bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determination of Mercury with a Miniature Sensor for Point‐of‐care Testing
Authors: Andreasi Bassi Caterina , Wu Zhizhen , Forst Linda , Papautsky Ian
Published: July 2022

In developing countries, subsistence gold mining entails mixing metallic mercury with crushed sediments to extract gold. In this approach, the gold−mercury amalgam is heated to evaporate mercury and obtain gold. Thus, the highly volatile mercury can be absorbed through inhalation, resulting in adverse health effects. Urinalysis can be used to detect mercury, which is excreted in urine and feces, and correlate exposure with toxic effects. The current gold standard analytical methods are based on fluorescence or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry methods, but are expensive, time consuming, and are not easily accessible in countries where testing is needed. In this work, we report on a miniature electrochemical sensor that can rapidly detect mercury in urine at levels well below the US Biological Exposure Index (BEI) limit of 50 ppb (μg/L). The sensor is based on a thin‐film gold electrode and anodic stripping voltammetry electroanalytical approach. The sensor successfully detected mercury at trace levels in urine, with a limit of detection of ∼15 ppb Hg in the linear range of 20–80 ppb. With the low‐cost disposable sensors and portable instrumentation, it is well suited for point‐of‐care applications.
Identification evidence unraveled by strict proteomics rules toward forensic samples
Authors: Li Zehua , Li Kexin , Xu Bin , Chen Jia , Zhang Ying , Guo Lei , Xie Jianwei
Published: July 2022

Snake venom is a complex mixture of proteins and peptides secreted by venomous snakes from their poison glands. Although proteomics for snake venom composition, interspecific differences, and developmental evolution has been developed for a decade, current diagnosis or identification techniques of snake venom in clinical intoxication and forensic science applications are mainly dependent on morphological and immunoassay. It could be expected that the proteomics techniques directly offer great help. This work applied a bottom‐up proteomics method to identify proteins’ types and species attribution in suspected snake venom samples using ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole‐electrostatic field Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometric technique, and cytotoxicity assay was amended to provide a direct evidence of toxicity. Toward the suspicious samples seized in the security control, sample pretreatment (in‐sol and in‐gel digestion) and data acquisition (nontargeted and targeted screening) modes complemented and validated each other. We have implemented two consequent approaches in identifying the species source of proteins in the samples via the points of venom proteomics and strict forensic identification. First, we completed a workflow consisting of a proteomics database match toward an entire SWISS‐PROT (date 2018‐11‐22) database and a result‐directed specific taxonomy database. The latter was a helpful hint to compare master protein kinds and reveal the insufficiency of specific venom proteomics characterization rules. Second, we suggested strict rules for protein identification to meet the requirements of forensic science on improved identification correctness, that is, (1) peptide spectrum matches confidence, peptide confidence, and protein confidence were both high (with the false‐discovery ratio less than 1%); (2) the number of unique peptides was more than or equal to two in one protein, and (3) within unique peptides, which at least 75% of the ∆m/z of the matched y and b ions were less than 5 ppm. We identified these samples as cobra venom containing 10 highly abundant proteins (P00597, P82463, P60770, Q9YGI4, P62375, P49123, P80245, P60302, P01442, and P60304) from two snake venom protein families (acid phospholipase A2 and three‐finger toxins), and the most abundant proteins were cytotoxins.
Switching positions: Assessing the dynamics of conjugational heterogeneity in antibody–drug conjugates using CE‐SDS
Authors: van den Berg Eline B. A. , Hendriks Jaap C. W. , Elsinga Everdine W. , Eggink Mark , Dirksen Eef H. C.
Published: July 2022

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are a prospective class of new oncology therapeutics with the ability to deliver a cytotoxic drug to a targeted location. The concept appears simple, but ADCs are highly complex due to their intrinsic heterogeneity. Randomly conjugated ADCs, for instance, are composed of conjugated species carrying between 0 and 8 linker‐drug molecules, with several positional isomers that vary in drug distribution across the antibody. The drug load, expressed as drug‐to‐antibody ratio (DAR), is a critical quality attribute and should be well controlled, together with the distribution of drug molecules. Here, the impact of the duration of disulfide bond reduction on the DAR was investigated by quantitating the (isomeric) DAR species in ADCs produced with varying reduction times. Although hydrophobic interaction chromatography showed a constant DAR value as a function of reduction time, data obtained by non‐reducing CE‐SDS revealed an unexpected dynamic in the positional conjugated isomers. The insights obtained have improved our understanding of the correlation between the disulfide bond reduction, an important step in the manufacturing of a cysteine‐conjugated ADC, and the conjugational heterogeneity.
Differences between men and women in response to antiseizure medication use and the likelihood of developing treatment resistant epilepsy
Authors: Cepeda M. Soledad , Teneralli Rachel E. , Kern David M. , Novak Gerald
Published: July 2022

Objective

The prevalence of epilepsy is slightly higher in women than in men and sensitivity to seizure stimuli differs between sexes. Some evidence suggests sex differences in response to antiseizure medications exist mainly due to inconsistent pharmacokinetic differences; however, there is a lack of real‐world evidence examining differences in response to antiseizure medications between men and women.

Methods

This was a retrospective population‐based cohort study in five large US healthcare databases. The population included adult patients with epilepsy, newly exposed to levetiracetam, and naive to antiseizure medication. The first exposure to levetiracetam was the index date. The requirement that all patients received the same medication was done to avoid potential confounding due to differences in index treatment. The outcome was the development of treatment resistant epilepsy (TRE), defined as having at least three distinct antiseizure medications in 1 year. The proportion of patients who developed TRE within 1 year following the index date was calculated. To compare the risk of developing TRE between sexes, relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated, and estimates were pooled using meta‐analytic techniques stratified by gender and age.

Results

A total of 147 334 subjects were included in the databases, 50.8% were women, and 4.27% developed TRE. The comorbid profile differed greatly between men and women; however, the types of epilepsy syndromes observed during baseline were similar between the two groups. Across all databases, women were more likely to develop TRE than men (pooled RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.17‐1.38). Results remained similar when stratified by age.

Significance

This study assessed sex differences in response to antiseizure medications using the development of TRE as a proxy for effectiveness. Women newly exposed to levetiracetam were 27% more likely to develop TRE than men, independent of age.
An optimized hybrid deep neural network architecture for intrusion detection in real‐time IoT networks
Authors: Shobana M. , Shanmuganathan C. , Challa Nagendra Panini , Ramya S.
Published: July 2022

The Internet‐of‐Things (IoT) refers to the interconnection of things to the physical network that is embedded with software, sensors, and other devices to exchange information from one device to the other. The interconnection of devices means there is the possibility of challenges like security, trustworthiness, reliability, confidentiality, and so on. To address those issues, we have proposed a novel GTBSS‐HDNN approach which hybridization of Group theory (GT), Binary Spring search (BSS) algorithm, and Hybrid deep neural network (HDNN). The proposed GTBSS‐HDNN approach effectively detects the intrusion in the IoT nodes. Initially, the privacy‐preserving technology was implemented using a Blockchain‐based methodology. Our proposed privacy‐preserving methods are divided into two parts. The first stage utilizes blockchain and the second stage involves Modified Independent Component Algorithm (MICA) to prevent intrusion attacks. The authentication of data is performed by blockchain‐based Enhanced Proof of Work (EPoW) and achieves better authentication. Furthermore, the experimental study is carried out using the ToN‐IoT dataset, which is used to evaluate the performance of our proposed work. To analyze the performance we have taken the performance metrics such asF1‐measure, Detection Rate, Precision, and Accuracy. The performance analyzes depict that the proposed method effectively preserves the accuracy and thereby avert the intrusion attacks. The proposed model achieved 95.3% accuracy, 96.54% precision, 95.23% recall, and 95.67%F‐score values on the ToN‐IoT dataset and 96.23% accuracy, 95.94% precision, 97.03% recall, and 96.70%F‐score results on the BoT‐IoT dataset.
Biochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological attributes of caper (Capparis ovata) flowering buds and berries pickles
Authors: Ozgun‐Acar Ozden , Celik‐Turgut Gurbet , Guner Hüseyin , Sezer Serdar , Sen Alaattin
Published: July 2022

Capparis ovatais a natural plant that grows widely in Turkey and its flowering buds and berry pickle are used in traditional medicine. Thus, the current study was expanded to evaluate the biochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological aspects of theCapparis ovatawater extract (COWE). To determine the biochemical properties of COWE, mineral and fatty acid content, elemental analysis, flavonoid/phenolic content, radical‐scavenging capacity, and pesticide analysis were performed. Furthermore, to find out whether it had anti‐inflammatory properties, reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB) luciferase activity tests were conducted. Whole‐genome transcriptomic profiling was carried out at a dose level of 500 mg/kg COWE to understand its pharmacological effect. Transaminases in serum were tested, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was done using a custom design array that included the stress and molecular toxicology pathway to establish its toxicological qualities. As a result of the evaluations, it was observed that COWE has a high mineral and unsaturated fatty acid content, flavonoid/phenolic content, and radical‐scavenging ability. It significantly inhibited NF‐κB transcriptional activity as well as inflammatory cytokine expression in T‐lymphoblast cells. Whole‐genome transcriptomic profiling depicted that COWE modulates immune responses by upregulating natural killer cell activation, cellular response to type I interferon, B‐cell proliferation and differentiation, and Janus kinase–signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK–STAT) pathways. Molecular Toxicology Pathfinder RT2Profiler PCR array analysis revealed that COWE at or lower dose of 500 mg/kg/day did not cause a comparatively adverse effect. According to the findings, COWE is a rich source of nutrients and can be used as an adjunct therapy for various inflammatory diseases.
3D‐printed hydroxyapatite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering: A systematic review in experimental animal studies
Authors: Avanzi Ingrid Regina , Parisi Julia Risso , Souza Amanda , Cruz Matheus Almeida , Martignago Cintia Cristina Santi , Ribeiro Daniel Araki , Braga Anna Rafaela Cavalcante , Renno Ana Claudia
Published: July 2022

The use of 3D‐printed hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds for stimulating bone healing has been increasing over the years. Although all the promising effects of these scaffolds, there are still few studies and limited understanding of their interaction with bone tissue and their effects on the process of fracture healing. In this context, this study aimed to perform a systematic literature review examining the effects of different 3D‐printed HA scaffolds in bone healing. The search was made according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta‐analysis (PRISMA) orientations and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) descriptors “3D printing,” “bone,” “HA,” “repair,” and “in vivo.” Thirty‐six articles were retrieved from PubMed and Scopus databases. After eligibility analyses, 20 papers were included (covering the period of 2016 and 2021). Results demonstrated that all the studies included in this review showed positive outcomes, indicating the efficacy of scaffolds treated groups in the in vivo experiments for promoting bone healing in different animal models. In conclusion, 3D‐printed HA scaffolds are excellent candidates as bone grafts due to their bioactivity and good bone interaction.
Motivational interviewing for genetic counseling: A unified framework for persuasive and equipoise conversations
Authors: Resnicow Ken , Delacroix Emerson , Chen Gabriela , Austin Sarah , Stoffel Elena , Hanson Erika N. , Gerido Lynette Hammond , Kaphingst Kimberly A. , Yashar Beverly M. , Marvin Monica , Griggs Jennifer J. , Cragun Deborah
Published: July 2022

Genetic counselors (GCs) have traditionally been trained to adopt a position of equipoise or clinical neutrality. They provide information, answer questions, address barriers, and engage in shared decision‐making, but generally, they do not prescribe a genetic test. Historically, GCs have generally been trained not to persuade the ambivalent or resistant patient. More recently, however, there has been discussion regarding when a greater degree of persuasion or directionality may be appropriate within genetic counseling (GC) and what role MI may play in this process. The role for “persuasive GC” is based on the premise that some genetic tests provide actionable information that would clearly benefit patients and families by impacting treatment or surveillance. For other tests, the benefits are less clear as they do not directly impact patient care or the benefits may be more subjective in nature, driven by patient values or psychological needs. For the former, we propose that GCs may adopt a more persuasive clinical approach while for the latter, a more traditional equipoise stance may be more appropriate. We suggest that motivational interviewing (MI) could serve as a unifying counseling model that allows GCs to handle both persuasive and equipoise encounters. For clearly beneficial tests, while directional, the MI encounter can still be non‐directive, autonomy‐supportive, and patient‐centered. MI can also be adapted for equipoise situations, for example, placing less emphasis on eliciting and strengthening change talk as that is more a behavior change strategy than a shared decision‐making strategy. The core principles and strategies of MI, such as autonomy support, evocation, open questions, reflective listening, and affirmation would apply to both persuasive and equipoise encounters. Key issues that merit discussion include how best to train GCs both during their initial and post‐graduate education.
Highly effective liquid and solid phase extraction methods to concentrate radioiodine isotopes for radioiodination chemistry
Authors: Davis Christopher , Li Chun , Nie Ruirui , Guzzardi Norman , Dworakowska Barbara , Sadasivam Pragalath , Maher John , Aboagye Eric O. , Lu Zhi , Yan Ran
Published: July 2022

Radioactive iodine isotopes play a pivotal role in radiopharmaceuticals. Large‐scale production of multi‐patient dose of radioiodinated nuclear medicines requires high concentration of radioiodine. We demonstrate that tetrabutylammonium chloride and methyltrioctylamonium chloride are effective phase transfer reagents to concentrate iodide‐124, iodide‐125 and iodide‐131 from the corresponding commercial water solutions. The resulting concentrated radioiodide, in the presence of either phase transfer reagent, does not hamper the chemical reactivity of aqueous radioiodide in the copper (II)‐mediated one‐pot three‐component click chemistry to produce radioiodinated iodotriazoles.
Dopamine plays a critical role in the olfactory adaptive learning pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Raj Vishnu , Thekkuveettil Anoopkumar
Published: July 2022

Encoding and consolidating information through learning and memory is vital in adaptation and survival. Dopamine (DA) is a critical neurotransmitter that modulates behavior. However, the role of DA in learning and memory processes is not well defined. Herein, we used the olfactory adaptive learning paradigm in Caenorhabditis elegans to elucidate the role of DA in the memory pathway. Cat‐2 mutant worms with low DA synthesis showed a significant reduction in chemotaxis index (CI) compared to the wild type (WT) after short‐term conditioning. In dat‐1::ICE worms, having degeneration of DA neurons, there was a significant reduction in adaptive learning and memory. When the worms were trained in the presence of exogenous DA (10 mM) instead of food, a substantial increase in CI value was observed. Furthermore, our results suggest that both dop‐1 and dop‐3 DA receptors are involved in memory retention. The release of DA during conditioning is essential to initiate the learning pathway. We also noted an enhanced cholinergic receptor activity in the absence of dopaminergic neurons. The strains expressing GCaMP6 in DA neurons (pdat‐1::GCaMP‐6::mCherry) showed a rise in intracellular calcium influx in the presence of the conditional stimulus after training, suggesting DA neurons are activated during memory recall. These results reveal the critical role of DA in adaptive learning and memory, indicating that DA neurons play a crucial role in the effective processing of cognitive function.
Circadian leadership: A review and integration of chronobiology and leadership
Authors: Volk Stefan , Lowe Kevin B. , Barnes Christopher M.
Published: July 2022

A vast body of knowledge within the field of chronobiology highlights a broad array of important effects that circadian rhythms and chronotypes have on individual performance. Circadian rhythms are predictable fluctuations of energetic activation produced by an internal pacemaker, the circadian clock, that governs the daily functioning of the human body and mind. Chronotypes are individual differences in the setting of this biological clock that influence preferences for the optimal timing of daily periods of activity and rest. In this paper, we review the chronobiology literature as it applies to leadership research to advance a circadian leadership perspective that integrates circadian science with leadership science. We outline how a circadian perspective can help researchers to understand how time of day interacts with circadian processes to influence the effectiveness of task‐, relational‐, and change‐oriented leadership activities. Our circadian perspective also extends research on leader and follower individual differences by explaining the effects of chronotypes on leadership behaviors and outcomes. We develop propositions based on the most promising insights that have emerged from the literature review, advance ideas for future theory development and research, and discuss implications for leaders in practice.
Improved skill of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 over phase 5 models in reproducing weather regimes in East Asia
Authors: Chen Wei , Jiang Dabang , Lang Xianmei , Tian Zhiping
Published: July 2022

We evaluate the performance of climate models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phases 5 (CMIP5) and 6 (CMIP6) in simulating the weather regimes over East Asia during the period from 1961 to 2005. The circulation patterns, frequencies and transition probabilities of the weather regimes are obtained by categorizing the daily 500‐hPa geopotential height (Z500) anomalies using the k‐means clustering algorithm. We identify four winter (WWR1‐4) and three summer weather regimes (SWR1‐3) in both reanalysis datasets and CMIP5/6 models. Significant increasing (declining) frequency trends in WWR3 (WWR4) and SWR2 (SWR1) are found in the ERA5 and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis datasets. On the whole, both generations of models demonstrate reasonable abilities to reproduce the circulation patterns of weather regimes based on the Z500 anomaly fields but overall underestimate the intensities of weather regime patterns, underestimate the occurrence frequencies of WWR3, SWR2, and SWR3, and overestimate the frequencies of WWR1, WWR2, WWR4, and SWR1. In terms of both the ensemble‐mean and pairwise comparisons, the CMIP6 models generally perform better than their CMIP5 counterparts in reproducing the circulation pattern intensities, occurrence frequencies during the whole period and the linear frequency trends and transition probabilities of the weather regimes both in winter and summer. Further analysis shows a highly positive correlation between the total frequency and transition performances but a lower correlation between the biases in the total frequency and intensity of weather regime patterns. The improved skill of CMIP6 over the CMIP5 models in reproducing the weather regimes over East Asia may be partly related to the increased vertical atmospheric resolution in the model.
Development of solid‐state fermentation process of spent coffee grounds for the differentiated obtaining of chlorogenic, quinic, and caffeic acids
Authors: Arancibia‐Díaz Alejandra , Astudillo‐Castro Carolina , Altamirano Claudia , Soto‐Maldonado Carmen , Vergara‐Castro Mauricio , Córdova Andrés , Zúñiga‐Hansen María Elvira
Published: July 2022

BACKGROUND

Spent coffee grounds (SCGs) are a good source of chlorogenic acid (CGA), which can be hydrolyzed to quinic acid (QA) and caffeic acid (CA). These molecules have antioxidant and neuroprotective capacities, benefiting human health. The hydrolysis of CGA can be done by biotechnological processes, such as solid‐state fermentation (SSF). This work evaluated the use of SSF with Aspergillus sp. for the joint release of the three molecules from SCGs.

RESULTS

Hydroalcoholic extraction of the total phenolic compounds (TPCs) from SCGs was optimized, obtaining 28.9 ± 1.97 g gallic acid equivalent (GAE) kg−1 SCGs using 0.67 L ethanol per 1 L, a 1:9 solid/liquid ratio, and a 63 min extraction time. Subsequently, SSF was performed for 30 days, achieving the maximum yields for CGA, QA, and TPCs on the 16th day: 7.12 ± 0.01 g kg−1, 4.68 ± 0.11 g kg−1, and 54.96 ± 0.49 g GAE kg−1 respectively. CA reached its maximum value on the 23rd day, at 4.94 ± 0.04 g kg−1. The maximum antioxidant capacity was 635.7 mmol Trolox equivalents kg−1 on the 14th day. Compared with unfermented SCGs extracts, TPCs and CGA increase their maximum values 2.3‐fold, 18.6‐fold for CA, 14.2 for QA, and 6.4‐fold for antioxidant capacity. Additionally, different extracts’ profiles were obtained throughout the SSF process, allowing us to adjust the type of enriched extract to be produced based on the SSF time.

CONCLUSION

SSF represents an alternative to produce extracts with different compositions and, consequently, different antioxidant capacities, which is a potentially attractive fermentation process for different applications. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Dissecting the potential mechanism of antihypertensive effects of RVPSL on spontaneously hypertensive rats via widely targeted kidney metabolomics
Authors: Yu Zhipeng , Wang Li , Wu Sijia , Zhao Wenzhu
Published: July 2022

BACKGROUND

Our previous study has demonstrated that the egg‐white‐derived peptide RVPSL can lower blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), but its potential action mechanism remains unclear. In this work, the underlying mechanism of the antihypertensive effects of RVPSL in SHRs was elucidated using the widely targeted kidney metabolomics approach.

RESULTS

Ten SHRs were divided into two groups: SHR‐Untreated group (0.9% saline) and SHR‐RVPSL group (50 mg kg−1 body weight RVPSL) for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, kidney samples were collected and widely targeted (liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry) metabolomics was used to detect metabolites. Fifty‐six biomarkers were identified that may be associated with hypertension. Among them, 17 biomarkers were upregulated and 39 biomarkers were downregulated. The results suggested that eight potential biomarkers were identified in kidney samples: O‐phospho‐l‐serine, tyramine, citric acid, 3‐hydroxybutyrate, O‐acetyl‐l‐serine, 15‐oxo‐5Z,8Z,11Z,13E‐eicosatetraenoic acid (15‐oxoETE), dopaquinone and 3,3′,5‐triiodo‐l‐thyronine. These potential biomarkers mainly involved carbon metabolism, thyroid hormone signaling pathway, tyrosine metabolism and arachidonic acid metabolism.

CONCLUSION

The study suggested that RVPSL may exert antihypertensive effects through upregulation of O‐phospho‐l‐serine, 3‐hydroxybutyrate and 15‐oxoETE, and downregulation of tyramine, citric acid, O‐acetyl‐l‐serine, 3,3′,5‐triiodo‐l‐thyronine and dopaquinone. The antihypertensive effects of RVPSL may be related to carbon metabolism, thyroid hormone signaling pathway, tyrosine metabolism and arachidonic acid metabolism. RVPSL exhibited a potent antihypertensive effect, and the antihypertensive effects were associated with inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, vascular remodeling, vascular endothelium dysfunction, restoring reactive oxygen species, oxidative stress, inflammation and immune reaction. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Atypical ageing defect in Pinot Blanc wines: a comparison between organic and conventional production management systems
Authors: Delaiti Simone , Nardin Tiziana , Roman Tomas , Pedò Stefano , Zanzotti Roberto , Larcher Roberto
Published: July 2022

BACKGROUND

Atypical ageing (ATA) is an aroma defect that occurs in white wines and entails a loss of varietal aromas as well as scents of wet mop, shoe polish and dish rag. 2‐Aminoacetophenone (2AAP) – a degradation product of indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) – has been described as the main odour‐active compound and chemical marker responsible for this off‐flavour. A stress reaction in the vineyard triggered by climatic, pedological and viticultural factors can ultimately cause ATA development in wines and remarkably affect wine quality. The aim of this research was to investigate the influence of three grapevine management systems on the occurrence of ATA. The experiments were carried out on Pinot Blanc grape samples from vines cultivated using one conventional and two organic approaches. The management systems mainly differed for the fertilisation regime and the weed control.

RESULTS

The amino acid profiles as well as 2AAP and its precursors were quantified in musts and wines using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to a high‐resolution mass spectrometer. The results showed the existence of a strong vintage effect, while no influence of the use of different agronomic systems was observed.

CONCLUSION

The study revealed that an efficient implementation of different grapevine production systems did not affect ATA development in Pinot Blanc wines. This finding is of great relevance for winegrowers and winemakers as it demonstrates that a well‐planned organic management system correctly adjusted to the climatic conditions does not pose a threat towards the development of ATA‐related compounds in wine. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
The mental health of forcibly displaced couples
Authors: Mahmood Harem Nareeman , Ibrahim Hawkar , Ismail Azad Ali , Neuner Frank
Published: July 2022

Most current research investigating traumatic stress is focused on its effects at the individual level, utilizing the implicit assumption that trauma‐related disorders are mutually independent within families and communities. However, there is reason to assume that trauma‐related symptoms within couples are influenced by each partner's risk factors and symptoms. Using the actor–partner interdependence model, this study aimed to test whether symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression were predicted by participants’ partner's exposure to traumatic events over and above the influence of the participant's own experiences. For this purpose, we interviewed 687 heterosexual, married Iraqi and Syrian couples in Iraq's Kurdistan region who had been forcefully displaced. We assessed symptoms of PTSD and depression using locally validated scales. Nearly all participants (98.8%) reported exposure to at least one traumatic event, with husbands reporting exposure to a higher number of traumatic events than wives, d = 0.48, p < .001. More than half of the participants met the criteria for a probable PTSD (61.1%) or major depressive disorder diagnosis (60.4%). Within couples, significant actor effects of experienced trauma exposure on personal PTSD and depressive symptoms were observed for both husbands and wives. Further, there were significant partner effects of wives' traumatic experiences on husbands' PTSD and depressive symptoms as well as of husbands' traumatic experiences on wives' PTSD and depressive symptoms. The findings argue for the interdependence of trauma‐related symptoms within dyads in a dual‐trauma context, suggesting the presence of intracouple transmission of trauma‐related symptoms.
Decrease in soil inorganic nitrogen supply capacity under long‐term areca nut plantations in the tropics
Authors: Zhu Qilin , Liu Lijun , Li Kaikai , Wen Changli , Li Miao , Fan Changhua , Zhu Tongbin , Shen Qunli , Wu Yanzheng , Tang Shuirong , Meng Lei , Müller Christoph , Zhang Jinbo
Published: July 2022

Understanding the dynamics and availability of soil nitrogen (N) affected by the conversion of cropping patterns is critical for environmental sustainability, especially in tropical soils with low fertility and high N loss. In this study, the 15N tracing technology combined with the 15N tracer model was used to explore the dynamic change of soil N transformation in long‐estabished areca nut (Areca catechu) plantations. Areca nut plantations with different ages (2, 5, 10, 14, and 17 years) and paddy fields in the tropical region of China were studied. The results demonstrated that the gross N mineralization rate (M) of areca nut plantation soil was much lower than that of paddy soil. The NH4+ immobilization (INH4) rate was also significantly reduced in areca nut plantations. Besides, the ONH4 (autotrophic nitrification) in long‐term areca nut planted soil decreased significantly with decreasing ammonia‐oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria (AOB) abundance. Inorganic N supply (INS) capacity of areca nut planted soil was much lower than the paddy soil, indicating declined N supply in long‐term areca nut plantations soil. The decline in soil gross N transformations rate and INS capacity of areca nut plantations soil was significantly correlated to reduced levels of TN and soil pH. Thus, agricultural practices that increase the soil pH (e.g., biochar or lime application) and the soil organic matter content (e.g., organic fertilizers) could improve soil INS capacity.
Characteristics of acute otitis media in primary care are associated with tympanostomy tube outcomes
Authors: Zhong Lydia , Hamdy Rana F. , Pitter Jeannie Chang , Hamburger Ellen K. , Behzadpour Hengameh , Preciado Diego
Published: July 2022

Objective

To identify characteristics of acute otitis media (AOM) at primary care presentation associated with TT placement and outcomes.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients (birth—12 years old) with AOM at an academic primary care pediatric practice and affiliated tertiary referral free‐standing Children's hospital from August 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019 was performed. The outcomes measured were TT placement, postoperative otorrhea, need for additional tube placement, and other complications (i.e., perforation and/or granulation).

Results

The 3189 patients were included, 484 of whom were referred to otolaryngology. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that a greater number of AOM episodes diagnosed at primary care was associated with tube placement (OR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.04–1.41, p = .02). Of the 336 patients who received tubes, older age at first AOM diagnosis was associated with postoperative otorrhea (OR = 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01–1.03; p = .001) and additional tube placement (OR = 1.03; 95% CI, 1.02–1.04; p < .001). Older age was also associated with other complications (OR = 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01–1.03; p = .001) by univariate analysis. Additionally, postoperative otorrhea was more common among patients who first received an AOM diagnosis at primary care in the spring (OR = 2.69; 95% CI, 1.37–5.29; p = .004), summer (OR = 2.88; 95% CI, 1.46–5.69; p = .002), and fall (OR = 2.18; 95% CI, 1.20–3.96; p = .01) seasons.

Conclusions

Clinical data from pediatric primary care visits found older age at first AOM diagnosis and having a first AOM diagnosis outside of winter to be associated with a more complicated eventual disease course.

Level of evidence

3—cohort study.
Summer ecosystem structure in mountain lakes linked to interannual variability of lake ice, snowpack, and landscape attributes
Authors: Powers Stephen M. , Fradkin Steven C. , Baccus William , Archambault Carmen , Boetsch John R. , Brousil Matthew R. , Lofgren Rebecca , Rawhouser Ashley , Hampton Stephanie E.
Published: July 2022

Mountain lakes experience interannual variability in spring snowpack and ice cover that can lead to differences in physical, chemical, and biological properties in the succeeding summer. Lake studies that capture extreme years of snow and ice would be useful to understand and anticipate effects of climate change, but such data are rare for remote mountain lakes. Monitoring of lakes in Olympic, North Cascades, and Mount Rainier National Parks from 2007 to 2018 allowed us to examine limnological differences along interannual and elevation‐driven climate gradients that included unusually high (2011–2012) and 100‐yr record low (2015) snowpack years. Years with lower spring snowpack had earlier ice‐out. Across lakes, our analysis suggested an average of 0.075°C lake warming per day of lost ice duration (0.525°C per week), giving rise to other ecosystem changes linked to temperature such as lower dissolved oxygen, higher total dissolved N, higher chlorophyll, and higher abundance of cladoceran zooplankton. Conversely, in years with higher snowpack and a shorter ice‐free season, lakes were colder and clearer (1 m deeper Secchi depth for every 1 m May snow water equivalent), with more dilute ions as well as lower algal biomass and zooplankton abundance. These results add to evidence that changes in snowpack or ice‐out dates alter mountain lake ecology through multiple processes associated with hydrology, terrestrial‐aquatic connection, water temperature, productivity, ion composition, and plankton communities.
Effects of Atlantification and changing sea‐ice dynamics on zooplankton community structure and carbon flux between 2000 and 2016 in the eastern Fram Strait
Authors: Ramondenc Simon , Nöthig Eva‐Maria , Hufnagel Lili , Bauerfeind Eduard , Busch Kathrin , Knüppel Nadine , Kraft Angelina , Schröter Franz , Seifert Miriam , Iversen Morten H.
Published: July 2022

The collection of zooplankton swimmers and sinkers in time‐series sediment traps provides unique insight into year‐round and interannual trends in zooplankton population dynamics. These samples are particularly valuable in remote and difficult to access areas such as the Arctic Ocean, where samples from the ice‐covered season are rare. In the present study, we investigated zooplankton composition based on swimmers and sinkers collected by sediment traps at water depths of 180–280, 800–1320, and 2320–2550 m, over a period of 16 yr (2000–2016) at the Long‐Term Ecological Research observatory HAUSGARTEN located in the eastern Fram Strait (79°N, 4°E). The time‐series data showed seasonal and interannual trends within the dominant zooplankton groups including copepoda, foraminifera, ostracoda, amphipoda, pteropoda, and chaetognatha. Amphipoda and copepoda dominated the abundance of swimmers while pteropoda and foraminifera were the most important sinkers. Although the seasonal occurrence of these groups was relatively consistent between years, there were notable interannual variations in abundance, suggesting the influence of various environmental conditions such as sea‐ice dynamic and lateral advection of water masses, for example, meltwater and Atlantic water. Statistical analyses revealed a correlation between the Arctic dipole climatic index and sea‐ice dynamics (i.e., ice coverage and concentration), as well as the importance of the distance from the ice edge on swimmer composition patterns and carbon export.
Superior Hemostatic and Wound‐Healing Properties of Gel and Sponge Forms of Nonoxidized Cellulose Nanofibers: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies
Authors: Mohamed Elmira , Wang Yi , Crispin Philip J. , Fitzgerald Ailene , Dahlstrom Jane E. , Fowler Suzanne , Nisbet David R. , Tsuzuki Takuya , Coupland Lucy A.
Published: July 2022

Many materials have been engineered and commercialized as hemostatic agents. However, there is still a gap in the availability of hemostats that offer biocompatibility and biodegradability in combination with effective hemostatic properties. Cellulose nanofibers are investigated as hemostatic materials with most studies focusing on oxidized cellulose‐derived hemostats. The recent studies demonstrate that by optimizing the morphological properties of nonoxidized cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) enhanced hemostasis is achieved. Herein, the hemostatic and wound‐healing properties of CNFs with optimized morphology using two forms, gel, and sponge is investigated. In vitro thromboelastometry studies demonstrate that CNFs reduce clotting time by 68% (±SE 2%) and 88% (±SE 5%) in gel and sponge forms, respectively. In an in vivo murine liver injury model, CNFs significantly reduce blood loss by 38% (±SE 10%). The pH‐neutral CNFs do not damage red blood cells, nor do they impede the proliferation of fibroblast or endothelial cells. Subcutaneously‐implanted CNFs show a foreign body reaction resolving with the degradation of CNFs on histological examination and there is no scarring in the skin after 8 weeks. Demonstrating superior hemostatic performance in a variety of forms, as well as biocompatibility and biodegradability, CNFs hold significant potential for use in surgical and first‐aid environments.
Distributed and scalable optimization for robust proton treatment planning
Authors: Fu Anqi , Taasti Vicki T. , Zarepisheh Masoud
Published: July 2022

Background

The importance of robust proton treatment planning to mitigate the impact of uncertainty is well understood. However, its computational cost grows with the number of uncertainty scenarios, prolonging the treatment planning process.

Purpose

We developed a fast and scalable distributed optimization platform that parallelizes the robust proton treatment plan computation over the uncertainty scenarios.

Methods

We modeled the robust proton treatment planning problem as a weighted least‐squares problem. To solve it, we employed an optimization technique called the alternating direction method of multipliers with Barzilai–Borwein step size (ADMM‐BB). We reformulated the problem in such a way as to split the main problem into smaller subproblems, one for each proton therapy uncertainty scenario. The subproblems can be solved in parallel, allowing the computational load to be distributed across multiple processors (e.g., CPU threads/cores). We evaluated ADMM‐BB on four head‐and‐neck proton therapy patients, each with 13 scenarios accounting for 3 mm setup and 3.5% range uncertainties. We then compared the performance of ADMM‐BB with projected gradient descent (PGD) applied to the same problem.

Results

For each patient, ADMM‐BB generated a robust proton treatment plan that satisfied all clinical criteria with comparable or better dosimetric quality than the plan generated by PGD. However, ADMM‐BB's total runtime averaged about 6 to 7 times faster. This speedup increased with the number of scenarios.

Conclusions

ADMM‐BB is a powerful distributed optimization method that leverages parallel processing platforms, such as multicore CPUs, GPUs, and cloud servers, to accelerate the computationally intensive work of robust proton treatment planning. This results in (1) a shorter treatment planning process and (2) the ability to consider more uncertainty scenarios, which improves plan quality.
The impact of respiratory motion on electromagnetic fields and specific absorption rate in cardiac imaging at 7T
Authors: Schoen Natalie , Seifert Frank , Petzold Johannes , Metzger Gregory J. , Speck Oliver , Ittermann Bernd , Schmitter Sebastian
Published: July 2022

Purpose

To present electromagnetic simulation setups for detailed analyses of respiration's impact on and E‐fields, local specific absorption rate (SAR) and associated safety‐limits for 7T cardiac imaging.

Methods

Finite‐difference time‐domain electromagnetic field simulations were performed at five respiratory states using a breathing body model and a 16‐element 7T body transceiver RF‐coil array. and SAR are analyzed for fixed and moving coil configurations. SAR variations are investigated using phase/amplitude shimming considering (i) a local SAR‐controlled mode (here SAR calculations consider RF amplitudes and phases) and (ii) a channel‐wise power‐controlled mode (SAR boundary calculation is independent of the channels' phases, only dependent on the channels' maximum amplitude).

Results

Respiration‐induced variations of both

amplitude and phase are observed. The flip angle homogeneity depends on the respiratory state used for

shimming; best results were achieved for shimming on inhale and exhale simultaneously (). The results reflect that respiration impacts position and amplitude of the local SAR maximum. With the local‐SAR‐control mode, a safety factor of up to 1.4 is needed to accommodate for respiratory variations while the power control mode appears respiration‐robust when the coil moves with respiration (SAR peak decrease: 9% exhale→inhale). Instead, a spatially fixed coil setup yields higher SAR variations with respiration.

Conclusion

Respiratory motion does not only affect the distribution and hence the image contrast, but also location and magnitude of the peak spatial SAR. Therefore, respiration effects may need to be included in safety analyses of RF coils applied to the human thorax.
Simultaneous monitoring of activity and heart rate variability in depressed patients: A pilot study using a wearable monitor for 3 consecutive days
Authors: Koga Norie , Komatsu Yoko , Shinozaki Ryo , Ishida Ikki , Shimizu Yusuke , Ishimaru Sonoko , Kunugi Hiroshi
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Reduced activity and sleep–wake rhythm disturbances are essential features of depressive episodes. In addition, alterations in heart rate variability (HRV) have been implicated in depression. By using a wearable sensor that monitors 3‐dimensional acceleration and HRV simultaneously, we examined the activity and HRV indices in depressive episode of mood disorders.

Methods

Participants were 19 patients (13 major depressive disorder [MDD] and 6 bipolar depression; 11 females) and 18 controls (9 females) matched for age and ethnicity (all Japanese) who completed 3 consecutive days of all‐day monitoring by a small and light device attached to the chest.

Results

Activity magnitude was significantly reduced while lying/resting time was increased in depressed patients, compared with controls. When males and females were examined separately, male, but not female, patients showed significant reduction in activity. HRV indices such as R‐R interval and high‐frequency power (a parameter for the parasympathetic system) were significantly decreased in patients than in controls. Significant differences in activity and HRV indices were seen only in males. Sympathetic load during sleep significantly correlated with damped rest–activity rhythm in depressed patients.

Limitations

The number of participants was small, and the majority of the participants were taking psychotropic medications.

Conclusions

We obtained evidence for reduced activity, increased lying/resting time, and reduced HRV indices in male depressed patients. The simultaneous monitoring for activity and HRV suggested greater sympathetic load during sleep is associated with damped rest–activity rhythm (increased activity during sleep and decreased daytime activity), which might be a characteristic pathology of depression.
Mapping the linkage between corporate social responsibility and organizational performance along with examining the moderating effect of ownership
Authors: Sharma Ajai Pal , Singh Purnima
Published: July 2022

Environmental and social initiatives taken by organizations under corporate social responsibility (CSR) have attracted stakeholder's attention and global resonance in the recent times. Alike Western countries, the concept of corporate social responsibility is not new in India rather it has been imbibed in the tradition of Indian society to donate voluntarily for social causes. As a result, a paradigm shift has been noticed where “voluntarism” in CSR has got replaced with a mandatory obligation. This has been made mandatory through an amendment of new Companies Act, 2013. The current study through empirical observations emphases on examining the impact of CSR related activities on the organizational performance with the moderating effect of organizational ownership. A model is proposed and tested using SEM through AMOS. Data were collected from 265 respondents including senior CSR managers and other working professionals of select organizations. The results show a significant and positive relationship between CSR activities and organizational performance. It is also found that organizational ownership has no moderating effect on the relationship between activities conducted under CSR and the performance of the organizations. The analytical finding of the study has a practical implication for the managers of various organizations in the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, India.
Green recycling of aramid fiber waste as the friction modifier of POM by solid state shear milling technology
Authors: Liao Yi , Chen Chaofeng , Wei Baojie , Yang Shuangqiao , Bai Shibing
Published: July 2022

Aramid fiber is widely used in aerospace, machinery, construction, and other fields for its high strength, high elastic modulus, lightweight, and superior comprehensive performance. However, because aramid fiber is difficult to be melted and reprocessed, efficient and environmentally friendly recycling of aramid fiber waste (AFW) is an urgent and challenging issue. In this work, we reported a facile way to recycle AFW for the preparation of friction‐resistant polyoxymethylene (POM)/AFW composites. The ultrafine AFW powder with 64.69 μm in size was fabricated by solid state shear milling (S3M) technology, which broke the amide bond due to the strong compression and shearing during milling. With the increase of milling cycles, the roughness and active groups on the surface of AFW were increased, which was contributed to improving the compatibility between AFW and POM matrix. The morphology observation indicated a good dispersion of AFW in POM. The mechanical property test results showed that the flexural strength increased from 52.69 MPa to 80.12 MPa with 20 wt.% AFW. As a friction modifier, the addition of AFW could improve the tribological properties of POM/AFW composites, and the coefficient of friction (COF) and wear rate of composites with 20 wt.% AFW could decrease by 53.02% and 69.52%, respectively. The S3M technology presented in this work is an efficient and industrialized strategy for AFW recycling to prepare value‐added products, which has great potential in the engineering application field.