bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selective and Scalable Deuteration of Heteroarenes Using Nickel‐Based Nanoparticles†
Authors: Qiu Feiyu , Yang Lingyun , Gao Yuan , Yang Jiapei , Lei Aiwen , Li Wu
Published: August 2024

Comprehensive Summary

Deuterium labelling possesses wide applications in pharmaceuticals, chemical science and materials science. Development of efficient methodologies for the synthesis of deuterium labelled compounds, especially hydrogen isotope exchange (HIE), continued to receive an impressive attention over the years. Herein, we developed a nitrogen doped nano‐scale nickel catalyst for deuterium incorporation of a variety of nitrogen heterocycles using D2O as the isotope source. The usefulness of this approach has been demonstrated by 10 g‐scale for complex pharmaceuticals. This methodology represents a practical and scalable deuteration and the air‐ and water‐stable nanocatalyst enables efficient labelling in a straightforward manner.
Palladium‐Catalyzed Construction of Phthalides Bearing Two Adjacent Stereocenters through Retro‐oxa‐Michael Addition
Authors: Liu Li‐Xia , Niu Tong , Bai Yu‐Qing , Zhou Yong‐Gui
Published: August 2024

Comprehensive Summary

Optically active phthalides are prevalent in many natural and bioactive products. Herein, a novel dynamic kinetic resolution of isobenzofuranone derivatives through palladium‐catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation has been developed to synthesize phthalide derivatives bearing vicinal quaternary and tertiary stereocenters with high yields, showing excellent chemo‐, enantio‐ and diastereoselectivity. Furthermore, gram‐scale experiment underwent smoothly and the transformation of product could build a bridged bicyclic skeleton.
Enhanced One/Two‐Photon Initiating Performance of Nitro‐Carbazole‐Styrene Based Oxime/Ketoxime Esters
Authors: Xie Jie , Wang Yonghui , Wang Xiaobin , Fang Xuefeng , Zhu Qinyan , Cao Chun , Jin Ming
Published: August 2024

Comprehensive Summary

Photoinitiators of the oxime ester (OXE) or ketoxime ester (OXE‐CO) type can rapidly undergo N—O bond cleavage and generate free radicals to initiate photopolymerization under LED excitation, occupying an important position in the field of photocuring. However, the commercial OXEs, e.g., OXE 01 and 02 with λmax's at 326 and 344 nm, respectively, still do not well match the emission spectra of LEDs. Developing novel OXEs/OXE‐COs with high photosensitivity for long‐wavelength LEDs has great significance. Here, four new OXEs/OXE‐COs with nitro‐carbazole‐styrene conjugated chromophore were designed, synthesized, and used as photoinitiators. Results demonstrated that all photoinitiators had strong absorption within the UV–vis range (λmax: 381—392 nm, εmax: 8200—11500 M−1·cm−1). Molecular design of the oxime ester cleavage to produce a small volume methyl group and a methacryl group with an unsaturated double bond brings high activity and low migration, respectively, in one‐photon polymerization under 365—450 nm LEDs excitation. Moreover, OXEs/OXE‐COs with PETA exhibited a wide processing window, high resolution (line accuracy~100 nm) and good nano‐patterning capability under 780 nm femtosecond laser irradiation in two‐photon polymerization, indicating their great potential in 2D/3D microfabrication technologies.
C, N, and P contributions to sediments of two Venezuelan coastal lagoons and their relationships with the adsorption of P
Authors: López‐Hernández Danilo , Morales Leidy , Umbría‐Salinas Karelys , Valero Astolfo , Melendez Williams , López‐Contreras Ana
Published: August 2024

In Unare and Píritu Coastal Lagoons, a study was carried out to assess the effect of C, N, and P load contributions on the capability of the sediments to immobilize phosphates. To achieve the later, the geochemical data of the sediments were coupled to the P‐sorption index of Bache and Williams (IBW). In both lagoons, the sediments showed a pH > 7 because of calcareous sedimentation. The inorganic carbon values in the lagoons displayed a spatial distribution with higher concentrations toward the shores, that is defined by the carbonate lithology. On the contrary, the inner part of the lagoons was characterized by the presence of organic materials associated to the clay. The phosphorus content in the Unare Lagoon ranged from 290 to 625 mg kg−1, whereas in the Píritu Lagoon the values fluctuated between 213 and 1013 mg kg−1. The highest concentrations of phosphorus in both lagoons could be linked to sewage and runoff input from agricultural and livestock activities around the lagoon systems. The IBW displayed adsorption average values of 21.97 and 27.42 for Unare and Píritu Lagoon, respectively, corresponding to a rather low P sorption. In Unare Lagoon, the IBW showed positive correlations with C, N and Felabile but negative with P. However, in the Píritu Lagoon, despite the analogous lithology of the lagoons, a slightly positive non‐significative correlation between IBW and IC was only found. Although the sediments adsorb P with a rather low capacity, they can mitigate the eutrophication process in the studied lagoons.
Building an intrusion detection system on UNSW‐NB15: Reducing the margin of error to deal with data overlap and imbalance
Authors: Zoghi Zeinab , Serpen Gursel
Published: August 2024

This study addresses the challenge of data imbalance and class overlap in machine learning for intrusion detection, proposing that targeted algorithmic adjustments can significantly enhance model performance. Our hypothesis contends that an ensemble framework, adeptly integrating novel threshold‐adjustment algorithms, can improve classification sensitivity and specificity. To test this, we developed an ensemble model comprising Balanced Bagging (BB), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Random Forest (RF), fine‐tuned using grid search for BB and XGBoost, and augmented with the Hellinger metric for RF to tackle data imbalance. The innovation lies in our algorithms, which adeptly adjust the discrimination threshold to rectify the class overlap problem, enhancing the model's ability to discern between negative and positive classes. Utilizing the UNSW‐NB15 dataset, we conducted a comparative analysis for binary and multi‐category classification. Our ensemble model achieved a binary classification accuracy of 97.80%, with a sensitivity rate of 98.26% for detecting attacks, and a multi‐category classification accuracy and sensitivity that reached up to 99.73% and 97.24% for certain attack types. These results substantially surpass those of existing models on the same dataset, affirming our model's superiority in dealing with complex data distributions prevalent in network security domains.
Dual‐task enhanced global–local temporal–spatial network for depression recognition from facial videos
Authors: Shen Jinjie , Wu Jing , Xing Yan , Hu Min , Wang Xiaohua , Li Daolun , Zha Wenshu
Published: August 2024

In previous studies on facial video depression recognition, although convolutional neural network (CNN) has become a mainstream method, its performance still has room for improvement due to the insufficient extraction of global and local information and the neglect of the correlation of temporal and spatial information. This paper proposes a novel dual‐task enhanced global–local temporal–spatial network (DTE‐GLTS) to enhance the extraction capability of global and local features and deepen the analysis of temporal–spatial information correlation. We design a dual‐task learning mode that utilizes the data‐efficient image transformer (Deit) as the main body to learn the global features of video sequences and guides Deit to learn local features with the pre‐trained temporal–spatial fusion network (TSF). In addition, we propose the TSF mechanism to more effectively fuse temporal–spatial information in video sequences, strengthen the correlation between frames and pixels, and embed it in Resnet to form the TSF network. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of Deit and dual‐task learning mode in the field of facial video depression recognition. The experimental results on AVEC 2013 and AVEC 2014 show that our method achieves competitive performance, with mean absolute error/root mean square error (MAE/RMSE) scores of 6.06/7.73 and 5.91/7.68, respectively, while significantly reducing the number of parameters.
Recommending cloud services based on social trust: An overview
Authors: Lebib Fatma Zohra , Kichou Saida
Published: August 2024

The continued expansion and development of the business requires great computing power and massive data storage systems. Cloud services deliver these resources in a simple, flexible and secure way. There is now a wide range of similar cloud services with different capabilities, which requires a recommendation system. Recommendation based on Quality of Service (QoS) is the first generation of service recommendation systems that only takes into account the rating information of all users without distinction. However, these systems suffer from many shortcomings, such as cold start and data sparsity issues, as well as poor accuracy and reliability of recommendation results. To address these issues and improve the quality of recommendations, a new generation of recommender systems has emerged, such as context‐aware, domain‐specific, and trust‐aware recommender systems. These systems now focus more on how to leverage social data generated from user interactions with each other in social networks to recommend more suitable and reliable services in response to user needs. Due to the importance of considering trust in cloud environments, this study aims to provide an overview of the research on trust‐based cloud service recommendation approaches proposed so far and highlights the current trend towards use new technologies such as deep learning to deal with certain challenges.
Enhanced multi‐key privacy‐preserving distributed deep learning protocol with application to diabetic retinopathy diagnosis
Authors: Antwi‐Boasiako Emmanuel , Zhou Shijie , Liao Yongjian , Obiri Isaac Amankona , Kuada Eric , Danso Ebenezer Kwaku , Acheampong Edward Mensah
Published: August 2024

In this work, privacy‐preserving distributed deep learning (PPDDL) is re‐visited with a specific application to diagnosing long‐term illness like diabetic retinopathy. In order to protect the privacy of participants datasets, a multi‐key PPDDL solution is proposed which is robust against collusion attacks and is also post‐quantum robust. Additionally, the PPDDL solution provides robust network security in terms of integrity of transmitted ciphertexts and keys, forward secrecy, and prevention of man‐in‐the‐middle attacks and is extensively verified using Verifpal. Proposed solution is evaluated on retina image datasets to detect diabetic retinopathy, with deep learning accuracy results of 96.30%, 96.21% and 96.20% for DDL, DDL + SINGLE and DDL + MULTI scenarios respectively. Results from our simulation indicate that accuracy of the PPDDL is maintained while protecting the privacy of the datasets of participants. Our proposed solution is also efficient in terms of the communication and run‐time costs.
Research on insulator image segmentation and defect recognition technology based on U‐Net and YOLOv7
Authors: Chen Jiawen , Cai Chao , Yan Fangbin , Zhou Bowen
Published: August 2024

This study focuses on aerial images in power line inspection, using a small sample size and concentrating on accurately segmenting insulators in images and identifying potential “self‐explode” defects through deep learning methods. The research process consists of four key steps: image segmentation of insulators, identification of small connected regions, data augmentation of original samples, and detection of insulator defects using the YOLO v7 model. In this paper, due to the small sample size, sample expansion is considered first. A sliding window approach is adopted to crop images, increasing the number of training samples. Subsequently, the U‐Net neural network model for semantic segmentation is used to train insulator images, thereby generating preliminary mask images of insulators. Then, through connected region area filtering techniques, smaller connected regions are removed to eliminate small speckles in the predicted mask images, obtaining more accurate insulator mask images. The evaluation metric for image recognition, the dice coefficient, is 93.67%. To target the identification of insulator defects, 35 images with insulator defects from the original samples are augmented. These images are input into the YOLO v7 network for further training, ultimately achieving effective detection of insulator “self‐explode” defects.
Generation of Murine Chimeric Antigen Receptor‐Modified T Cells for In Vivo Studies in Syngeneic Tumor Models
Authors: Hosseini Mina , Akbari Behnia , Shahverdi Ahmad Reza , Hadjati Jamshid , Faramarzi Mohammad Ali , Mirzaei Hamid Reza , Yazdi Mohammad Hossein
Published: August 2024

CAR‐T cell therapy has emerged as a potent and effective tool in the immunotherapy of refractory cancers. However, challenges exist in their clinical application, necessitating extensive preclinical research to optimize their function. Various preclinical in vitro and in vivo models have been proposed for such purpose; among which immunocompetent mouse models serve as an invaluable tool in studying host immune interactions within a more realistic simulation of the tumor milieu. We hereby describe a standardized protocol for the generation of high‐titer γ‐retroviral vectors through transfection of the HEK293T packaging cell line. The virus‐containing supernatant is further concentrated using an inhouse concentrator solution, titrated, and applied to mouse T cells purified via a convenient and rapid method by nylon‐wool columns. Using the method presented here, we were able to achieve high titer γ‐retrovirus and highly pure mouse T cells with desirable CAR transduction efficiency. The mouse CAR T cells produced through this protocol demonstrate favorable CAR expression and viability, thus making them suitable for further in vitro/in vivo assays. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Production of γ‐retroviral vectors from retrovirus‐backbone plasmids

Basic Protocol 2: Concentration of γ‐retrovirus‐containing supernatants

Basic Protocol 3: Titration of concentrated γ‐retrovirus

Basic Protocol 4: Isolation and activation of mouse T cells

Basic Protocol 5: Transduction of activated mouse T cells, assessment of CAR expression, and expansion of CAR T cells for further in vitro/in vivo studies

Support Protocol: Surface staining of cells for flow cytometric assessment of CAR expression
Promoting radical empathy: Changes in empathy and perspective taking at a youth summer camp that centers restorative practices
Authors: Merrilees Christine E. , Taber‐Thomas Bradley C. , Klotz Madeline
Published: August 2024

Empathy is crucial to promoting positive intergroup relations; research suggests engaging in restorative practices, autonomy granting, and creativity support empathy development. The current study uses a daily diary to evaluate changes in empathy, creativity, feeling in control/empowered in a small sample (N = 41) of adolescents during a two‐week session of summer camp that centers restorative practices. The results suggest participants increase significantly in emotional empathy, perspective taking, and creativity during their time at camp. The results also suggest that on days participants feel more in control and have expressed more creativity, they report more empathy and perspective taking. These findings provide important evidence using intensive longitudinal data that youth programming that centers restorative practices, autonomy support, and creativity may support empathy development.
Diaminopropane‐Functionalized Metal‐Organic Frameworks with Controllable Diamine Loss and One‐Channel Flipped CO2 Adsorption Mode
Authors: Kang Minjung , Youn Jeongwon , Choe Jong Hyeak , Lee Jung‐Hoon , Hong Chang Seop
Published: August 2024

Diamine‐functionalized metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) based on Mg2(dobpdc) (dobpdc4−=4,4’‐dioxidobihyenyl‐3,3’‐dicarboxylate) are considered promising CO2 adsorbents owing to their characteristic stepwise adsorption behavior. However, the high temperatures required for CO2 desorption from diamine‐Mg2(dobpdc)‐based adsorbents induce gradual diamine loss. Additionally, the existence of an exotic CO2 adsorption mode remains experimentally unanswered. Herein, we present CO2 adsorbents obtained by functionalizing Mn2(dobpdc) with a series of diaminopropane derivatives. The low regeneration energies of these adsorbents allow for CO2 desorption at temperatures lower than those reported for Mg‐based analogs. Our first‐principles density functional theory calculations indicated that the bond strength between the diamine and Mn ions in Mn2(dobpdc) is greater than that between the diamine and Mg ions in Mg2(dobpdc). This stronger bonding prevents diamine loss even at high temperatures and enables efficient regeneration. Additionally, the computational and experimental results showed that MOFs functionalized with primary–tertiary diamine exhibit unique one‐channel flipped adsorption structures that have not been previously observed. Our findings provide valuable insights into the role of metal ions in diamine loss for the future development of efficient amine‐based CO2 adsorbents.
Copper‐Catalyzed Oxidation of 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5‐Diformylfuran Assisted by TEMPOL in Liquid Sunlight Methanol
Authors: Li Xing‐Long , Qing Shao‐Jun , Sun Xun , Yu Zhen , Xu Hua‐Jian , Fu Yao
Published: August 2024

2,5‐diformylfuran (DFF) is a significant biomass‐derived compound with diverse applications in novel furan‐based materials, fragrances, fuel additives, and drug synthesis. A pivotal challenge in DFF synthesis was developing a method to produce DFF under mild conditions using sustainable feedstocks. In this study, an affordable 4‐hydroxy‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine (TEMPOL)‐ assisted Cu(OAc)2 catalytic system for aerobic oxidation reaction of HMF to DFF in liquid sunlight methanol solvent was developed. The effects of parameters such as metal species, catalyst amount, solvent species, base structure, and reaction temperature were systematically investigated. The evolution of product distribution in the reaction solution at various times was monitored and analyzed using 1H‐NMR spectroscopy. FT‐IR and ESI‐MS characterizations were employed to integrate experimental findings and elucidate the reaction mechanism. The highest DFF yield of 96 % and complete conversion of HMF were obtained. Furthermore, a total DFF yield of 68.6 % was achieved from fructose using a two‐steps method, demonstrating the potential for scalable production. The establishment of this catalytic system presents a novel approach for the selective preparation of DFF from sustainable feedstock.
Intense Pulsed Light Hair Removal
Authors: Leal‐Silva Hector , Leal‐Delgado Sebastián
Published: August 2024

Background

The use of intense pulsed light (IPL) for hair removal has proven to be quite effective for conditions such as hypertrichosis and hirsutism, as well as other skin conditions related to the pilosebaceous unit. IPL was developed in the 1990s and uses a broad spectrum of light to penetrate the skin and reach the hair follicle, enabling treatment for various skin types and hair colors. This review covers the history, mechanism of action, effectiveness, patient selection, and clinical applications of IPL hair removal.

Methods

To conduct this review, a comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify relevant peer‐reviewed articles in English discussing the clinical use or application‐based outcomes of this technology specifically for hair removal. The search covered the period from January 1990 to May 2024.

Results

The review of 33 peer‐reviewed articles shows that IPL has significantly advanced hair removal treatment since its inception. A popular choice in clinical practice due to its efficacy, safety, and versatility, IPL hair removal has been successfully used in patients with skin conditions like acne, folliculitis, rosacea, and hyperpigmentation, offering additional benefits compared to laser hair removal.

Conclusion

IPL hair removal is a safe and effective option for reducing unwanted hair and improving skin appearance. It can also treat multiple skin conditions simultaneously with a low risk of side effects. Additionally, it's less painful than laser hair removal, making it an attractive option for long‐lasting hair removal, especially for patients with co‐existing dermatological conditions.
Basic Science and Principles of Stem Cells, Platelet‐Rich Plasma, and Exosomes
Authors: Lyles Elliott , Stegura Carol , Broughton Luke , Snyder Alan , Schlesinger Todd
Published: August 2024

Background

Regenerative medicine seeks to harness the natural healing abilities of the body and has scope for use in the treatment of dermatologic conditions. Stem cell therapy, platelet‐rich plasma (PRP), and exosomes are emerging as key components in regenerative medicine, particularly in skin rejuvenation and repair.

Objectives

The goal of this article is to review the basic science behind the function of stem cells, PRP, and exosomes in regenerative medicine.

Methods

A literature review was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar, focusing on basic science literature regarding the structure, origin, mechanisms of action, and isolation of stem cells, PRP, and exosomes.

Results

The evaluation found that stem cells facilitate skin regeneration by modulating the inflammatory milieu. PRP was shown to have positive effects on repairing skin elasticity and improving scars through the release of growth factors. Exosomes were found to enhance fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis.

Conclusions

Stem cell therapy, PRP, and exosomes each show mechanisms that render them useful in regenerative medicine. Future research is needed to further elucidate their mechanisms of action, standardize their isolation procedures, and optimize their potential for clinical application.
Subjective visual vertical/horizontal and video head impulse test in dyslexic children
Authors: Picciotti Pasqualina Maria , Mele Dario Antonio , Settimi Stefano , Mari Giorgia , D'Alatri Lucia , Galli Jacopo
Published: August 2024

Different studies have tried to establish a relationship between dyslexia and the vestibular system function. Subjective Visual Vertical/Horizontal (SVV and SVH) and Video Head Impulse Test (VHIT) are useful for studying the vestibular system and can be easily performed in children. Our aim was to evaluate the vestibular function in dyslexic children by SVV/SVH and VHIT. We enrolled 18 dyslexic children (10M/8F; mean age 10.7 ± 2.3 years; range 7–14 years) and 18 age‐matched children with typical development of learning abilities. All children performed VHIT, SVV and SVH. We found normal gain and symmetry of vestibulo‐ocular‐reflex both in dyslexic and typically developing children. Fifteen out of 18 dyslexic children (83.3%) showed a difference of at least one amongst SVV or SVH. The mean value of SVV was 2.3° and the mean value of SVH was 2.6°. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between typically developing and dyslexic children for both SVV and SVH. We confirm a relationship between dyslexia and the alteration of SVV and SVH. Our results could be related to the pathogenetic hypothesis of a visual processing impairment related to a dysfunction of the magnocellular pathway or to a general deficit related to a multimodal cortical network.
Simulating atmospheric drought: Silica gel packets dehumidify mesocosm microclimates
Authors: Varghese S. , Aguirre B. A. , Isbell F. , Wright A. J.
Published: August 2024

As global temperatures rise, droughts are becoming more frequent and severe. To predict how drought might affect plant communities, ecologists have traditionally designed drought experiments with controlled watering regimes and rainout shelters. Both treatments have proven effective for simulating soil drought. However, neither are designed to directly modify atmospheric drought. Here, we detail the efficacy of a silica gel atmospheric drought treatment in outdoor mesocosms with and without a co‐occurring soil drought treatment. At California State University, Los Angeles, we monitored relative humidity, temperature, and vapor pressure deficit every 10 min for 5 months in bare‐ground, open‐top mesocosms treated with soil drought (reduced watering) and/or atmospheric drought (silica dehumidification packets suspended 12 cm above soil). We found that silica packets dehumidified these mesocosm microclimates most effectively (−5% RH) when combined with reduced soil water, regardless of the ambient humidity levels of the surrounding air. Further, packets increased microclimate vapor pressure deficit most effectively (+0.4 kPa) when combined with reduced soil water and ambient air temperatures above 20°C. Finally, packets simulated atmospheric drought most consistently when replaced within 3 days of deployment. Our results demonstrate the use of silica packets as effective dehumidification agents in outdoor drought experiments. We emphasize that incorporating atmospheric drought in existing soil drought experiments can improve our understandings of the ecological impacts of drought.
A framework and review of evidence of the importance of coral reefs for marine birds in tropical ecosystems
Authors: Cumming Graeme S. , James Nicholas L. , Chua Chia Miin , Huertas Victor
Published: August 2024

As global heating and other anthropogenic influences alter tropical marine environments, it is unclear how marine bird populations will be impacted and whether their current roles in tropical marine ecosystems will change. Although marine birds roost and breed on tropical islands in large numbers, the direct trophic interactions between these birds and their prey across the tropics are poorly documented. We present a first framework for evaluating the dependence on and contributions of marine birds to tropical coral reef ecosystems and use it to examine the evidence for different kinds of interaction, focusing primarily on avian diets. We found 34 publications between 1967 and 2023 that presented a total of 111 data sets with enough detail for quantitative dietary analysis of tropical marine birds. Only two bird species out of 37 (5.4%) had diets of >50% coral reef fishes and only one, the Pacific Reef Egret, appeared to depend almost entirely on reef‐based production. Marine birds are also prey for other marine organisms, but insufficient data are available for quantitative analysis. Evidence for indirect effects of birds in tropical marine environments is stronger than for direct dependence on coral reefs, particularly in relation to nutrient concentration and the fertilisation impacts of guano on corals. Dispersal of propagules (e.g. seeds, spores, invertebrate eggs) by bathing, drinking, resting or foraging birds is under‐studied and poorly documented. Although the degradation of coral reefs appears unlikely to have a significant direct impact on food availability for most marine bird populations, indirect effects involving marine birds may be disrupted by global environmental change.
How do microtine rodent abundance, snow and landscape parameters influence pine marten Martes martes population dynamics?
Authors: Angoh Siow Yan Jennifer , Nergaard Petter Johannes , Jahren Torfinn , Odden Morten , Brainerd Scott Michael
Published: August 2024

The pine marten (Martes martes) occupies the northernmost extent of its distribution in Norway, where microtine rodents are an important food item. The relationship between microtine rodent abundance and pine marten population dynamics is not well understood. In this paper, we examined this relationship and tested if environmental factors (e.g. snow depth, elevation, mature spruce forest density and agricultural land density) modulate pine marten population dynamics. We calculated pine marten abundance indices using data collected from 593 unique snow transects surveyed between 2003 and 2014 in Hedmark, Norway. We employed a Partial Rate Correlation Function to identify potential cyclicity in pine marten populations. We did not observe any cyclical patterns in pine marten populations within our short time series. Instead, their population appeared to be directly density‐dependent. Although the population growth rate of pine marten tended to increase with increasing elevation, it was not affected by individual variables including a microtine rodent abundance index and snow depth. However, the annual growth rate of pine marten populations was positively affected by the interaction between the microtine rodent abundance index and increasing elevation. Pine marten abundance increased with microtine rodent abundance, elevation, snow depth and density of mature spruce forest, but decreased with increasing agricultural land density. Pine martens are opportunistic diet generalists that can switch between prey and cache food for later consumption. They are also strongly territorial with delayed implantation and are slow to respond to environmental changes due to their relatively low reproductive potential. These life‐history traits may mitigate the effects of fluctuating microtine rodent abundance on pine marten reproduction and survival. Nevertheless, our findings suggest that microtine rodents still serve as important prey which can influence the population dynamics of pine martens in higher elevation habitats where alternative prey may be less available.
Effect of phosphorylated long‐chain inulin on the quality characteristics of fresh noodles
Authors: Che Jiaxin , Luo Denglin , Bai Zhouya , Zhao Yingyu , Yue Chonghui , Li Peiyan , Wang Libo
Published: August 2024

In this paper, phosphorylation was employed to modify long‐chain inulin (PFXL) with the aim of improving the hydrophilicity and stability, thereby enhancing the nutritional value and quality of fresh wheat noodles. The textural characteristics, color, moisture distribution, and microstructure of the fresh noodles, as well as the secondary structure and disulfide bond content of gluten protein, were analyzed. The results indicate a significant enhancement in the quality of fresh noodles with the addition of PFXL. Specifically, the substitution of 6.0% PFXL for wheat flour yielded the highest springiness and whiteness in the fresh noodles. PFXL addition facilitated the transition of tightly bound water to weakly bound and free water within the noodle system, thereby contributing to the softness of the noodles. Furthermore, the introduction of 6% PFXL promoted the formation of a greater number of hydrogen and disulfide bonds, resulting in a higher content of α‐helix and β‐sheet structures. This collective effect served to enhance the overall quality of the noodles. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential applications of long‐chain inulin and offer compelling evidence for the production of high‐quality dietary fiber noodles.
Synthesis and Theoretical Evaluation of New Copper(II) Complexes Associated with a Crystalline Schiff Base: DNA/BSA Protein Interaction, Radical Scavenging and Cytotoxicity
Authors: Sharma Himanshi , Pathak Madhvesh
Published: August 2024

A crystalline dihydroxy substituted Schiff base ligand [LH] was involved in the synthesis of three copper(II) complexes viz [Cu(LH)2] (Cu1), [Cu(LH)(bpy)] (Cu2) and [Cu(LH)(phen)] (Cu3) (bpy=2,2’‐bipyridine and phen=1,10‐phenanthroline). FTIR, ESI‐MS, elemental analysis, ESR studies and NMR techniques were employed to characterize all the newly synthesized compounds. Monoclinic structure with space group P21/n of ligand (LH) was confirmed by single crystal XRD analysis. The molecular structure of ligand and complexes were optimized using density functional theory (DFT) at B3LYP/LanL2DZ levels in the gas phase. According to DFT investigations Cu1 exhibits tetragonally distorted octahedral geometry around Cu(II) while Cu2 and Cu3 appeared in penta‐coordination as distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry. UV‐Vis, fluorescence and viscosity titrations were used to examine the metal complex interactions with CT‐DNA and BSA protein. The binding results suggest that the complexes bind to DNA via groove binding mode. Molecular docking was performed to analyse the binding interaction of complexes with BSA and DNA. Antioxidant investigation indicates that the Cu1 possesses remarkable ability to scavenge radicals against DPPH due to the lowest IC50 value 211.20 μg/mL. In‐vitro cytotoxicity was assessed against MCF‐7 breast cancer cells where Cu1 was found to have superiority in cytotoxicity with IC50 value 52.35 μm over other analogues. Acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining analysis of Cu1 were used to determine apoptosis as the cause of cell death.
Criterion‐related validity and reliability of the standing long jump test in adults: The Adult‐Fit project
Authors: Marin‐Jimenez Nuria , Perez‐Bey Alejandro , Cruz‐Leon Carolina , Conde‐Caveda Julio , Segura‐Jimenez Victor , Castro‐Piñero Jose , Cuenca‐Garcia Magdalena
Published: August 2024

The purpose of this study was to analyze the criterion‐related validity and the reliability of the standing long jump test (SLJ) for evaluating the lower‐body explosive muscular strength in adults. A total of 410 adults participated in this study. Sociodemographic, anthropometric measurements, laboratory lower‐body muscular strength tests, and the field‐based SLJ were performed. In validity analysis, stepwise regression analysis showed that maximal horizontal power, sex, percentage of body fat, maximal horizontal force, and lean mass were significantly associated with the SLJ distance (R2 = 0.78; p < 0.001). Reliability analysis showed significant differences between test–retest in the SLJ test, with an overestimation of the second measurement compared to the first [12.14 ± 14.46 cm, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.94 (0.75–0.97), p < 0.001; Cohen's d = 0.31]. The coefficient of variation (CV) was 7.06% and the minimal detectable change (MDC90) was 29 cm. After a learning period, higher reliability values were found [0.45 ± 1.04 cm, ICC = 1.00 (0.99–1.00); p = 0.001; CV = 0.53 %; MDC90 = 1 cm]. The SLJ test may be a valid tool to assess lower‐body explosive muscular strength in the adult population. A learning period may be necessary to provide reliability on the SLJ test.
Effectiveness of perampanel for focal seizures determined by interictal gamma oscillation regularity analysis
Authors: Okabe Junya , Sato Yosuke
Published: August 2024

Although perampanel (PER) has received approval as an antiseizure medication, reports quantifying its antiseizure effects using electroencephalography (EEG) remain scarce. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the interictal high gamma oscillation regularity (GOR) on scalp EEG is an excellent marker of epileptogenicity. Herein, we investigated whether the antiseizure effect of PER could be quantified through interictal GOR analysis of scalp EEG data. To investigate this, we examined the interictal GOR from 20 s of scalp EEG data before and after PER administration collected from five patients with epilepsy with focal seizures. Prior to PER administration, each patient presented with localized areas with high GOR consistent with brain lesions or seizure semiology. In all patients, the seizures improved following PER administration, and the localized high GOR, which is considered an epileptogenic focus, disappeared. These results indicate that interictal GOR analysis may be a useful tool for the quantitative assessments of the antiseizure effects of PER in focal epilepsy.

Plain Language Summary

This study explored whether perampanel (PER)'s antiseizure effects can be quantified using interictal high gamma oscillation regularity (GOR) analysis from scalp EEG data. Analyzing 20‐second EEG segments before and after PER administration in five patients with focal epilepsy, we found that high GOR areas, indicative of epileptogenic foci, disappeared following PER administration. The results suggest that interictal GOR analysis could effectively quantify the antiseizure effects of PER.
Clinicians' confidence in diagnosing atypical anorexia nervosa: An experimental study of the role of patient and clinician characteristics
Authors: Beard Jessica , Wade Tracey D. , Waller Glenn
Published: August 2024

Objective

This experimental study investigated the weight loss parameters and resulting end weight that influence clinician confidence in diagnosing atypical anorexia nervosa (AAN).

Methods

Clinicians (N = 67) read a series of vignettes where patient weight loss and end weight varied, then rated their confidence in an AAN diagnosis and alternatives. Using repeated measures ANOVAs, we examined patient (weight loss, end weight) and the possible relationship between clinician (e.g., age, profession) characteristics and confidence in diagnosing AAN.

Results

Clinicians were most confident in an AAN diagnosis when patients had lost 10% or 15% of their body weight, leaving them at a high or normal weight. Clinicians considered 5% as significant weight loss for AAN, but only when the patient ended at a high or normal weight. However, they did not clearly differentiate AAN from unspecified feeding and eating disorder (UFED) when there was a 5% weight loss resulting in high or normal end weight. Clinician characteristics did not impact on confidence in diagnoses.

Conclusion

The DSM's ‘significant weight loss’ criterion leaves room for clinicians to interpret it idiosyncratically. The lack of a clear pattern of UFED and AAN diagnosis has important clinical implications, as UFED tends to be dismissed as being less serious.
Chemical composition, functional properties, physico‐chemical properties, and techno‐functional characteristics of Satureja protein hydrolysate stabilized in a gelatin matrix
Authors: Obeidnejad Elham , Kavoosi Gholamreza , Saharkhiz Mohammad Jamal , Shafiee Sayed Mohammad
Published: August 2024

The current evaluation was conducted to investigate the chemical composition and functional properties of protein hydrolysates from different Satureja species. The major amino acids (mg/100 g protein) in the protein from different Satureja species were arginine (6.06–14.37), asparagine (1.39–17.06), glutamine (2.42–11.60), glutamic acid (6.34–9.32), beta‐aminoisobutyric acid (3.31–10.29), alanine (4.64–9.59), aspartic acid (5.73–9.54), proline (4.25–8.14), leucine (3.63–5.69), serine (2.64–4.83), lysine (1.89–4.56), glycine (0.96–5.27), valine (2.76–4.83), and phenylalanine (2.86–3.75). Protein hydrolysates from Satureja species exhibited comparable antioxidant activity (IC50 = 0.270–0.328 mg/mL), anti‐linoleic acid oxidation (IC50 = 0.231–0.301 mg/mL), anti‐lecithin oxidation (IC50 = 0.198–0.258 mg/mL), anti‐starch oxidation (IC50 = 0.201–0.277 mg/mL), anti‐amylase activity (IC50 = 0.314–0.337 mg/mL), and anti‐lipase activity (IC50 = 0.309–0.369 mg/mL). The physico‐chemical properties of gelatin dispersion were electrical conductivity (1197 microsiemens/cm), osmolarity (190 milliosmol/kg), surface tension (45 mN/m), particle size (179 nm), zeta potential (−48 mV), and viscosity (4.92 mPa.s). Techno‐functional characteristics of freeze‐dried gelatin particles were as follows: water content (7.68%), water solubility (84.57%), water swelling (151.33%), hygroscopicity (38.20%), hydrophobicity (6.50 μg/g), emulsification activity (68.54%), emulsification stability (57.86%), foam expansion activity (56.08%), foam stability (41.84%), oil‐holding capacity (1.96 g/g), and water‐holding capacity (4.45 g/g). Protein hydrolysate causes minor changes in the physico‐chemical and techno‐functional properties of gelatin. The current investigation introduces Satureja protein hydrolysate as a possible functional and techno‐functional ingredient for bioactive food products for treating diabetes and oxidative stress and as a natural preservative for the food industry.
High‐definition transcranial direct current stimulation of the parietal cortices modulates the neural dynamics underlying verbal working memory
Authors: Arif Yasra , Song Richard W. , Springer Seth D. , John Jason A. , Embury Christine M. , Killanin Abraham D. , Son Jake J. , Okelberry Hannah J. , McDonald Kellen M. , Picci Giorgia , Wilson Tony W.
Published: August 2024

Verbal working memory (vWM) is an essential limited‐capacity cognitive system that spans the fronto‐parietal network and utilizes the subprocesses of encoding, maintenance, and retrieval. With the recent widespread use of noninvasive brain stimulation techniques, multiple recent studies have examined whether such stimulation may enhance cognitive abilities such as vWM, but the findings to date remain unclear in terms of both behavior and critical brain regions. In the current study, we applied high‐definition direct current stimulation to the left and right parietal cortices of 39 healthy adults in three separate sessions (left anodal, right anodal, and sham). Following stimulation, participants completed a vWM task during high‐density magnetoencephalography (MEG). Significant neural responses at the sensor‐level were imaged using a beamformer and whole‐brain ANOVAs were used to identify the specific neuromodulatory effects of the stimulation conditions on neural responses serving distinct phases of vWM. We found that right stimulation had a faciliatory effect relative to left stimulation and sham on theta oscillations during encoding in the right inferior frontal, while the opposite pattern was observed for left supramarginal regions. Stimulation also had a faciliatory effect on theta in occipital regions and alpha in temporal regions regardless of the laterality of stimulation. In summary, our data suggest that parietal HD‐tDCS both facilitates and interferes with neural responses underlying both the encoding and maintenance phases of vWM. Future studies are warranted to determine whether specific tDCS parameters can be tuned to accentuate the facilitation responses and attenuate the interfering aspects.
The barriers and challenges of using health information technology in medication administration process for pediatrics and neonates: A qualitative study
Authors: Norouzi Somaye , Nematollahi Monirsadat , Ahmadian Leila
Published: August 2024

Background and Aims

Children and neonates are more susceptible to diseases and are a vulnerable group in medication administration (MA). Nurses interact directly with patients, ensuring safety and preventing unintended outcomes. Health Information Technology (HIT) has transformed health care, aiding nurses in decision‐making and treatment responses. Despite its benefits, technology presents challenges that must be overcome to facilitate the nursing practice. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the barriers to HIT use in the process of MA in children and neonates in a developing country.

Methods

Semi‐structured face‐to‐face interviews were conducted with 22 health care professionals across seven pediatric and neonatal settings. Also, observations were made of these settings for 3 weeks. A qualitative analysis was performed using the conventional content analysis method, recommended by Colaizzi's seven‐step approach.

Results

The results showed that the most significant barriers to adopting technology in MA process could be classified into two main categories: “inappropriate management approaches” with two sub‐categories (“Managers' reluctance to adopt new technology”, “lack of adequate budget for hardware resources”), and “resistance to change” with two sub‐categories (“A desire to use conventional (traditional) approaches in care”, “cultural issues and impracticality of providing some specialized technology services”).

Conclusion

The findings revealed MA process complexities, which have been insufficiently examined in the current literature. We have highlighted the need for improved “effectiveness of HIT systems in administering medication processes, budget for hardware resources, and managers” interest in using new technology. The present findings can guide the development of more effective and user‐friendly HIT systems in pediatric and neonatal care settings.
Revealing the challenges and efforts of routine immunization coverage in Nigeria
Authors: Ogunniyi Tolulope Joseph
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Nigeria adopted the expanded program on immunization (EPI) in 1978, which aimed at offering children under 2 years old routine immunization (RI). Early accomplishments with the program resulted in a decrease in childhood mortality. As of 2018, Nigeria accounted for about 4.3 million out of over 13 million unvaccinated children globally. Therefore, this study revealed the challenges and efforts associated with RI program in Nigeria and the way forward.

Methods

In this perspective article, I conducted searches and extracted relevant information from publicly available sources such as Google Scholar, Pubmed, and grey literature. I employed RI, challenges, efforts, and Nigeria as the keywords.

Results

The 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey/National Immunization Coverage Survey reports revealed weaknesses in the program, with a national average coverage of 36%. The primary barrier to EPI across various zones is the challenge of reaching marginalized areas that were cut off from vaccination services due to operational and sociocultural issues. Some of the obstacles, such as restricted access to medical facilities, weak cold chain systems, and COVID‐19 containment strategies had a great impact on the RI program. To scale up the RI program, the Nigerian government, through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), collaborated with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to optimize the “Big Catch‐up campaign” and increase immunization coverage nationwide. By 2028, 80% of the projected zero‐dose populace is expected to be covered, reaching these eligible children with life‐saving vaccines.

Conclusion

Nigeria still has a long way to go in making significant progress in the RI program. To further strengthen the immunization coverage, the country needs to maintain data on their achievements, as this will help identify gaps that need to be addressed in the immunization program.
Comparisons of clinical scoring systems among suspected pulmonary embolism patients presenting to emergency department
Authors: Tang Luojia , Hu Yundi , Min Min , Gu Jianyong , Pan Dong , Lin Xiaolei , Tong Chaoyang
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is among the most severe cardiovascular disorders worldwide. Timely and appropriate diagnosis of PE remains an important step in reducing PE related mortality and morbidity.

Methods

In this retrospective single‐center cohort study, we comprehensively compared the screening performances of several clinical scoring systems (Wells score [WS], Revised Geneva score [RGS], WS + d‐Dimer [D‐D], RGS + D‐D, WS + PE rule‐out criteria [PERC] and RGS + PERC) among PE suspected patients. Failure rates across different PE severity grades as well as overall sensitivity/specificity were considered in evaluating each screening strategy.

Results

A total of 3437 patients were included in this study and 698 of them were diagnosed with PE. Patients with and without PE were similar in demographics, while significantly different in respiration‐related characteristics. Compared with WS or RGS alone, Integrating PERC or D‐D with WS or RGS significantly decreased the failure rates across all PE severity grades, and increased the overall sensitivity from 88.5% and 87.2% to 96.3% and 94.8% (D‐D) to 99.4% and 99.6% (PERC), respectively. However, compared with other four scoring approaches, using WS or RGS alone increased the specificity from 8.3% and 7.2%, 38.3% and 21.3%, to 63.5% and 34.8%, respectively, and increased the AUC from 0.54 to 0.54, 0.70 and 0.69, to 0.8 and 0.76, respectively. In general, all screening approaches achieved better performances among PE patients with respiratory distress compared to those without respiratory distress.

Conclusion

Combining PERC or D‐D with WS or RGS, and the presence of respiratory distress provide significantly better PE rule‐out performances.