bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How efficient is Indian health insurance sector: An SBM‐DEA study
Authors: Siddiqui Shoaib Alam
Published: August 2021

The aims of this study are to investigate the technical efficiency and productivity growth of the Indian health insurance sector and to test the conglomeration hypothesis versus the strategic focus hypothesis for providing new evidence on economies of scope. This study has analyzed the efficiency and productivity performance of the 27 health insurance companies from the period 2015 to 2019 using slack‐based measurers (SBM) of data envelopment analysis. The Malmquist index has been used to evaluate the productivity of health insurers. The Mann–Whitney test is used to investigate the conglomeration hypothesis versus the strategic focus hypothesis. Findings indicate that Indian health insurance industry experienced significant fluctuations in mean technical efficiency during the study period. Almost 30% of the health insurers operated efficiently during the study period. Almost half of the health insurers experienced growth during this period. The Indian health insurance sector grew at an annual average rate of 3.78% during our study period. We further found that the stand‐alone health insurers operated more efficiently than the health insurance units of the general insurers in the Indian health insurance sector. This study is first of its kind that brings into light the operating characteristics, efficiencies, and productivity of the Indian health insurance sector. This study will be helpful to the regulators, decision makers, and other stakeholders. The policy makers of health insurance companies can improve their efficiency after knowing the reasons of inefficiency. The managers of inefficient health insurers may expedite measures to improve efficiency by better utilization of existing resources and technological improvements.
Motion‐robust quantitative multiparametric brain MRI with motion‐resolved MR multitasking
Authors: Ma Sen , Wang Nan , Xie Yibin , Fan Zhaoyang , Li Debiao , Christodoulou Anthony G.
Published: August 2021

Purpose

To address head motion in brain MRI with a novel motion‐resolved imaging framework, with application to motion‐robust quantitative multiparametric mapping.

Methods

MR multitasking conceptualizes the underlying multiparametric image in the presence of motion as a multidimensional low‐rank tensor. By incorporating a motion‐state dimension into the parameter dimensions and introducing unsupervised motion‐state binning and outlier motion reweighting mechanisms, the brain motion can be readily resolved for motion‐robust quantitative imaging. A numerical motion phantom was used to simulate different discrete and periodic motion patterns under various translational and rotational scenarios, as well as investigate the sensitivity to exceptionally small and large displacements. In vivo brain MRI was performed to also evaluate different real discrete and periodic motion patterns. The effectiveness of motion‐resolved imaging for simultaneous T1/T2/T1ρ mapping in the brain was investigated.

Results

For all 14 simulation scenarios of small, intermediate, and large motion displacements, the motion‐resolved approach produced T1/T2/T1ρ maps with less absolute difference errors against the ground truth, lower RMSE, and higher structural similarity index measure of T1/T2/T1ρ measurements compared to motion removal, and no motion handling. For in vivo experiments, the motion‐resolved approach produced T1/T2/T1ρ maps with the best image quality free from motion artifacts under random discrete motion, tremor, periodic shaking, and nodding patterns compared to motion removal and no motion handling. The proposed method also yielded T1/T2/T1ρ measurement distributions closest to the motion‐free reference, with minimal measurement bias and variance.

Conclusion

Motion‐resolved quantitative brain imaging is achieved with multitasking, which is generalizable to various head motion patterns without explicit need for registration‐based motion correction.
Cross‐cultural adaptation and validation of the neurogenic bladder symptom score for Spanish speakers
Authors: Moreno‐Palacios J. , Castro‐Nuñez P. , Padilla‐Fernández B. , Beltran‐Martinez L. , Katz‐Nestor O. , Braschi Emmanuel , Garrido G.
Published: August 2021

Aim

To perform a cross‐cultural adaptation and validation of the Neurogenic Bladder Symptom Score (NBSS) to Spanish in patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction.

Materials and Methods

The questionnaire was culturally adapted according to international guidelines. It was applied, twice in a range of 14–28 days. Psychometric properties were tested such as content validity, construct validity, internal consistency, and test–retest reliability.

Results

A total of 82 patients between 18 and 78 years old (mean age of 43.9) participated in the study, and completed the first NBSS assessment; only 39 (32.19%) performed the test–retest study. The internal consistency was tested by Cronbach α with a result of 0.86 (95% CI, 0.81–0.90). The reliability was tested by interclass correlation coefficient with a result of 0.91 [0.87–0.95] (p < 0.0001). The construct validity was tested by Pearson correlation between NBSS and Qualiveen‐SF, which showed a moderate correlation with a result of 0.57 (p < 0.0001). One‐way analysis of variance with trend analysis demonstrated that patients who reported having a more severe problem with their bladder function had a higher NBSS total score (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The results of this study demonstrated that the Spanish version of the NBSS has a good internal consistency and reliability, proving its applicability.
D‐dimer level for ruling out peripherally inserted central catheter‐associated upper extremity deep vein thrombosis and superficial vein thrombosis
Authors: Liu Wanli , He Lianxiang , Zeng Wenjing , Yue Liqing , Wei Jie , Zeng Shuangshuang , Wang Xiang , Gong Zhicheng
Published: August 2021

Aims

To examine the effectiveness of D‐dimer values to be used as an independent diagnostic marker for excluding peripherally inserted central catheter‐associated upper extremity deep vein thrombosis and superficial vein thrombosis.

Design

This was a retrospective case–cohort study.

Methods

Records were reviewed for 281 patients who underwent peripherally inserted central catheter insertion between 1 October 2017 and 1 October 2019. According to the modified Wells score after peripherally inserted central catheter insertion, the patients who had low vein thrombosis risk underwent a D‐dimer test and colour Doppler ultrasound.

Results

Among 281 patients, 180 patients (64%, 95% CI: 58.2%–69.4%) had negative D‐dimer results and 39 of 180 patients had vein thrombosis despite having a negative D‐dimer result, resulting in a failure rate of 21.7% (95% CI: 16.3%–28.3%). The negative predictive value of peripherally inserted central catheter‐associated vein thrombosis in the cancer group (80.0%, 95% CI: 73.2%–85.4%) was higher than that of the non‐cancer group (60.0%, 95% CI: 35.7%–80.2%). The negative predictive value of peripherally inserted central catheter‐associated deep venous thrombosis (84.9%, 95% CI: 78.7%–89.6%) was lower than that of the PICC‐associated superficial venous thrombosis (91.0%, 95% CI: 85.4%–94.6%).

Conclusion

The D‐dimer levels maybe should not be used as a diagnostic index to rule out peripherally inserted central catheter‐associated upper extremity vein thrombosis.
Iterative learning control for linear parabolic distributed parameter systems with multiple point sensors
Authors: Liu Yaqiang , Lai Jialun , Jin Zengwang , Ren Zhigang , Xie Shengli , Wang Yalin
Published: August 2021

This article presents an iterative learning control (ILC) approach for linear parabolic distributed parameter systems with multiple actuators and multiple sensors. The distribution functions of actuators and sensors are chosen as delta function to produce pointwise control and pointwise measurement. A P‐type ILC law is proposed based on the iterative inputs and outputs to ensure the iterative process of the system is convergent under the ILC law. By utilizing integration by parts, triangle inequality, property of delta function, and Gronwall lemma, a sufficient condition based on an inequality constraint for the convergence analysis of the track error system is presented. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed design method is verified by numerical simulation results.
Successful Treatment of Afatinib Reversing Epidermal Growth Factor ReceptorExon19Deletion/G724S MutationResistance Guided byProtein-DrugDocking
Authors: Yu Nian , Xu Yinghui , Wang Xu , Sun Chao , Qiu Shi , Guo Ye , Bai Miao , Huang Yanxin , Ma Kewei
Published: August 2021

G724S is a rare mutation induced by different generations of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). No clinical effective drugs toward G724S mutation have been reported till now. We analyzed the interaction of three drugs (afatinib, gefitinib, osimertinib) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) from three aspects: the spatial structure of the binding region, the scoring function value, and the interaction force between drug molecules and active center of EGFR. Our results indicate that afatinib remains effective to patients with EGFR Exon19Deletion(Ex19Del) and G724S mutations whereas osimertinib and gefitinib are not, which is consistent with other reports. Afatinib is reported to be effective against G724S mutation, but no long-term clinical survival has been reported till now. A patient with stage IV adenocarcinoma was found to have Ex19Del/G724S mutation. Treated with afatinib, he received a progression-free survival of more than 1 year. With the guidance of this case report, we provide the clinical evidence of using afatinib for patients with G724S mutations and obtaining long-term clinical survival.

Key Points
In Reply
Authors: Kato Satoshi , Demura Satoru , Tsuchiya Hiroyuki
Published: August 2021

This letter to the editor responds to comments on a recently published review article on metastasectomy in the spine.
Development of meniscus‐inspired 3D‐printed PCL scaffolds engineered with chitosan/extracellular matrix hydrogel
Authors: Asgarpour Rahil , Masaeli Elahe , Kermani Shabnam
Published: August 2021

Meniscus injuries, usually caused by tears or degenerative processes, impair normal knee function and lead to advanced osteoarthritis. Therefore, with the aim of restoring the normal meniscus function, replacement strategies based on tissue engineering strategies have gained prominence alongside other therapeutic endeavors. Regarding heterogeneity of natural meniscus tissue, ideal scaffold in meniscal engineering should mimic tissue with regard to both tissue architecture and biochemical composition. In this research, polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds with different strand spaces were firstly designed and fabricated through 3D‐printing process to provide a template and structural support for meniscus regeneration. According to results of physical and mechanical characterizations, 3D‐printed scaffolds with strand space of 0.2 mm were modified with chitosan hydrogel containing decellularized meniscus to recapitulate the structure and composition of meniscus extracellular matrix (ECM). The electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy results demonstrated the successful biomimetic coating of chitosan/ECM hydrogel on scaffolds that subsequently promoted the metabolic activity of cultured human adipose derived stem cells (hASCs). qPCR analysis of ACAN, SOX9, COLL2, and COLL1A1 genes indicated the ability of the biomimetic coating to induce fibrocartilage phenotype in seeded cells. These results were exciting for application in tissue engineering as 3D‐printed scaffolds provide a unique template for meeting structural challenges in meniscus replacement.
Safety of administration of BNT162b2 mRNA (Pfizer‐BioNTech) COVID‐19 vaccine in youths and young adults with a history of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and allergy to PEG‐asparaginase
Authors: Mark Catherine , Gupta Sumit , Punnett Angela , Upton Julia , Orkin Julia , Atkinson Adelle , Clarke Lindsay , Heisey Alice , McGovern Christine , Alexander Sarah
Published: August 2021

Vaccinationis a critical tool in the prevention of COVID‐19 infection for individuals and for communities. The mRNA vaccines contain polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a stabilizer. Currently, in North America, only the BNT162b2 (Pfizer‐BioNTech) mRNA vaccine is approved for individuals aged 12–17. Most patients treated with contemporary regimens for acute lymphoblastic leukemia receive PEG‐asparaginase (PEG‐ASNase) and 10%–30% will develop allergic reactions. Optimizing access and safety for vaccine administration for these patients is critical. This report describes a process developed to support COVID vaccination in a cohort of adolescents and young adults with a history of PEG‐ASNase allergy.
A retrospective study of electroencephalography burst suppression in children undergoing general anesthesia
Authors: Gao Zhengzheng , Zhang Jianmin , Wang Xiaoxue , Yao Mengnan , Sun Lan , Ren Yi , Qiu Dongyu
Published: August 2021

Importance

In children, anesthesia dosages are based on population pharmacokinetics and patient hemodynamics rather than patient‐specific brain activity. Brain function is highly susceptible to the effects of anesthetics.

Objective

The primary objective of this retrospective pilot study was to assess the prevalence of electroencephalography (EEG) burst suppression—a sign of deep anesthesia—in children undergoing general anesthesia.

Methods

We analyzed EEG in patients aged 1–36 months who received sevoflurane or propofol as the primary anesthetic. Patient enrollment was stratified into two age groups: 1–12 months and 13–36 months. Burst suppression (voltage ≤ 5.0 mV, lasting > 0.5 seconds) was characterized by occurrence over anesthesia time. Associations with patient demographics and anesthetics were determined.

Results

In total, 54 patients (33 males and 21 females) were included in the study [age 11.0 (5.0–19.5) months; weight 9.2 (6.5–11.0) kg]. The total prevalence of burst suppression was 56% (30/54). Thirty‐three percent of patients experienced burst suppression during the surgical phase. The greatest proportion of burst suppression occurred during the induction phase. More burst suppression event occurrences (18/30) were observed in the patient under sevoflurane anesthesia (P = 0.024). Virtually all patients who received propofol boluses had burst suppression (P = 0.033). More burst suppression occurred in patients with hypotension (P < 0.001). During the surgical phase, a younger age was associated with more burst suppression (P = 0.002).

Interpretation

EEG burst suppression was associated with younger age, inhalation anesthetics, propofol bolus, and lower arterial pressure.
Calibration of cavity pressure simulation using autoencoder and multilayer perceptron neural networks
Authors: Huang Ming‐Shyan , Liu Chun‐Yin , Ke Kun‐Cheng
Published: August 2021

Numerical simulations of polymer melt flow behavior in cavities help predict and optimize injection molding process parameters. However, simulation and actual results may differ because of simplified mathematical models, inaccurate processing conditions, material property settings, and machine aging, among other factors. Therefore, simulated optimal process parameters cannot be directly applied in practice. This study applied machine learning to generate a virtual–actual correction model to improve the accuracy of simulation results, especially the cavity pressure profile, a key indicator of injection‐molding quality for identifying ideal process parameter settings such as filling‐to‐packing switchover time and holding pressure. This method does not require big data for model training to enhance its practicality. Therefore, the correction model is only suitable for specific settings. A set of injection molding machines, molds, and processed materials were used for experimental verification. An autoencoder model was used to extract the features of simulation and actual cavity pressure curves. Then, a multilayer perceptron model was used to determine a relationship between simulation and actual features. The autoencoder was used to decode simulated features into cavity pressure curves. The proposed method was verified with dumbbell‐shaped specimens; the correlation between simulated and actual cavity pressures was greatly improved from 81% to 98%.
A novel technique for the development of acetabular cup by cold isostatic compaction and sintering of UHMWPE powder with optimized processing parameters
Authors: Jana Ashirbad , Selvaraj Senthilvelan , Subramani Kanagaraj
Published: August 2021

Life of a metal on ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) total hip replacement is often limited to 10–15 years, due to wear loss and aseptic loosening. Due to its high melt flow index, UHMWPE is typically processed by ram extrusion or compression molding technique, but yet to be processed to the full potential of its mechanical integrity in acetabular shape without any fusion defects or weak bonding. The main objective of the present study is to develop a novel technique to fabricate defect‐free acetabular cups with desired bearing characteristics and surface finish by sintering medical‐grade UHMWPE GUR 1050 powder after its cold isostatic compaction with optimum processing parameters. Sintering kinetics of UHMWPE is studied comprehensively using a thermomechanical analyzer. The influence of compaction pressure, sintering temperature, and sintering duration on sintering kinetics of UHMWPE is explored to realize their optimum. The optimally processed UHMWPE has the relative density of 97% and Vickers hardness of 5.4 with tensile yield strength and elastic modulus of 21.5 and 625 MPa, respectively. The newly developed acetabular cup exhibited inherent plateau‐finished bearing surface with an average surface roughness of <100 nm, having good bearing characteristics and desired dimension.
New method for controlled synthesis of polylactide block copolymers: organoborane/p‐quinone system and reversible‐deactivation radical polymerization
Authors: Ludin Dmitrii V , Zaitsev Sergey D , Markin Alexey V , Grishin Ivan D , Sologubov Semen S , Kovylina Tatyana A , Fedushkin Igor L
Published: August 2021

We developed a new approach to obtain polylactide hybrid block copolymers with vinyl monomers (styrene, methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate) through the realization of a reaction sequence using triethylborane and various p‐quinones. The method offered includes two stages. In the first stage, a chain‐transfer agent was obtained by borylation of the terminal hydroxyl groups of polylactide. The second stage was vinyl monomer radical polymerization in the presence of p‐quinone accompanied by SH2‐substitution at the boron atom.1,4‐Naphthoquinone, 2,3‐dimethyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone, duroquinone and 2,5‐di‐tert‐butyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone were used as synthetic polymer chain growth mediators. It is shown that 1,4‐naphthoquinone and 2,3‐dimethyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone, similar in their characteristics, are effective agents providing the realization of reversible‐deactivation radical polymerization. Realization of reversible‐deactivation radical polymerization was proved with the analysis of the kinetics of block copolymerization, molecular weight characteristics and compositional homogeneity of block copolymers as well as its further capability to elongate the polymer chain. Synthesized block copolymers have a high thermal stability compared to the initial borylated polylactide. © 2021 Society of Industrial Chemistry.
Educator perspectives on mental health resources and practices in their school
Authors: Ormiston Heather E. , Nygaard Malena A. , Heck Olivia C. , Wood Maureen , Rodriguez Nicole , Maze Mallory , Asomani‐Adem Akua A. , Ingmire Keelyn , Burgess Bri , Shriberg David
Published: August 2021

The need for mental health services in schools is increasing. Teachers are expected to meet student's academic needs but may find their role impacted by the need for mental health support among students (Bruhn et al., 2014; Kaffenberger & O'Rouke‐Trigiani, 2013). The purpose of this study is to elicit teacher perspectives on addressing the mental health needs of students in school. Staff members from one school in a Midwestern state were interviewed to examine their perspectives related to student mental health. Thirteen classroom teachers (n = 13), four related arts teachers (n = 4), seven special education staff members (n = 7), three building support personnel (n = 3), two office staff (n = 2), and four support staff members (n = 4) were interviewed, for a total of 33 participants (n = 33). Participant experience ranged from 2 to 37 years in education. Utilizing an inductive thematic analysis approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006), information regarding teachers' current knowledge of, roles, and approaches to support students with mental health needs in schools is presented across four main themes. Directions for future research, training, and practice are described.
Oral RNAi toxicity assay suggests clathrin heavy chain as a promising molecular target for controlling the 28‐spotted potato ladybird, Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata
Authors: Guo Mujuan , Nanda Satyabrata , Chen Shimin , Lü Jing , Yang Chunxiao , Liu Zhuoqi , Guo Wei , Qiu Baoli , Zhang Youjun , Zhou Xuguo , Pan Huipeng
Published: August 2021

BACKGROUND

Use of RNA interference (RNAi) technology in effective pest management has been explored for decades. Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata is a major solanaceous crop pest in Asia. In this study, the effects of the RNAi‐mediated silencing of clathrin heavy chain in H. vigintioctopunctata were investigated.

RESULTS

Feeding either the in vitro‐synthesized or the bacterially expressed double‐stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) significantly impaired the normal physiology of H. vigintioctopunctata instars and adults. However, the bacterially expressed dsHvChc caused higher mortality than the in vitro‐synthesized ones in the larvae and adults. Moreover, on evaluating the potential risk of dsHvChc on Propylea japonica, significant transcriptional effects of dsHvChc1 were observed, while the organismal level effects were not significant. On the contrary, dsHvChc2 did not affect P. japonica at either level. A similar test revealed significant transcriptional effects of dsPjChc1 on H. vigintioctopunctata, while staying ineffective at the organismal levels. Conversely, dsPjChc2 did not affect H. vigintioctopunctata at either level. Importantly, no effect of dsPjChc1 exposure on H. vigintioctopunctata suggested that other factors besides the 21‐nucleotide (nt) matches between sequences were responsible. Finally, ingestion of dsHvmChc1 derived from H. vigintioctomaculata, containing 265‐nt matches with dsHvChc1, caused 100% mortality in H. vigintioctopunctata.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that (i) species with numerous 21‐nt matches in homologous genes are more likely to be susceptible to dsRNA; (ii) dsRNA can be safely designed to avoid negative effects on non‐target organisms at both transcriptional and organismal levels; (iii) HvChc can be used as an efficient RNAi target gene to effectively manage H. vigintioctopunctata. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Combination of natural antivirals and potent immune invigorators: A natural remedy to combat COVID‐19
Authors: Shah Muhammad Ajmal , Rasul Azhar , Yousaf Rimsha , Haris Muhammad , Faheem Hafiza Ishmal , Hamid Ayesha , Khan Haroon , Khan Abdul Haleem , Aschner Michael , Batiha Gaber El‐Saber
Published: August 2021

The flare‐up in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) that emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and spread expeditiously worldwide has become a health challenge globally. The rapid transmission, absence of anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 drugs, and inexistence of vaccine are further exacerbating the situation. Several drugs, including chloroquine, remdesivir, and favipiravir, are presently undergoing clinical investigation to further scrutinize their effectiveness and validity in the management of COVID‐19. Natural products (NPs) in general, and plants constituents specifically, are unique sources for various effective and novel drugs. Immunostimulants, including vitamins, iron, zinc, chrysin, caffeic acid, and gallic acid, act as potent weapons against COVID‐19 by reinvigorating the defensive mechanisms of the immune system. Immunity boosters prevent COVID‐19 by stimulating the proliferation of T‐cells, B‐cells, and neutrophils, neutralizing the free radicals, inhibiting the immunosuppressive agents, and promoting cytokine production. Presently, antiviral therapy includes several lead compounds, such as baicalin, glycyrrhizin, theaflavin, and herbacetin, all of which seem to act against SARS‐CoV‐2 via particular targets, such as blocking virus entry, attachment to host cell receptor, inhibiting viral replication, and assembly and release.
Quantized feedback control for Markovian jumping singular systems driven by fractional Brownian motions
Authors: Xie Jing , Meng Jing , Kao Yonggui , Liu Zhen
Published: August 2021

The quantized feedback control for a type of delayed Markovian jumping singular systems driven by fractional Brownian motions is investigated. Firstly, the input is quantized by a uniform operator consisting of a linear part to deal with system stochastic stability and a nonlinear part to deal with the error caused by the quantizer. Secondly, to deal with the boundedness of fractional Brownian motions, a new type of Lyapunov function dependent of Hurst index is constructed. Then, utilizing generalized Finsler lemma and Gronwall inequality, some new criteria on the singular stochastic finite‐time boundedness are obtained for the considered systems with the designed quantized input. Finally, a numerical example and a DC motor example are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methods and results.
Predicting rootzone soil moisture from surface observations in cropland using an exponential filter
Authors: Rossini Pedro , Patrignani Andres
Published: August 2021

Rootzone soil moisture provides valuable information to guide in‐season management decisions in rainfed and irrigated agricultural systems. Measuring rootzone soil moisture usually requires the deployment of a vertical array of sensors, which can be costly and labor intensive. In this study, we tested the skill of an exponential filter to estimate rootzone soil moisture conditions from a time series of near‐surface soil moisture observations. Daily soil moisture observations from a sensor at 10‐cm depth were used to predict the soil water content at 30‐, 50‐, and 70‐cm depth, and across the entire soil profile (0‐to‐80‐cm depth) in four agricultural fields under irrigated and rainfed conditions. The characteristic time length was the only fitting parameter of the model, which was optimized for each site based on the Nash–Sutcliffe (NS) score. Across the four sites, the mean NS score at individual soil layers ranged from −0.64 to 0.73, but the NS score at the profile level ranged between 0.29 and 0.84. Predictions of soil water storage at the profile level based on near‐surface soil moisture and the exponential filter resulted in average RMSE of 11 mm across the four locations. Our study shows that in agricultural fields the exponential filter performs better when considering the entire soil profile rather than individual soil layers.
Modeling conditional reference regions: Application to glycemic markers
Authors: Lado‐Baleato Óscar , Roca‐Pardiñas Javier , Cadarso‐Suárez Carmen , Gude Francisco
Published: August 2021

Many clinical decisions are taken based on the results of continuous diagnostic tests. Usually, only the results of one single test is taken into consideration, the interpretation of which requires a reference range for the healthy population. However, the use of two different tests, can be necessary in the diagnosis of certain diseases. This obliges a bivariate reference region be available for their interpretation. It should also be remembered that reference regions may depend on patient variables (eg, age and sex) independent of the suspected disease. However, few proposals have been made regarding the statistical modeling of such reference regions, and those put forward have always assumed a Gaussian distribution, which can be rather restrictive. The present work describes a new statistical method that allows such reference regions to be estimated with no insistence on the results being normally distributed. The proposed method is based on a bivariate location‐scale model that provides probabilistic regions covering a specific percentage of the bivariate data, dependent on certain covariates. The reference region is estimated nonparametrically and the nonlinear effects of continuous covariates via polynomial kernel smoothers in additive models. The bivariate model is estimated using a backfitting algorithm, and the optimal smoothing parameters of the kernel smoothers selected by cross‐validation. The model performed satisfactorily in simulation studies under the assumption of non‐Gaussian conditions. Finally, the proposed methodology was found to be useful in estimating a reference region for two continuous diagnostic tests for diabetes (fasting plasma glucose and glycated hemoglobin), taking into account the age of the patient.
Recent Advances in Plasmonic Photocatalysis Based on TiO2 and Noble Metal Nanoparticles for Energy Conversion, Environmental Remediation, and Organic Synthesis
Authors: Kumar Ajay , Choudhary Priyanka , Kumar Ashish , Camargo Pedro H. C. , Krishnan Venkata
Published: August 2021

Plasmonic photocatalysis has emerged as a prominent and growing field. It enables the efficient use of sunlight as an abundant and renewable energy source to drive a myriad of chemical reactions. For instance, plasmonic photocatalysis in materials comprising TiO2 and plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) enables effective charge carrier separation and the tuning of optical response to longer wavelength regions (visible and near infrared). In fact, TiO2‐based materials and plasmonic effects are at the forefront of heterogeneous photocatalysis, having applications in energy conversion, production of liquid fuels, wastewater treatment, nitrogen fixation, and organic synthesis. This review aims to comprehensively summarize the fundamentals and to provide the guidelines for future work in the field of TiO2‐based plasmonic photocatalysis comprising the above‐mentioned applications. The concepts and state‐of‐the‐art description of important parameters including the formation of Schottky junctions, hot electron generation and transfer, near field electromagnetic enhancement, plasmon resonance energy transfer, scattering, and photothermal heating effects have been covered in this review. Synthetic approaches and the effect of various physicochemical parameters in plasmon‐mediated TiO2‐based materials on performances are discussed. It is envisioned that this review may inspire and provide insights into the rational development of the next generation of TiO2‐based plasmonic photocatalysts with target performances and enhanced selectivities.
Advances and Prospects in Metal–Organic Frameworks as Key Nexus for Chemocatalytic Hydrogen Production
Authors: Zhang Lina , Zhang Ke , Wang Chengming , Liu Yanyan , Wu Xianli , Peng Zhikun , Cao Huaqiang , Li Baojun , Jiang Jianchun
Published: August 2021

Hydrogen is a clean and sustainable energy carrier, which is considered a promising alternative for fossil fuels to solve the global energy crisis and respond to climate change. Social concerns on its safe storage promote continuous exploration of alternatives to traditional storage methods. In this case, chemical hydrogen storage materials initiate plentiful research with special attention to the design of heterogeneous catalysts that can enhance efficient and highly selective hydrogen production. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), a kind of unique crystalline porous materials featuring highly ordered porosities and tailorable structures, can provide various active sites (i.e., metal nodes, functional linkers, and defects) for heterogeneous catalysis. Furthermore, the easy construction of active sites in highly ordered MOFs, which can work as plate for the delicate active site engineering, make them ideal candidates for a variety of heterogeneous catalysts including chemocatalytic hydrogen production. This review concentrates on the application of MOFs as heterogeneous catalysts or catalyst supports in chemocatalytic hydrogen production. Recent progresses of MOFs as catalysts for chemocatalytic hydrogen production are comprehensively summarized. The research methods, mechanism analyses, and prospects of MOFs in this field are discussed. The challenges in future industrial applications of MOFs as catalysts for hydrogen production are proposed.
Photodepositing CdS on the Active Cyano Groups Decorated g‐C3N4 in Z‐Scheme Manner Promotes Visible‐Light‐Driven Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Wang Zhipeng , Wang Zilin , Zhu Xiaodi , Ai Changzhi , Zeng Yamei , Shi Wenyan , Zhang Xidong , Zhang Haoran , Si Hewei , Li Jin , Wang Cai‐Zhuang , Lin Shiwei
Published: August 2021

g‐C3N4/CdS heterojunctions are potential photocatalysts for hydrogen production but their traditional type‐II configuration generally leads to weak oxidative and reductive activity. How to construct the novel Z‐scheme g‐C3N4/CdS counterparts to address this issue remains a great challenge in this field. In this work, a new direct Z‐scheme heterojunction of defective g‐C3N4/CdS is designed by introducing cyano groups (NC‐) as the active bridge sites. Experimental observations in combination with density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the unique electron‐withdrawing feature of cyano groups in the defective g‐C3N4/CdS heterostructure can endow this photocatalyst with numerous advantageous properties including high light absorption ability, strong redox performance, satisfactory charge separation efficiency, and long lifetime of charge carriers. Consequently, the resultant photocatalytic system exhibits more active performance than CdS and g‐C3N4 under visible light and reaches an excellent hydrogen evolution rate of 1809.07 µmol h−1 g−1, which is 6.09 times higher than pristine g‐C3N4. Moreover, the defective g‐C3N4/CdS photocatalyst maintains good stability after 40 h continuous test. This work provides new insights into design and construction of Z‐scheme heterojunctions for regulating the visible‐light‐induced photocatalytic activity for H2 evolution.
Recent Advances of Furan and Its Derivatives Based Semiconductor Materials for Organic Photovoltaics
Authors: Zheng Bing , Huo Lijun
Published: August 2021

The state‐of‐the‐art bulk‐heterojunction (BHJ)‐type organic solar cells (OSCs) have exhibited power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of exceeding 18%. Thereinto, thiophene and its fused‐ring derivatives play significant roles in facilitating the development of OSCs due to their excellent semiconducting natures. Furan as thiophene analogue, is a ubiquitous motif in naturally occurring organic compounds. Driven by the advantages of furan, such as less steric hindrance, good solubility, excellent stacking, strong rigidity and fluorescence, biomass derived fractions, more and more research groups focus on the furan‐based materials for using in OSCs in the past decade. To systematically understand the developments of furan‐based photovoltaic materials, the relationships between the molecular structures, optoelectronic properties, and photovoltaic performances for the furan‐based semiconductor materials including single furan, benzofuran, benzodifuran (BDF) (containing thienobenzofuran (TBF)), naphthodifurans (NDF), and polycyclic furan are summarized. Finally, the empirical regularities and perspectives of the development of this kind of new organic semiconductor materials are extracted.
Boosting the Electrochemical Performance of V2O3 by Anchoring on Carbon Nanotube Microspheres with Macrovoids for Ultrafast and Long‐Life Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Park Jin‐Sung , Yang Sungjin , Kang Yun Chan
Published: August 2021

Zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs) are next‐generation energy storage systems with high safety and environmental friendliness because they can be operated in aqueous systems. However, the search for electrode materials with ideal nanostructures and compositions for aqueous ZIBs is in progress. Herein, the synthesis of porous microspheres, consisting of V2O3 anchored on entangled carbon nanotubes (p‐V2O3‐CNT) and their application as cathode for ZIBs is reported. From various analyses, it is revealed that V2O3 phase disappears after the initial charge process, and Zn3+x(OH)2+3xV2−xO7−3x∙2H2O and zinc vanadate (ZnyVOz) phases undergo zinc‐ion intercalation/deintercalation processes from the second cycle. Additionally, the electrochemical performances of p‐V2O3‐CNT, V2O3‐CNT (without macrovoids), and porous V2O3 (without CNTs) microspheres are compared to determine the effects of nanostructures and conductive carbonaceous matrix on the zinc‐ion storage performance. p‐V2O3‐CNT exhibits a high reversible capacity of 237 mA h g−1 after 5000 cycles at 10 A g−1. Furthermore, a reversible capacity of 211 mA h g−1 is obtained at an extremely high current density of 50 A g−1. The macrovoids in V2O3 nanostructure effectively alleviate the volume changes during cycling, and the entangled CNTs with high electrical conductivity assist in achieving fast electrochemical kinetics.
Anion‐Doped Cobalt Selenide with Porous Architecture for High‐Rate and Flexible Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Feng Tao , Zhao Teng , Zhu Shuangfei , Zhang Nanxiang , Wei Zhuangzhuang , Wang Ke , Li Li , Wu Feng , Chen Renjie
Published: August 2021

Emerging catalytic host for sulfur is an effective approach to breaking the limits of lithium–sulfur batteries for practical applications. Herein, the hydrangea‐shaped Co0.85Se electrocatalyst with macroporous architecture is synthesized. Besides, to improve the electronic conductivity of Co0.85Se, some defects (S‐doped) are introduced into the structure of crystals. The S‐doped Co0.85Se exhibited an outstanding electrocatalytic effect on lithium polysulfides conversion and can induce and regulate uniform growth of insoluble Li2S on its surface due to the synergistic adsorption by Se and S. As a result, the S/C cathode achieved a high initial capacity of 1340.6 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C and a stable cycling capacity of 666.6 mAh g−1 at 1 C after 500 cycles by 5 wt% Co0.85SeS additions. Moreover, high S loading cathodes are designed through in situ synthesis of Co0.85SeS on flexible carbon cloth (Co0.85SeS@CC). The porous and open framework of Co0.85SeS@CC facilitated electrolyte infiltration and accommodated the volume change of sulfur during the charge/discharge process. Taking by these advantages, a high areal capacity of 9.663 mAh cm−2 is achieved at a high sulfur loading of 9.98 mg cm−2. Even at a high current density of 15 mA cm−2, a reversible capacity of 603.7 mAh g−1 is maintained at a sulfur loading of 6.52 mg cm−2. This proposed work provides a feasible approach to high‐rate and flexible Li–S batteries.
Highly sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry assay for the determination of azathioprine in presence of mercaptopurine and its application to a human pharmacokinetic study
Authors: Valluri Venkat Rao , Katari Naresh Kumar , Khatri Chirag , Vyas Govind , Polagani Srinivasa Rao , Ponnam Vijetha
Published: August 2021

A highly sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method was developed to estimate azathioprine in presence of its active metabolite mercaptopurine in human plasma. The analyte and isotope‐labeled internal standards were extracted from 300 μL human plasma by a solid‐phase extraction technique. The method was revealed good linearity over a concentration range of 0.151 to 49.500 ng/mL for azathioprine, containing 50.000 ng/mL of mercaptopurine in all the quality control samples. The detection was established using multiple reaction monitoring method. The method validation was carried out as per the present guidelines on bioanalytical method validation of European medicines agency and United States Food and Drug Administration. The current method was successfully applied to study the pharmacokinetics of azathioprine 50 mg tablets on healthy human volunteers. The results of pharmacokinetic parameters have demonstrated that, estimation of azathioprine in presence of mercaptopurine has no impact on azathioprine results.
Characterization of enzymatic activity of lysozyme in lysozyme–ovotransferrin complex before and after treatment with trypsin
Authors: Shimazaki Youji , Yabu Shunta
Published: August 2021

The native complex of lysozyme and ovotransferrin was isolated after the separation of egg white proteins using non‐denaturing isoelectric focusing, and mobilization toward the cathode by replacement of the cathodic sodium hydroxide solution with a phosphoric acid solution. The treatment of the lysozyme–ovotransferrin complex with trypsin significantly increased the enzymatic activity of lysozyme. Likewise, an increase in the enzymatic activity of lysozyme was also obtained when a mixture of the purified lysozyme and ovotransferrin was treated with trypsin. The increase in lysozyme enzymatic activity after tryptic treatment of the lysozyme–ovotransferrin complex resulted from the liberation of lysozyme from this complex. This was a consequence of the resistance of lysozyme to tryptic digestion and the digestion of ovotransferrin by trypsin into peptide fragments, which do not bind the lysozyme. The developed methodology could be used for the separation and isolation of other protein complexes and for testing their enzymatic and other activities.
Invasive Lake Trout Reproduction in Yellowstone Lake under an Active Suppression Program
Authors: Heredia Nicholas A. , Gresswell Robert E. , Webb Molly A. H. , Brenden Travis O. , Sandstrom Philip T.
Published: August 2021

In Yellowstone Lake, predation by invasive Lake TroutSalvelinus namaycushhas caused significant abundance declines in native Yellowstone Cutthroat TroutOncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri. Lake Trout suppression has been ongoing since 1995; assessment and simulation modeling are used to measure suppression effectiveness and guide efforts. Lake Trout reproduction demographics are linked to these modeling efforts via quantification of the population stock–recruitment relationship. To improve estimation of this relationship for Lake Trout in Yellowstone Lake, we assessed reproduction demographics by quantifying spawning periodicity, size at maturity, and female fecundity. Histological assessment suggested that females with a gonadosomatic index (GSI) >3.0 and males with a GSI >1.0 were capable of spawning. Approximately 65% of mature females appeared to have spawned on an annual cycle. In 2015, the mean absolute and relative fecundities were 4,612 eggs and 1,535 eggs/kg, respectively; temporal differences in relative fecundity (1996, 2006, 2007, and 2015) were not statistically significant. Lake Trout population fecundity has declined from a peak in 2010 due to reduction in abundance of spawners. The estimated population fecundity of approximately 4.7 million eggs in 2020 represents an 81% decline from the mean estimate of previous samples and an 87% reduction from peak population fecundity. Despite declines in population fecundity, age‐2 recruitment has increased in recent years; our results suggest these increases are not related to changes in reproductive demographics, but rather are related to increased prerecruitment survival. Our results provide information for understanding temporal variation in spawning stock biomass of Lake Trout in Yellowstone Lake and the capacity of the population to respond to suppression. When responding to an invasive species, fishery managers should recognize that population characteristics (e.g., reproduction demographics, population dynamics) in invaded systems may differ from those in the species’ native range; such differences can influence the effectiveness of management actions and policies.
Amelioratory effect of neoandrographolide on myocardial ischemic‐reperfusion injury by its anti‐inflammatory and anti‐apoptotic activities
Authors: Liu Ying , Liu Yun , Zhang Hong‐Li , Yu Fen‐Fang , Yin Xiao‐Rui , Zhao Yan‐Fang , Ye Fei , Wu Xiang‐Qi
Published: August 2021

In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the cardioprotective effect of neoandrographolide (Neo) on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/R) models and explore its possible mechanism. We randomly and equally divided male mice into sham‐operation, I/R, and I/R + Neo groups. H9C2 cell line and primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were induced into the simulated I/R's status and used to further validate the Neo's role in vitro. Heart systolic function, indexes of myocardial injury (IMI), infarct size, pathological change, cell apoptosis, inflammatory cytokines, and indexes related to apoptotic and NF‐κB signaling pathways were analyzed in vivo or in vitro after the Neo treatment. Compared to the I/R group, Neo significantly suppressed IMI, infarct size, inflammatory cell infiltration, cell apoptosis, inflammatory cytokines, bax, cleaved caspase‐3, P‐IKBa, and P‐NF‐κB protein expressions, and the translocation of NF‐kB subunit p65 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in vivo or in vitro. Still, ejected fraction, fractional shortening, and the bcl‐2 protein expression were notably increased after the Neo treatment. Neo could be developed into a new drug for treating myocardial I/R by inhibiting myocardial inflammation and apoptosis, which was closely related to suppressing the activation of bax/bcl‐2 and NF‐κB signaling pathways.
LeptospiraHardjo introduction in certified‐free dairy herds in the Netherlands
Authors: Aalberts Marian , van den Brink Katrien , van den Heuvel Kristel , van Wuijckhuise Linda
Published: August 2021

The DutchLeptospiraHardjo control programme was established to prevent human and veterinary cases of leptospirosis. All dairy farms and 33% of non‐dairy farms participate in the programme. It is based on antibody testing of bulk milk and serum. In 2013, the herd prevalence in non‐dairy herds was very low, at 0.8%, while all dairy herds were free. If an infection is suspected, farms lose their free status, which impedes the trading of animals. Therefore, national trade is considered to be a limited risk for the spread ofL. Hardjo. In 2019, the numbers of imported cattle, and also ofL. Hardjo seropositive imported cattle, increased. This case study describes the spread of leptospirosis in dairy herds after the importation ofL. Hardjo seropositive cattle and measures that were undertaken to stop the spread of infections and to monitor infected farms to prevent further spread.