Congenital sodium diarrhea (CSD) is a rare enteropathy displaying both broad variability in clinical severity and genetic locus and allelic heterogeneity. Eleven CSD patients were reported so far with SLC9A3 variants that impair the function of the encoded intestinal sodium‐proton exchanger 3 (NHE3).

Methods

We report a 4‐year‐old patient, born prematurely in the 35th week of gestation, with antenatal polyhydramnios and dilated intestinal loops, and with diarrhea of congenital onset, 2–6 times a day, and with polydipsia. She thrived age‐appropriately under a normal family diet. Serum sodium levels were repeatedly normal but urinary sodium excretion was low. Exome sequencing revealed compound heterozygous variants in SLC9A3 as the likely cause of the congenital diarrhea.

Results

While exome sequencing did not reveal pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in other genes that cause syndromic or non‐syndromic forms of congenital and intractable diarrheas, we identified novel compound heterozygous variants in SLC9A3, a complex allele with two missense changes, NP_004165.2:p.[Ser331Leu;Val449Ile] and in‐trans the missense variant p.(Phe451Ser).

Conclusion

The clinical phenotype here appears to localize to the milder end of the known CSD spectrum, and the identified variants suggest that this is the twelfth patient reported to date with CSD due to mutations in SLC9A3.
New MHA campaign embraces BIPOC Mental Health Month
Authors: Canady Valerie A.
Published: July 2022

Recognizing an increasingly diversified America and that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) have rich histories, Mental Health America (MHA) said it is acknowledging the specificity of individual and group experiences related to mental health and how such experiences relate to their beliefs and well‐being. Last week MHA announced the release of its 2022 BIPOC Mental Health Month toolkit and officially kicked off its BIPOC social media campaign on July 1.
The Relevance of Goodness‐of‐fit, Robustness and Prediction Validation Categories of OECD‐QSAR Principles with Respect to Sample Size and Model Type
Authors: Király Péter , Kiss Ramóna , Kovács Dániel , Ballaj Amine , Tóth Gergely
Published: July 2022

We investigated the relevance of the validation principles on the Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship models issued by Organization for Economic and Co‐operation and Development. We checked the goodness‐of‐fit, robustness and predictivity categories in linear and nonlinear models using benchmark datasets. Most of our conclusions are drawn using the sample size dependence of the different validation parameters. We found that the goodness‐of‐fit parameters misleadingly overestimate the models on small samples. In the case of neural network and support vector models, the feasibility of the goodness‐of‐fit parameters often might be questioned. We propose to use the simplest y‐scrambling method to estimate chance correlation. We found that the leave‐one‐out and leave‐many‐out cross‐validation parameters can be rescaled to each other in all models and the computationally feasible method should be chosen depending on the model type. We assessed the interdependence of the validation parameters by calculating their rank correlations. Goodness of fit and robustness correlate quite well over a sample size for linear models and one of the approaches might be redundant. In the rank correlation between internal and external validation parameters, we found that the assignment of good and bad modellable data to the training or the test causes negative correlations.
Synchronization for fractional FitzHugh–Nagumo equations with fractional Brownian motion
Authors: Huang Xiuqi , Yang Hongfu , Wang Xiangjun
Published: July 2022

This paper is devoted to dynamics of the Caputo‐type fractional FitzHugh–Nagumo equations (FHN) driven by fractional Brownian motion (fBm). The existence and uniqueness of mild solution for of the Caputo‐type fractional FHN are established, and the exponential synchronization and finite‐time synchronization for the stochastic FHN are provided. Finally, the numerical simulation of the synchronization for time‐fractional FHN perturbed by fBm is provided; the effects of the order of time fractional derivative and Hurst parameter
on synchronization are also revealed.
Cardio‐respiratory motion‐corrected 3D cardiac water‐fat MRI using model‐based image reconstruction
Authors: Mayer Johannes , Blaszczyk Edyta , Cipriani Alberto , Ferrazzi Giulio , Schulz‐Menger Jeanette , Schaeffter Tobias , Kolbitsch Christoph
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Myocardial fat infiltrations are associated with a range of cardiomyopathies. The purpose of this study was to perform cardio‐respiratory motion‐correction for model‐based water‐fat separation to image fatty infiltrations of the heart in a free‐breathing, non‐cardiac‐triggered high‐resolution 3D MRI acquisition.

Methods

Data were acquired in nine patients using a free‐breathing, non‐cardiac‐triggered high‐resolution 3D Dixon gradient‐echo sequence and radial phase encoding trajectory. Motion correction was combined with a model‐based water‐fat reconstruction approach. Respiratory and cardiac motion models were estimated using a dual‐mode registration algorithm incorporating both motion‐resolved water and fat information. Qualitative comparisons of fat structures were made between 2D clinical routine reference scans and reformatted 3D motion‐corrected images. To evaluate the effect of motion correction the local sharpness of epicardial fat structures was analyzed for motion‐averaged and motion‐corrected fat images.

Results

The reformatted 3D motion‐corrected reconstructions yielded qualitatively comparable fat structures and fat structure sharpness in the heart as the standard 2D breath‐hold. Respiratory motion correction improved the local sharpness on average by 32% ± 24% with maximum improvements of 81% and cardiac motion correction increased the sharpness further by another 15% ± 11% with maximum increases of 31%. One patient showed a fat infiltration in the myocardium and cardio‐respiratory motion correction was able to improve its visualization in 3D.

Conclusion

The 3D water‐fat separated cardiac images were acquired during free‐breathing and in a clinically feasible and predictable scan time. Compared to a motion‐averaged reconstruction an increase in sharpness of fat structures by 51% ± 27% using the presented motion correction approach was observed for nine patients.
MRSCloud: A cloud‐basedMRStool for basis set simulation
Authors: Hui Steve C. N. , Saleh Muhammad G. , Zöllner Helge J. , Oeltzschner Georg , Fan Hongli , Li Yue , Song Yulu , Jiang Hangyi , Near Jamie , Lu Hanzhang , Mori Susumu , Edden Richard A. E.
Published: July 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to present a cloud‐based spectral simulation tool “MRSCloud,” which allows MRS users to simulate a vendor‐specific and sequence‐specific basis set online in a convenient and time‐efficient manner. This tool can simulate basis sets for GE, Philips, and Siemens MR scanners, including conventional acquisitions and spectral editing schemes with PRESS and semi‐LASER localization at 3 T.

Methods

The MRSCloud tool was built on the spectral simulation functionality in the FID‐A software package. We added three extensions to accelerate computation (ie, one‐dimensional projection method, coherence pathways filters, and precalculation of propagators). The RF waveforms were generated based on vendors' generic pulse shapes and timings. Simulations were compared within MRSCloud using different numbers of spatial resolution (21 × 21, 41 × 41, and 101 × 101). Simulated metabolite basis functions from MRSCloud were compared with those generated by the generic FID‐A and MARSS, and a phantom‐acquired basis set from LCModel. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated to measure the agreement between individual metabolite basis functions. Statistical analysis was performed using R in RStudio.

Results

Simulation time for a full PRESS basis set is approximately 11 min on the server. The interclass correlation coefficients ICCs were at least 0.98 between MRSCloud and FID‐A and were at least 0.96 between MRSCloud and MARSS. The interclass correlation coefficients between simulated MRSCloud basis spectra and acquired LCModel basis spectra were lowest for glutamine at 0.68 and highest for N‐acetylaspartate at 0.96.

Conclusions

Substantial reductions in runtime have been achieved. High ICC values indicated that the accelerating features are running correctly and produce comparable and accurate basis sets.
Automated volumetric determination of high R2* regions in substantia nigra: A feasibility study of quantifying substantia nigra atrophy in progressive supranuclear palsy
Authors: Tessema Abel Worku , Lee Hansol , Gong Yelim , Cho Hwapyeong , Adem Hamdia Murad , Lyu Ilwoo , Lee Jae‐Hyeok , Cho HyungJoon
Published: July 2022

The establishment of an unbiased protocol for the automated volumetric measurement of iron‐rich regions in the substantia nigra (SN) is clinically important for diagnosing neurodegenerative diseases exhibiting midbrain atrophy, such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). This study aimed to automatically quantify the volume and surface properties of the iron‐rich 3D regions in the SN using the quantitative MRI‐R2* map. Three hundred and sixty‐seven slices of R2* map and susceptibility‐weighted imaging (SWI) at 3‐T MRI from healthy control (HC) individuals and Parkinson's disease (PD) patients were used to train customized U‐net++ convolutional neural network based on expert‐segmented masks. Age‐ and sex‐matched participants were selected from HC, PD, and PSP groups to automate the volumetric determination of iron‐rich areas in the SN. Dice similarity coefficient values between expert‐segmented and detected masks from the proposed network were
for R2* maps and
for SWI. Reductions in iron‐rich SN volume from the R2* map (SWI) were observed in PSP with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 0.96 (0.89) and 0.98 (0.92) compared with HC and PD, respectively. The mean curvature of the PSP showed SN deformation along the side closer to the red nucleus. We demonstrated the automated volumetric measurement of iron‐rich regions in the SN using deep learning can quantify the SN atrophy in PSP compared with PD and HC.
Evaluating the impact of severe sepsis 3‐hour bundle compliance on 28‐day in‐hospital mortality: A propensity adjusted, nested case–control study
Authors: August Benjamin A. , Griebe Kristin M. , Stine John J. , Hauser Christian D. , Hunsaker Todd , Jones Mathew C. , Martz Carolyn , Peters Michael A. , To Long , Belanger Richard , Schlacht Suzanne , Swiderek Jennifer , Davis Susan L. , Mlynarek Mark E. , Smith Zachary R.
Published: July 2022

Objectives

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock Management Bundle (SEP‐1) assesses antibiotic administration, lactate measurement, and blood culture collection within 3 h of severe sepsis onset. The impact of the SEP‐1 3‐hour bundle among patients with severe sepsis is not extensively described. This investigation aimed to describe the impact of 3‐hour bundle compliance on 28‐day in‐hospital mortality in patients with severe sepsis.

Study Design

This was a retrospective, propensity adjusted, nested case‐control study assessing the impact of compliance with a 3‐hour sepsis bundle among patients with severe sepsis.

Setting

This study was conducted at a large, academic, tertiary care medical center in Detroit, Michigan from July 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019.

Patients

Cases were defined as those suffering 28‐day in‐hospital mortality. Controls were defined as those surviving at or discharged by 28 days. Patients were separated based on 3‐hour bundle compliance or noncompliance. Nested and overall cohorts were assessed. Severe sepsis time zero was manually validated. Patients with shock, requiring vasopressors within 8 h of time zero, or those not meeting SEP‐1 inclusion criteria were excluded.

Intervention

The primary outcome was the propensity adjusted odds of 28‐day in‐hospital mortality among 3‐hour bundle compliant versus noncompliant patients. Secondary outcomes included mortality for individual bundle element compliance, progression to septic shock, and predictors of mortality according to logistic regression.

Results

A total of 325 compliant and 325 noncompliant patients were included. The median Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score was three in each group. There was no difference in propensity adjusted odds of mortality among those compliant versus noncompliant with the 3‐hour bundle (odds‐ratio [OR] 1.039; 95% CI: 0.721–1.497; p = 0.838) or with individual bundle elements. SOFA score and female sex were predictors of mortality.

Conclusions

Three‐hour bundle compliance did not impact 28‐day in‐hospital mortality in patients with severe sepsis. Further research is needed to understand the impact of 3‐hour bundle compliance on mortality in severe sepsis.
Ultra‐stretchable, self‐healable, and reprocessable ionic conductive hydrogels enabled by dual dynamic networks
Authors: Song Hui , Zhang Bing , Feng Qichun , Nguyen Dai Hai , Zhang Chao , Liu Tianxi
Published: July 2022

The pursuit of stretchable ionic conductive hydrogels for skin‐inspired sensors is highly attractive but challenging due to the difficulty in fabricating an ionic conductive hydrogel with combined characteristics of high stretchability, notch insensitivity, self‐healability, and unique reprocessability. Herein, a dual‐dynamic‐network ionic conductive hydrogel (DICH) with both hydrophobic association network and metal coordination network is one‐pot synthesized. Benefiting from the formation of the highly dynamic double networks, the resultant DICH exhibited large stretchability (>2800%) and excellent fracture toughness (4820 kJ m−3). The DICH also demonstrated autonomous healability, notch insensitivity, and unique remoldability because of the formation of the active reversible interactions including hydrophobic association and metal coordination. Due to the integration of high stretchability and favorable ionic conductivity of the DICH containing substantial amounts of electrolytic ions, stretchable ionic strain sensors could be assembled, displaying high sensitivity (gauge factor of 2.6), fast response time (180 ms), and wide response range (0.5%–600% strain). The ionic sensors could also maintain excellent strain‐sensing abilities even after being cut/self‐healed or reprocessed. Wearable DICH resistive‐type strain sensors could be assembled, demonstrating high performance in detecting and distinguishing both large and subtle motions of a human body.
Detonation Reaction Zone and Acceleration Ability of a TKX‐50 Based Polymer Bonded Explosive
Authors: Tan Kaiyuan , Han Yong , Liu Jiahui , Lu Xiaojun , Fan Guijuan , Yang Zhijian , Huang Fenglei
Published: July 2022

Previous studies on detonation of the Dihydroxylammonium 5,5′‐bistetrazole‐1,1′‐diolate (TKX‐50), an attractive energetic ionic salt (EIS), were mainly based on thermodynamic codes or small‐scale tests, the available experimental data are not adequate to fully understand detonation characteristics of this new kind of energetic material. This article gives an experimental investigation on detonation reaction zone (DRZ) and acceleration ability of a TKX‐50 based Polymer Bonded eXplosive (PBX), PBX‐TKX‐50. The detonation properties of two traditional explosives: (i)PBX‐HMX, an HMX‐based PBX, (ii) PBX‐RDX, an RDX‐based PBX, both of which contain the energetic compounds and binder in the same mass ratio as PBX‐TKX‐50, are also measured for a comparative analysis. The results show that PBX‐TKX‐50 has the highest detonation velocity and detonation pressure, nevertheless the slowest reaction rate within detonation reaction zone, the longest reaction time and DRZ length among the three PBX samples. Despite its prominent detonation velocity and detonation pressure, the acceleration ability of PBX‐TKX‐50 is lower than PBX‐RDX. The Jones‐Wilkins‐Lee (JWL) equation of state for detonation products calibrated by the cylinder expansion test has severely overestimated the axial acceleration ability of PBX‐TKX‐50 in the numerical simulation of Disc Acceleration eXperiment (DAX), which may due to the fact that remarkable confinement effect and/or geometry effect exist in detonation of the EIS based sample. The mechanisms behind these detonation behaviors are still under investigation in our ongoing studies.
Impact and Friction Sensitivities of PETN: I. Sensitivities of the Pure and Wetted Material
Authors: Klapötke Thomas M. , Lemarchand Guillaume , Lenz Tobias , Mühlemann Moritz , Stierstorfer Jörg , Weber Ralf
Published: July 2022

Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) is a sensitive and brisant explosive. PETN is transported wetted (25 %) with water to limit its impact and friction sensitivities. Literature on its sensitivities in function of its water content is controversial as the measurements were performed by several operators and laboratories rendering difficult to compare the values. Literature studies of mechanical sensitivity methods show the weaknesses and problems of mechanical measurements. Indeed, it is important to analyze a sample with standardized machines and by a single operator. During this work, pure PETN samples with water contents of 0 to 35 % were prepared and the water content was measured by Karl‐Fischer titration. The sensitivities were analyzed by the “BAM Fallhammer” and the “BAM Friction Apparatus”. The resulting trends were analyzed and discussed with regard to their meaning for handling safety. The study should help to better assess dangers when working with wet PETN (10–25 %) in order to avoid accidents.
Bottom‐up effects of drought on the growth and development of potato, Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say and Arma chinensis Fallou
Authors: Liu Juan , Liao Jianghua , Li Chao
Published: July 2022

BACKGROUND

Global climate change will result in increasingly arid weather that will have a significant impact on agriculture. The occurrence dynamics of plants, phytophagous insects and their natural enemies under drought conditions have attracted much attention. The consequences could be useful for controlling insect herbivores. Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) is one of the most important pests of potato, and causes serious damage to potato production. Arma chinensis (Fallou) is a parasitoid of L. decemlineata. However, how drought will affect tritrophic interactions between potato and these insects remains unknown.

RESULTS

In this experiment, L. decemlineata and A. chinensis were released onto potato plants under water stress. Thereafter, plant height, stem diameter and yield of potato, growth and reproduction of L. decemlineata, and the longevity of A. chinensis adults were periodically recorded. The results showed that drought had crucial effects on height, stem diameter and yield of potato (p < 0.05); it also had a significant impact on pre‐oviposition period, oviposition days, fecundity and life table parameters in L. decemlineata (p < 0.05). Moreover, drought significantly reduced the longevity (p < 0.05) and survival rate of A. chinensis adults. The longevity of adult A. chinensis was only 29.00 ± 3.00 days and the harvest rate of L. decemlineata adults was only 1.42% ± 0.07% under drought treatment.

CONCLUSION

In this experiment, we evaluate the bottom‐up effects of drought on tritrophic interactions involving potato, L. decemlineata and A. chinensis, and discuss the implications of the findings for integrated pest management programs involving the pest. Promising future research directions are proposed. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Biogeography of cereal stemborers and their natural enemies: forecasting pest management efficacy under changing climate
Authors: Mutamiswa Reyard , Chikowore Gerald , Nyamukondiwa Casper , Mudereri Bester Tawona , Khan Zeyaur Rahman , Chidawanyika Frank
Published: July 2022

Background

Climate warming presents physiological challenges to insects, manifesting as loss of key life‐history fitness traits and survival. For interacting host–parasitoid species, physiological responses to heat stress may vary, thereby potentially uncoupling trophic ecological relationships. Here, we assessed heat tolerance traits and sensitivity to prevailing and future maximum temperatures for the cereal stemborer pests, Chilo partellus, Busseola fusca and Sesamia calamistis and their endo‐parasitoids, Cotesia sesamiae and Cotesia flavipes. We further used the machine learning algorithm, Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt), to model current and potential distribution of these species.

Results

The mean critical thermal maxima (CTmax) ranged from 39.5 ± 0.9°C to 44.6 ± 0.6°C and from 46.8 ± 0.7°C to 48.5 ± 0.9°C for parasitoids and stemborers, with C. sesamiae and Ch. partellus exhibiting the lowest and highest CTmax respectively. From the current climate to the 2050s scenario, parasitoids recorded a significant reduction in warming tolerance compared with their hosts. Habitat suitability for all stemborer–parasitoid species was spatially heterogeneous under current and future climatic scenarios. Cotesia sesamiae C. flavipes and B. fusca exhibited significant habitat loss, whereas Ch. partellus and S. calamistis showed a significant habitat gain under future 2050s predictions. Model metrics based on mean area under the curve ranged from 0.72 to 0.84 for all species, indicating a good predictive performance of the models.

Conclusion

These results suggest C. sesamiae and C. flavipes may face survival constraints or extirpation compared with their pest hosts when environmental temperature reaches their upper thermal limits earlier, likely reducing pest regulation through density‐mediated effects. The results demonstrate potential destabilization of stemborer–parasitoid trophic systems potentially compromising biocontrol efficacy under climate warming. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Barriers to sustainable development: Critical social factors influencing the sustainable building development based on Swedish experts' perspectives
Authors: Dalirazar Sadaf , Sabzi Zahra
Published: July 2022

Sustainable construction plays a major role in sustainable development. However, the investment rate in sustainable buildings has decreased in recent years. Considering that social factors are one of the important factors influencing the sustainable building development, this paper highlighted the most impactful social factors affecting the sustainable building development based on the opinions of the industry experts from Sweden. Therefore, social challenges and barriers to sustainable building development were investigated using research methods of literature review, questionnaire survey, and statistical analysis using SPSS software. Eventually, after ranking and analyzing the social barriers from the perspectives of the construction industry practitioners from Sweden, possible measures were suggested accordingly. Findings showed that the most important social factors affecting the sustainable building development in Sweden were, “poor communication and lack of common understanding and interests among designers, contractors and project stakeholders,” “resistance to change from conventional to sustainable buildings’ and “lack of demand for sustainable buildings,” respectively. As a result, effective communication management and information sharing and use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) for enhancing communication and collaboration between stakeholders; government support; more incentives and environmental policy; in addition to more education and awareness regarding the benefits of sustainable buildings and stakeholder engagement at early stages of the project for alignment of goals and creating common understanding and interests were suggested as effective measures in reducing these barriers and for further adoption of sustainable buildings.
Superior CdSe/ZnS@Fe2O3 Yolk‐Shell Nanoparticles as Optically Active MRI Contrast Agents**
Authors: Ekici Derya D. , Mutlugun Evren
Published: July 2022

We have developed a robust synthesis methodology for quantum dots (QDs) nanoparticles with magnetic properties designed for biomodal imaging. These nanocrsytlas consists of a semiconductor quantum dot core with engineered fluorescence, which is located in a paramagnetic iron oxide shell that acts as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent. Yolk‐shell CdSe/ZnS@Fe2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) are synthesized via sonochemical decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl (Fe(CO)5) using the oleylamine (OAm) as the ligand. The sonochemical synthesis method of magnetic fluorescent NPs that can be used as MRI contrast agents provided advantages such as improved quantum efficiency and homogeneous size distributions. It has been determined that the luminescence efficiency of quantum dots decreases in coatings that can be made at high temperatures by thermal decomposition. In order to eliminate the disadvantage of elevated temperatures, the sonochemical decomposition method, which allows coating at low temperatures, has been used. With this method, yolk‐shell (CdSe/ZnS@Fe2O3) nanoparticles were produced with high photoluminescence quantum efficiency and homogeneous size distributions. The synthesis magnetic fluorescent NPs optimized was determined to have the injection temperature of Fe(CO)5 at 60 ° C, Fe(CO)5/CdSe@ZnS ratio 0.7, OAm/Fe(CO)5 volume ratio 1.43 with an oxidation time 5 min. Under these conditions, the quantum efficiency was found to be 78 %, nanoparticle sizes between 11–14 nm and r1 value was 0.199, r2 value was 0.518 in MRI analysis. These optically active magnetic fluorescent nanoparticles as positive contrast agents (T1 weighted) are predicted to pave the way for the future of advanced bio‐imaging systems.
Highly Efficient Iodine Capture and CO2 Adsorption using a Triazine‐Based Conjugated Microporous Polymers
Authors: Qiao Yu , Lv Na , Xue Xiangxin , Zhou Tianyu , Che Guangbo , Xu Guangjuan , Wang Fujun , Wu Yuanyuan , Xu Zhanlin
Published: July 2022

Triazine‐based conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) are a class of promising materials for adsorptive separation of CO2, which could be an effective alternative to chemisorption based approaches. Three novel CMPs were synthesized based on mixed building‐block approach under ionothermal conditions (ZnCl2, 400 °C). CMP@1‐3 possess moderate BET surface area of 325–707 m2 g−1. These polymers have a permanent porous structure, plenty of nitrogen atoms in the skeletons as effective sorption sites, and display a high adsorption performance for CO2 and iodine. Among them, CMP@3 displays outstanding CO2 adsorption capacity with uptake up to 120.8 cm3 g−1 at 1 bar and 273 K. In addition, CMP@3 exhibits a superior iodine uptake up to 308 wt.%. After adsorption and release, the structure of CMPs materials does not change and has high stability, which can be used as a convenient, economic and environmentally friendly material to develop its application in the field of I2 adsorption.
Coumarin‐Benzothiazole Hydrazone for Probing of Latent Fingerprints and Anti‐Counterfeiting Applications
Authors: Basavaraju Manjunatha , Bodke Yadav D. , Kumar Naveen
Published: July 2022

In this work, we utilized a simple condensation process for the effective synthesis of coumarin hydrazone fluorescent tag (CHFT) and the evidence for the formation of CHFT was given through FT‐IR, 1H‐NMR, HRMS, UV‐Vis and Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Quantum chemical parameters and molecular electrostatic potential were assessed using DFT investigations. CHFT was found to be aggregation induced emission (AIE) active and exhibited strong cyan blue emission with large stokes shift. The optical band gap (Eg) value was determined by Kubelka‐Munk theory. The latent fingerprints (LFPs) developed by synthesized coumarin, exhibited excellent sensitivity, selectivity and low background hindrance on various material surfaces. Further, the synthesised CHFT was employed in anti‐counterfeiting applications.
Synthesis and Characterization of Core‐Shell Bottlebrush Polymers via Controllable Polymerization
Authors: Yang Yuying , Lin Shaohui , Feng Xianshe , Pan Qinmin
Published: July 2022

This research was focused on the synthesis of well‐defined bottlebrush polymers (BBPs) comprising of polynorbornene (PNB) backbones and side‐chains of the polylactide (PLA)‐b‐polystyrene (PS). The PNB backbones were synthesized via ring‐opening metathesis polymerization of norbornene, and then L‐lactide (LA) was first grafted to the backbones to form PLA side‐chains by ring‐opening polymerization. Afterwards, styrene was further grafted to the PLA cantilever with triothiocarbonate modification via reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization to form PLA‐b‐PS side‐chains. Controllable polymerization was achieved by introducing each block in stages. A novel structure with PLA and PS block arranged in tandem was constructed, and their morphologies of self‐assembly in bulk were investigated by transmission electron microscopy imaging. The results demonstrated that the compositions and molecular weight of the side‐chains in the BBPs affected the self‐assembling morphologies of the BBPs significantly, and revealed that the polymers were with core‐shell structures.
DFT mechanistic investigation of the 1,2‐reduction of α,β‐unsaturated ynones
Authors: Hümpfner Evelyn , Buzsáki Dániel , Kelemen Zsolt
Published: July 2022

The reaction mechanism of the phosphane catalyzed chemoselective 1,2‐reduction of ynones using pinacolborane has been explored computationally. Numerous plausible reaction routes were investigated, and calculations based on density function theory showed that the hydride transfer to the vinylphosphonium cations in the catalytic cycle leads to dead‐ends. The in situ formed dioxaborolane acts as the hydride donor and the reaction proceeds on a parallel path. Alternative mechanisms have also been examined alongside the crucial role of theoretical levels, moreover, the effect of a solvent was taken into consideration by applying the implicit polarizable continuum model.