bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phase distribution changes of neat unsaturated polyester resin and their effects on both thermal stability and dynamic‐mechanical properties
Authors: Marín Daniel , Gañán Piedad , Tercjak Agnieszka , Castro Cristina , Builes Daniel H.
Published: June 2021

A relationship between phase distribution of a commercial unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) and both thermal stability and dynamical mechanical properties, measured by thermogravimetric analysis and dynamic‐mechanical analysis respectively, is observed. Changes in phase distributions are achieved varying UPR components miscibility by means of temperature. Morphologies of the internal surfaces are analyzed by atomic force microscopy showing that more homogeneous nanostructures with smaller nodules result in the increase of the storage modulus and glass transition temperature of the thermosetting UPR. Tan δ peaks show that the phase rich in UP and the phase rich in polystyrene tend to decrease their differences at higher curing temperatures. Changes in the curing mechanism and kinetics with curing temperature are verified by differential scanning calorimetry. A theoretical explanation of archived morphology is proposed using interaction parameter between UP and styrene showing that higher temperatures increased their miscibility.
Thermoplastic polyurethane with good mechanical and processing performances via blocking and deblocking of isocyanates
Authors: Xu Bowen , Han Feilong , Pei Xuqiang , Liu Xin , Zhang Junying , Cheng Jue , Zhao Jingbo
Published: June 2021

Increasing the molecular weight of polyurethanes (PU) is an effective way to improve its mechanical properties, while, it is at the expense of sacrificing processability. Congruent modification in both mechanical and processing performances is still a challenge. Here, bis‐phenol‐A (BPA) derivatives, including tetrachlorobisphenol‐A and tetrabromobisphenol‐A, were chosen as the extender to synthesize thermoplastic PUs (TPU) containing blocked isocyanate units. This blocked isocyanate has a temperature‐responsive reversible reaction due to phenol urethane bonds, so as to ensure the good mechanical properties at the service temperature and better processing performance via deblocking into smaller molecular weight at the processing temperature; in addition, negative induction effect of the halogen substituents endow BPA derivatives with deblocking reaction at lower temperature. The experimental results confirmed that the blocking reaction carried out completely at 70°C, and accompanying by the dramatical increase of molecular weight. The obvious deblocking reaction happened at 140°C, where the average molecular weight of TPUs decreased from 22,600 g/mol to 13,690 g/mol. Meanwhile, the melt flow index increased significantly with the extension of heating time, indicating that the PU has good processing properties. After the deblocking and re‐blocking reactions were repeated alternatively, there is almost no change in its tensile properties, molecular weight and melt outflow index within two cycles under air atmosphere. This article proposes a strategy of congruent modification in both mechanical and processing performances of TPU.
Spatial distribution patterns of fish egg and larval assemblages in the lower reach of the Yangtze River: Potential implications for conservation and management
Authors: Ren Peng , Schmidt Bjorn V. , Fang Di‐an , Xu Dongpo
Published: June 2021

River fish diversity is threatened by anthropogenic environmental alteration to landscapes. The early life‐history stages of fish play an important role in maintaining diversity and population recruitment and can be heavily influenced by landscape patterns. Information on temporal and spatial distribution patterns of fish eggs and larvae is also important for biodiversity conservation and management of fish resources.

The Yangtze River possesses a high diversity of fishes, including many commercially important species. The economy along the lower reach of the river is well developed, and most of the area is experiencing high pressure from human impacts. This section of the Yangtze River connects with the largest freshwater lake in China at the upstream end and flows into the estuary at the downstream end. These two landscape features are likely to have a significant impact upon the spatial distributions of fish egg and larval assemblages.

Environmental variables, fish eggs, and larval assemblages were sampled in three locations, at Hukou, Anqing, and Jingjiang, in the lower reach of the Yangtze River. The results suggest that the higher number of species and greater abundance in upstream sites reflect the critical function of connectivity of Poyang Lake with the river for fish recruitment in the lower Yangtze. The delayed bloom of larval fish, occurrence of estuarine species, and a lower species number and abundance of freshwater fish downstream reflect the influence of tidal intrusion from the estuary.

This study highlights the value of maintaining natural river–lakes connectivity in the Yangtze River as a conservation measure. The connected river–lake system should be designated as a priority area for fish resource protection in the lower reach of the Yangtze River. We recommend further measures to break down barriers between the river and other lakes and to restore the natural lateral connectivity of the floodplain ecosystem.
In silico molecular docking studies of oxadiazole and pyrimidine bearing heterocyclic compounds as potential antimicrobial agents
Authors: Desai Nisheeth C. , Vaghani Hasit V. , Jethawa Aratiba M. , Khedkar Vijay M.
Published: June 2021

Microbial resistance is a major problem faced by the scientific community. It has created an urgent need to develop antimicrobial agents with novel structures and mechanisms of action. With this aim, a series of novel 1,3,4‐oxadiazoles bearing 3,4‐dihydropyrimidine heterocyclic motifs 4a–l were designed and synthesized. One‐pot Biginelli synthesis is pivotal due to the use of readily available chemicals, shorter reaction time, and ecofriendly synthesis with a good yield. The structures of the synthesized molecules were characterized and confirmed by infrared, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), 13C NMR, and mass spectroscopic techniques. The title compounds were screened against Gram‐positive and ‐negative strains of bacteria and fungi using the Mueller–Hinton broth method. Compound 4d was found to be the most promising against Escherichia coli (12.5 µg/ml), whereas the same compound showed good activity against Staphylococcus aureus at a concentration of 50 µg/ml. Other compounds of the same series, 4c and 4h, displayed moderate activity against Streptococcus pyogenes at a concentration of 50 µg/ml. Furthermore, results of the antifungal activity tests revealed that compound 4i showed promising activity against all the strains of fungi, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus clavatus, at concentrations of 100, 50, and 100 µg/ml, respectively. Molecular docking also showed that these compounds had a significant binding affinity (Glide docking score: −7.74 to −6.531) for DNA gyrase, engaging in a series of bonded and nonbonded interactions with residues lining the active site. The results of molecular docking study validated the experimental findings, thereby providing an initiation mark to optimize this motif using a structure‐based drug design approach.
Digital humanities—A discipline in its own right? An analysis of the role and position of digital humanities in the academic landscape
Authors: Luhmann Jan , Burghardt Manuel
Published: June 2021

Although digital humanities (DH) has received a lot of attention in recent years, its status as “a discipline in its own right” (Schreibman et al., A companion to digital humanities (pp. xxiii–xxvii). Blackwell; 2004) and its position in the overall academic landscape are still being negotiated. While there are countless essays and opinion pieces that debate the status of DH, little research has been dedicated to exploring the field in a systematic and empirical way (Poole, Journal of Documentation; 2017:73). This study aims to contribute to the existing research gap by comparing articles published over the past three decades in three established English‐language DH journals (Computers and the Humanities, Literary and Linguistic Computing, Digital Humanities Quarterly) with research articles from journals in 15 other academic disciplines (corpus size: 34,041 articles; 299 million tokens). As a method of analysis, we use latent Dirichlet allocation topic modeling, combined with recent approaches that aggregate topic models by means of hierarchical agglomerative clustering. Our findings indicate that DH is simultaneously a discipline in its own right and a highly interdisciplinary field, with many connecting factors to neighboring disciplines—first and foremost, computational linguistics, and information science. Detailed descriptive analyses shed some light on the diachronic development of DH and also highlight topics that are characteristic for DH.
Piecewise attitude tracking control of a gravity gradient microsatellite for coplanar orbital transfer
Authors: Sun Liang , Zhao Zelin , Zhao Guowei , Huang Hai , Yang Lingxuan , Bao Xiaoyue
Published: June 2021

The gravity gradient microsatellite applied to the exploration of space environment is subject to the problem of orbital transfer between two orbits. The contributions of this paper mainly include two aspects: (1) a segmented optimal trajectory and (2) the piecewise terminal tracking control method. In order to achieve orbital transfer between two coplanar orbits, an optimal controller is designed to obtain a segmented optimal trajectory and then it becomes a problem of attitude tracking in different segments. Compared with traditional finite‐time control methods, the adaptive sliding mode control method based on a finite‐time tracking error function is proposed, and the stability and robustness of the system can be guaranteed. A numerical case between two coplanar orbits is studied to validate the effectiveness of the control method.
Metal‐poor stars observed with the automated planet finder telescope. III. CEMP‐no stars are the descendant of population III stars
Authors: Almusleh Nour Aldein , Taani Ali , Özdemir Sergen , Rah Maria , Al‐Wardat Mashhoor A. , Zhao Gang , Mardini Mohammad K.
Published: June 2021

This study reports a probabilistic insight into the stellar‐mass and supernovae (SNe) explosion energy of five CEMP‐no stars' possible progenitors. As such, a direct comparison between the abundance ratios [X/Fe] of the light‐elements and the predicted nucleosynthetic yields of SN of high‐mass metal‐free stars has been performed. This comparison suggests that the possible progenitors have a stellar‐mass range of 11 − 22 M⊙ and explosion energies of 0.3 − 1.8 × 1051 erg. In addition, we investigate the kinematic signatures, derived from Gaia DR2, to conclude that these five CEMP‐no stars have halo‐like kinematic and do not enter the outer‐halo region. In addition, we link the abundance patterns with kinematic signatures to investigate the Gaia‐Sausage and Gaia‐Sequoia memberships. This chemo‐dynamical analysis suggests that these CEMP‐no stars are neither Gaia‐Sausage nor Gaia‐Sequoia remnant stars, but another accretion event might be responsible for the contribution of these stars to the Galactic Halo.
Understanding and mitigating effects of brine discharge to wastewater on primary sedimentation
Authors: Adelman Michael J. , Newman Rita P. , Seshan Hari , Zare Afifi Mehrnaz , Dornfeld Mitch , Oppenheimer Joan , Quicho Joseph
Published: June 2021

As the implementation of full advanced treatment with reverse osmosis (RO) grows in response to water scarcity, the effects of RO brine disposal to sewersheds on wastewater treatment will become an increasingly important consideration. Unfortunately, there is little existing literature on the actual effects of brine augmentation on wastewater flocculation and settling. In this study, RO brine from a wastewater reuse system was blended into raw wastewater. Jar tests of chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) were conducted with varying brine blends and ferric chloride coagulant doses. Brine augmentation, at volumetric fractions ranging from 2.7% to 54% of the primary influent, was observed to affect CEPT performance, as removal of turbidity and total suspended solids (TSS) decreased in response to increasing brine share. Control jars with 0% brine generally had greater than 80%–90% TSS removal at the baseline coagulant dose of 12.5 mg/L, and this decreased to around 70% at 27% brine and less than 70% at 54% brine. This effect was observed to be roughly proportional to the level of brine addition, and it appears to be driven by changes to the properties of the fluid and primary particles as a result of brine addition. Adding brine both increases the density and viscosity of the fluid through higher total dissolved solids and decreases the density of the primary particles that make up the floc by contributing dissolved organics rejected by RO. CEPT performance was restored to its current baseline of around 80%–90% removal of TSS and turbidity by increasing ferric chloride dose (and thus floc density), with 17 mg/L required at 2.5% brine share and 30 mg/L required at 15% brine share. Overall, there was a roughly linear relationship between influent brine proportion and additional coagulant required to bring CEPT performance back up to brine‐free levels. The impact observed in this study suggests a topic for future research with other sources of brine and other coagulants.

Article Impact Statement

By investigating primary settling affected by RO brine, this work addresses a topic of current interest that has not been widely studied.
1,2,3,4‐Tetrahydroisoquinoline Derivatives as a Novel Deoxyribonuclease I Inhibitors
Authors: Gajić Mihajlo , Ilić Budimir S. , Bondžić Bojan P. , Džambaski Zdravko , Kojić Vesna V. , Jakimov Dimitar S. , Kocić Gordana , Šmelcerović Andrija
Published: June 2021

Herein we report an assessment of 24 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives for potential DNase I (deoxyribonuclease I) inhibitory properties in vitro. Four of them inhibited DNase I with IC50 values below 200 μM. The most potent was 1‐(6,7‐dimethoxy‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroisoquinolin‐1‐yl)propan‐2‐one (2) (IC50=134.35±11.38 μM) exhibiting slightly better IC50 value compared to three other active compounds, 2‐[2‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroisoquinolin‐1‐yl]‐1‐phenylethan‐1‐one (15) (IC50=147.51±14.87 μM), 2‐[2‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroisoquinolin‐1‐yl]cyclohexan‐1‐one (18) (IC50=149.07±2.98 μM) and 2‐[6,7‐dimethoxy‐2‐(p‐tolyl)‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroisoquinolin‐1‐yl]cyclohexan‐1‐one (22) (IC50=148.31±2.96 μM). Cytotoxicity assessment of the active DNase I inhibitors revealed a lack of toxic effects on the healthy cell lines MRC‐5. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations suggest that interactions with Glu 39, His 134, Asn 170, Tyr 211, Asp 251 and His 252 are an important factor for inhibitors affinity toward the DNase I. Observed interactions would be beneficial for the discovery of new active 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroisoquinoline‐based inhibitors of DNase I, but might also encourage researchers to further explore and utilize potential therapeutic application of DNase I inhibitors, based on a versatile role of DNase I during apoptotic cell death.
Controlling Site‐Directed RNA Editing by Chemically Induced Dimerization
Authors: Stroppel Anna S. , Lappalainen Ruth , Stafforst Thorsten
Published: June 2021

Various RNA‐targeting approaches have been engineered to modify specific sites on endogenous transcripts, breaking new ground for a variety of basic research tools and promising clinical applications in the future. Here, we combine site‐directed adenosine‐to‐inosine RNA editing with chemically induced dimerization. Specifically, we achieve tight and dose‐dependent control of the editing reaction with gibberellic acid, and obtain editing yields up to 20 % and 44 % in the endogenous STAT1 and GAPDH transcript in cell culture. Furthermore, the disease‐relevant MECP2 R106Q mutation was repaired with editing yields up to 42 %. The introduced principle will enable new applications where temporal or spatiotemporal control of an RNA‐targeting mechanism is desired.
Synthesis, Structure and Properties of Layered Phosphide Nitrides AkTh2Mn4P4N2 (Ak = Rb, Cs)†
Authors: Li Bai‐Zhuo , Wu Si‐Qi , Wang Zhi‐Cheng , Wang Cao , Cao Guang‐Han
Published: June 2021

Main observation and conclusion

We report the design, synthesis, structure, and properties of two complex layered phosphide nitrides, AkTh2Mn4P4N2 (Ak = Rb, Cs), which contain anti‐fluorite‐type [Mn2P2] bilayers separated by fluorite‐type [Th2N2] layers as a result of the intergrowth between AkMn2P2 and ThMnPN. The new compounds are featured with an intrinsic hole doping associated with the interlayer charge transfer and a built‐in chemical pressure from the [Th2N2] layers, both of which are reflected by the changes in the lattice and the atomic position of phosphorus. The measurements of magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, and specific heat indicate existence of local moments as well as itinerant electrons in relation with d‐p hybridizations. The expected dominant antiferromagnetic interactions with enhanced d‐p hybridizations were demonstrated by the first‐principles calculations only when additional Coulomb repulsions are included. The density of states at the Fermi level derived from the specific‐heat analysis are 3.5 and 7.5 times of the calculated ones for Ak = Rb and Cs, respectively, suggesting strong electron correlations in the title compounds.
A Diarylpentanoid with Potential Activation of the p53 Pathway: Combination of in silico Screening Studies, Synthesis, and Biological Activity Evaluation
Authors: Moreira Joana , Almeida Joana , Loureiro Joana B. , Ramos Helena , Palmeira Andreia , Pinto Madalena M. , Saraiva Lucília , Cidade Honorina
Published: June 2021

In silico studies of a library of diarylpentanoids led us to the identification of potential new MDM2/X ligands. The diarylpentanoids with the best docking scores obeying the druglikeness and ADMET prediction properties were subsequently synthesized and evaluated for their antiproliferative activity on colon cancer HCT116 and fibroblasts HFF‐1 cells. The effect on p53‐MDM2/X interactions was evaluated through yeast‐based assays for compounds showing potent antiproliferative activity in HCT116 cells and low toxicity in normal cells, resulting in the identification of a potential dual inhibitor. Moreover, its antiproliferative effect was significantly reduced in the absence of p53 and in MDA‐MB‐231 cells expressing a mutant p53 form. The antiproliferative effect of this compound was associated with induction of cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, PARP cleavage and increased p53 and its transcriptional targets, p21 and PUMA, in HCT116 cells. Docking poses and residues involved in the inhibition of p53‐MDM2/X interactions were predicted by docking studies.
The COVID‐19 anxiety syndrome and selective attentional bias towards COVID‐19‐related stimuli in UK residents during the 2020–2021 pandemic
Authors: Albery Ian P. , Spada Marcantonio M. , Nikčević Ana V.
Published: June 2021

The psychological and social effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic are pervasive, and there is potential for a long‐lasting impact on mental health. In the current study, we sought to provide, in a representative sample of UK residents during the third COVID‐19 lockdown in February 2021, further evidence for the validation of the COVID‐19 anxiety syndrome construct. We did this by evaluating the COVID‐19 anxiety syndrome against measures of personality, health anxiety and COVID‐19 anxiety in predicting levels of generalized anxiety and depression and by examining whether increased health anxiety and COVID‐19 psychological distress (COVID‐19 anxiety and COVID‐19 anxiety syndrome) scores were associated with increased attentional bias to COVID‐19‐related stimuli. A series of correlation analyses revealed that neuroticism, health anxiety, COVID‐19 anxiety and COVID‐19 anxiety syndrome scores were positively and significantly correlated with generalized anxiety and depression scores and that the perseveration component of the COVID‐19 anxiety syndrome predicted generalized anxiety and depression scores independently of age, gender, conscientiousness, openness, health anxiety and COVID‐19 anxiety. Furthermore, results indicated that only the total COVID‐19 anxiety syndrome score and the scores on the avoidance and perseveration components were positively and significantly correlated with attentional bias indices. More specifically, the general attentional bias index was only shown to be positively and significantly correlated with the total COVID‐19 anxiety syndrome score and its perseveration component, while slowed disengagement was only shown to be negatively and significantly correlated with the total COVID‐19 anxiety syndrome score and its avoidance component. The implications of these findings are discussed.
What, how, and how much do herbivores eat? The Continuous Bite Monitoring method for assessing forage intake of grazing animals
Authors: Soares Bolzan Anderson Michel , Szymczak Leonardo S. , Nadin Laura , Bonnet Olivier Jean F. , Wallau Marcelo O. , de Moraes Anibal , Moraes Renata F. , Monteiro Alda L. G. , Carvalho Paulo C. F.
Published: June 2021

Determining herbage intake is pivotal for studies on grazing ecology. Direct observation of animals allows describing the interactions of animals with the pastoral environment along the complex grazing process. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the reliability of the continuous bite monitoring (CBM) method in determining herbage intake in grazing sheep compared to the standard double‐weighing technique method during 45‐min feeding bouts; evaluate the degree of agreement between the two techniques; and to test the effect of different potential sources of variation on the reliability of the CBM. The CBM method has been used to describe the intake behavior of grazing herbivores. In this study, we evaluated a new approach to this method, that is, whether it is a good proxy for determining the intake of grazing animals. Three experiments with grazing sheep were carried out in which we tested for different sources of variations, such as the number of observers, level of detail of bite coding grid, forage species, forage allowance, sward surface height heterogeneity, experiment site, and animal weight, to determine the short‐term intake rate (45 min). Observer (Pexp1 = 0.018, Pexp2 = 0.078, and Pexp3 = 0.006), sward surface height (Pexp2 < 0.001), total number of bites observed per grazing session (Pexp2 < 0.001 and Pexp3 < 0.001), and sward depletion (Pexp3 < 0.001) were found to affect the absolute error of intake estimation. The results showed a high correlation and agreement between the two methods in the three experiments, although intake was overestimation by CBM on experiments 2 and 3 (181.38 and 214.24 units, respectively). This outcome indicates the potential of CBM to determining forage intake with the benefit of a greater level of detail on foraging patterns and components of the diet. Furthermore, direct observation is not invasive nor disrupts natural animal behavior.
TCR function analysis using a novel system reveals the multiple unconventional tumor‐reactive T cells in human breast cancer‐infiltrating lymphocytes
Authors: Yamaguchi Satoshi , Hamana Hiroshi , Shitaoka Kiyomi , Sukegawa Kenta , Nagata Takuya , Hayee Abdul , Kobayashi Eiji , Ozawa Tatsuhiko , Fujii Tsutomu , Muraguchi Atsushi , Tobe Kazuyuki , Kishi Hiroyuki
Published: June 2021

Tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are a potent source for obtaining tumor‐reactive T cell receptors (TCRs). Although comprehensive methods to analyze the TCR repertoire in TILs have been reported, the evaluation system for TCR‐reactivity to endogenously expressed antigen in tumor cells remains laborious and time consuming. Consequently, very limited numbers of TCRs in TILs have been analyzed for their reactivity to tumor cells. In this study, we developed an efficient evaluation system for TCR function designated c‐FIT (comprehensive functional investigation of TCRs) to analyze TCR reactivity. The c‐FIT system enabled us to analyze up to 90 TCRs for their reactivity to tumor cells by a single assay within a month. Using c‐FIT, we analyzed 70 TCRs of CD8+ TILs derived from two breast cancer patients and obtained 23 TCRs that reacted to tumor cells. Surprisingly, although two TCRs were HLA class I‐restricted, the remaining 21 TCRs were non‐HLA‐restricted. Thus, c‐FIT can be applied for monitoring multiple conventional and unconventional antigen‐specific killer T cells in TILs, leading to the development of new designs for more effective T‐cell‐based immunotherapies.
Versatile Electrochemical Oxidative C(sp2)−H Bond Selenylation of Resveratrol
Authors: Lazzaris Maika J. , Martins Guilherme M. , Xavier Fernando R. , Braga Antonio L. , Mendes Samuel R.
Published: June 2021

A simple and environmentally benign procedure for electrochemical oxidative mono‐ and bis‐selenylation of the resveratrol C(sp2)−H bond was developed. Driven by galvanostatic electrolysis in an undivided cell, it provided efficient transformation under oxidant‐, base‐, and transition metal‐free conditions, in an open system at room temperature. With satisfactory functional group compatibility, it required a substoichiometric amount of NaI, which acted as an electrolyte and mediator.
Real‐world analysis of hospitalizations in patients with epilepsy and treated with perampanel
Authors: Faught Edward , Li Xuan , Choi Jiyoon , Malhotra Manoj , Knoth Russell L.
Published: June 2021

Objectives

(1) To evaluate risk of hospitalization following initiation of perampanel (pre‐ and post‐analysis) and (2) to compare hospitalization rates following initiation of perampanel vs lacosamide.

Methods

Patients were identified from Symphony Health's Patient Integrated Database if they had a prescription for perampanel (July 1, 2014‐June 30, 2016). Patients 4‐11 years of age with any partial‐onset seizure (POS) or ≥12 years of age with any POS or primary generalized tonic‐clonic seizure (GTCS) (pre‐post); or ≥12 years of age (perampanel vs lacosamide). The first fill of perampanel (“index date”) marked the start of the analysis period. Patients had ≥1 additional fill for perampanel and ≥2 diagnoses for epilepsy or nonfebrile convulsion diagnosis during pre‐index (based on ICD‐9/ICD‐10 codes). Patients were matched using a 1:1 propensity scoring method for the perampanel vs lacosamide analysis. Primary outcome was hospitalization during the one year following medication initiation.

Results

Pre‐ and post‐perampanel: N = 1771 (mean age 34 years, 55% female). One‐year all‐cause hospitalization risk ratio was 0.76 (P < .05) and 36.2% with hospitalization during the pre‐period vs 29.5% in the follow‐up. One‐year epilepsy‐related inpatient hospitalization risk ratio was 0.72 (P < .05) and 30.8% with hospitalization during the pre‐period vs 23.9% during follow‐up. In the perampanel and lacosamide cohorts, N = 1717 per cohort after matching, most baseline demographics were balanced. A higher percentage of subjects were prescribed ≥3 anti‐seizure medications for perampanel vs lacosamide (60.5% vs 57.7%, P < .001). The perampanel cohort had a 9.6% reduction in all‐cause hospitalizations vs 5.8% for the lacosamide cohort (P < .05). Epilepsy‐related hospitalizations decreased from the pre‐index rate by 9.9% for perampanel and 8.3% for lacosamide (P < .05). Among those with baseline hospitalizations, perampanel was associated with a 59.9% reduction in all‐cause hospitalizations vs 48.6% for lacosamide (P < .05), and for epilepsy‐related hospitalizations, a reduction of 65.0% vs 58.9%, respectively (P < .05).

Significance

Perampanel was associated with a significant reduction in one‐year hospitalization risk.
A multi‐objective approach for the optimal design of a standalone hybrid renewable energy system
Authors: Patibandla Anilkumar , Kollu Ravindra , Rayapudi Srinivasa Rao , Manyala Ramalinga Raju
Published: June 2021

Dependency on alternative energy sources has increased due to the depletion of fossil fuel and their costs. Even though the usage of renewable energy sources (RESs) has significantly reduced these problems, there are quite a few challenges like reliability, lower efficiency, and high cost which can be overcome by the integration of multiple RES to meet the energy demand. In this study, a multi‐objective approach is proposed to get the best optimal sizing configuration of a standalone hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) by choosing the minimization of the total cost of the system and loss of power supply probability. In this regard, wind turbines, solar photovoltaic (PV), battery storage systems, biomass, and diesel generators are used to design HRES. The proposed approach deals with the intermittent nature of wind and solar PV power generation using Weibull distribution to model wind speed and solar irradiance. The normal distribution is used to model the load demand. The backtracking search algorithm capable of solving single‐objective optimization problems is modified to handle the multi‐objective optimization problem and to find the optimal sizes of wind turbines, solar PV, battery storage system, diesel, and biomass generators for efficient HRES performance.
Applying a Hybrid Modeling Approach to Evaluate Potential Pesticide Effects and Mitigation Effectiveness for an Endangered Fish in Simulated Oxbow Habitats
Authors: Schmolke Amelie , Bartell Steven M. , Roy Colleen , Desmarteau Dean , Moore Angela , Cox Megan J. , Maples-Reynolds Nikki L. , Galic Nika , Brain Richard
Published: June 2021

The occurrence of some species listed under the United States' Endangered Species Act in agricultural landscapes suggests that their habitats could potentially be exposed to pesticides. However, the potential effects from such exposures on populations are difficult to estimate. Mechanistic models can provide an avenue to estimating the potential impacts on populations, considering realistic assumptions about the ecology of the species, the ecosystem it is part of, and the potential exposures within the habitat. In the present study, we applied a hybrid model of the Topeka shiner (Notropis topeka), a small endangered cyprinid fish endemic to the US Midwest, to assess the potential population-level effects of realistic exposures to a fungicide (benzovindiflupyr). The Topeka shiner populations were simulated in the context of the food web found in oxbow habitats that are the focus of ongoing habitat restoration efforts for the species. We applied realistic, time-variable exposure scenarios and represented lethal and sublethal effects to individual Topeka shiners using toxicokinetic–toxicodynamic models. With fish in general showing the highest sensitivity to the compound, direct effects on simulated Topeka shiner populations governed the population-level effects. We characterized the population-level effects of different exposure scenarios with exposure multiplication factors (EMFs) applied. The introduction of a vegetative filter strip (VFS; 15 ft; 4.6 m) between the treated area and the oxbow habitat was shown to be effective as mitigation because EMFs were 2 to 3 times higher than for the exposure scenario without VFS. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2615–2628. © 2021 SETAC
Donor Hepatic Occult Collagen Deposition Predisposes to Peritransplant Stress and Impacts Human Liver Transplantation
Authors: Hirao Hirofumi , Ito Takahiro , Kadono Kentaro , Kojima Hidenobu , Naini Bita V. , Nakamura Kojiro , Kageyama Shoichi , Busuttil Ronald W. , Kupiec‐Weglinski Jerzy W. , Kaldas Fady M.
Published: June 2021

Background and Aims

Environmentally triggered chronic liver inflammation can cause collagen deposits, whereas early stages of fibrosis without any specific symptoms could hardly be detectable. We hypothesized that some of the human donor grafts in clinical liver transplantation (LT) might possess unrecognizable fibrosis, affecting their susceptibility to LT‐induced stress and hepatocellular damage. This retrospective study aimed to assess the impact of occult hepatic fibrosis on clinical LT outcomes.

Approach and Results

Human (194) donor liver biopsies were stained for collagen with Sirius red, and positive areas (Sirius red–positive area; SRA) were measured. The body mass index, aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio, diabetes score was calculated using 962 cases of the donor data at the procurement. LT outcomes, including ischemia‐reperfusion injury (IRI), early allograft dysfunction (EAD), and survival rates, were analyzed according to SRA and BARD scores. With the median SRA in 194 grafts of 9.4%, grafts were classified into low‐SRA (<15%; n = 140) and high‐SRA (≥15%; n = 54) groups. Grafts with high SRA suffered from higher rates of IRI and EAD (P < 0.05) as compared to those with low SRA. Interestingly, high SRA was identified as an independent risk factor for EAD and positively correlated with the donor BARD score. When comparing low‐BARD (n = 692) with high‐BARD (n = 270) grafts in the same period, those with high BARD showed significantly higher post‐LT transaminase levels and higher rates of IRI and EAD.

Conclusions

These findings from the largest clinical study cohort to date document the essential role of occult collagen deposition in donor livers on LT outcomes. High‐SRA and donor BARD scores correlated with an increased incidence of hepatic IRI and EAD in LT recipients. This study provides the rationale for in‐depth and prospective assessment of occult fibrosis for refined personalized LT management.
Copper(I)‐Catalyzed Highly Enantioselective [3+3]‐Cycloaddition of β‐Aryl/Alkyl Vinyl Diazoacetates with Nitrones
Authors: Zheng Haifeng , Faghihi Isa , Doyle Michael P.
Published: June 2021

β‐Aryl/alkyl vinyl diazoacetates were investigated in metallo‐vinylcarbene reactions with nitrones, revealing a Rh2(OAc)4‐catalyzed cyclopropene dimerization reaction and a copper(I) catalyzed [3+3]‐cycloaddition of nitrones. The chiral cyclopropyl‐In‐SaBox ligand with copper(I) catalysis could realize the asymmetric version of the cycloaddition reaction, delivering various 3,6‐dihydro‐1,2‐oxazine derivatives in good yield and with excellent enantioselectivity under mild conditions.
It doesn’t hurt to TRY – Experiences of youths participating in a TRYathlon event series
Authors: Caperchione Cristina M. , Stolp Sean , Fransen Job , English Madeleine , Wallace Lee , Harris David , Ashton John F.
Published: June 2021

Issue addressed

Running since 1999, the Sanitarium Weet‐Bix Kids TRYathlon (SWKT) is the world's largest triathlon series for children and adolescents up to 16 years. This report seeks to describe participants of the TRYathlon and their perceptions of the event.

Methods

An online survey was made available to Australian parents/guardians of participants enrolled in the 2020 SWKT. Organisational data was also employed to describe the reach of the SWKT since its inception.

Results

Parents/guardians (n = 568) reported that the average child age was 9.12 (SD = 1.95, range = 6‐16) and 58.6% were male. Parents/guardians identified 12 children as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (2.0%) and 87 (14.6%) spoke a language other than English. The majority of parents/guardians rated their child's physical activity (PA) competencies as pretty good, or really good, for cycling (87.5%), swimming (80.9%) and running (79.5%). Most parents (66.0%) stated that their child was glowing with pride after completing the event, enjoyed or really enjoyed the event (98.8%), and thought their child would maintain their PA levels following the event (72.9%).

Conclusions

The SWKT series has demonstrated longevity and an ability to reach a large number of participants, providing opportunities to build health promotion awareness. Importantly the event instils a sense of confidence and pride related to PA competency in its participants; however, its long‐term effectiveness requires further exploration.

So what?

Mass participation events such as SWKT could be incorporated into larger health promotion strategies to encourage childhood PA and foster healthy physical and psychosocial development.
The effect of hypochlorous acid on the tribocorrosion of CoCrMo/Ti‐6Al‐4V bearing couples
Authors: Kubacki Gregory W. , Gilbert Jeremy L.
Published: June 2021

Mechanically assisted corrosion (MAC) of metallic orthopedic alloys is a consequence of the use of modular devices where opposing metal surfaces are tightly mated and loaded at the taper junction. MAC processes are affected by material surface characteristics and local solution chemistry. During inflammation, active immune cells may generate reactive oxygen species (such as hypochlorous acid [HOCl]) adjacent to surfaces undergoing micromotion, which may affect the tribocorrosion behavior of an implanted device. This study investigated the fretting current response of CoCrMo/Ti‐6Al‐4 V couples in a pin‐on‐disk apparatus utilizing HOCl solutions as a proxy for a severe inflammatory environment. Testing in 1 and 5 mM HOCl solutions were shown to generate a threefold and fivefold increase (p < 0.01), respectively, in fretting currents over pH 7.4 phosphate‐buffered saline control conditions. Fretting currents were shown to be dependent on the energy dissipated during fretting and the concentration of HOCl where the currents within a single HOCl concentration were linearly dependent of energy dissipated, but different HOCl levels shifted (increased and then decreased) fretting currents with concentration. Fretting currents, governed by regrowth of an abraded oxide film, were affected by the oxidative power of the solution, which caused positive shifts in open circuit potential and likely resulted in a thicker oxide for 1 mM and 5 mM and fell with 30 mM. Small amounts of HOCl release within a joint may result in increased release of tribocorrosion products such as oxide particles.
Benchmarking the centralized urgent plasma exchange service for patients admitted with a diagnosis of suspected acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura at a large healthcare system
Authors: Seheult Jansen N. , Stram Michelle N. , Sevcik Joan , Kaplan Alesia , Kiss Joseph E.
Published: June 2021

Background

Consensus guidelines recommend that therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) should be started within 4 to 8 hours after the diagnosis of suspected acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP). This study aimed to audit the steps from diagnosis to initiation of plasma exchange at a centralized apheresis service.

Methods

A retrospective review of the electronic medical record and laboratory information systems from January 1, 2014 to August 31, 2017 was conducted to identify all patients with suspected aTTP undergoing TPE. Demographics, comorbidities, pertinent laboratory tests, and temporal TPE procedural data were collected.

Results

The median (5th‐95th percentile) time from request to initiation of TPE was 5.4 (3.2‐10.6) hours. TPE was initiated within 8 hours in 94 of the 108 patients (87.0%). The median (5th‐95th percentile) time from request to central venous access was 2.5 (0.5‐6.9) hours and from request to plasma product issuance from the blood bank was 3.4 (1.6‐8.1) hours. aTTP patients in whom TPE was initiated greater than 6 hours from request did not have worse outcomes compared to those with TPE initiation within 6 hours: in‐hospital mortality (2/14 [14.3%] vs 2/21 [9.5%], P = 0.66), median length of stay (9.0 [4.7‐44.1] vs 8.3 [3.9‐27.0] days, P = 0.76), and median number of days to durable platelet count recovery (4.5 [2.0‐9.0] vs 4.0 [2.0‐18.0] days, P = 0.66).

Conclusions

The 4 to 8‐hour target window from TPE request to initiation appears feasible for a centralized apheresis program servicing a large healthcare system.
The relevance of earning‐to‐price and ROE predictability for explaining Shenzhen stock exchange (SZSE), returns in China: A dynamic panel data approach
Authors: Arshad Muhammad Usman
Published: June 2021

The fundamental valuation (FV) perspective has been extended to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE) in China by focusing on the role of forecasted earning‐to‐price ratio and return on equity (ROE). Forecasting the variables is being done using a linear dynamic panel data technique. The findings of the two‐step Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) analysis indicate that the forecasted E/P ratio and ROE significantly explain a portion of the variation in the SZSE stock return and remain highly statistically significant after risk proxy variables are included. Additionally, it confirms the existence of size, momentum, liquidity, and dividend yield in the SZSE. This supports the usefulness of an FV perspective based on the unique characteristics of the Chinese equity market in explaining stock returns and their potential utility in forecasting future stock returns.
Multi‐shot Diffusion‐Weighted MRI With Multiplexed Sensitivity Encoding (MUSE) in the Assessment of Active Inflammation in Crohn's Disease
Authors: Chang Hing‐Chiu , Chen Guangtao , Chung Hsiao‐Wen , Wu Philip Yuguang , Liang Liyuan , Juan Chun‐Jung , Liu Yi‐Jui , Tse Man‐Lap Donald , Chan Arren , Zhang Sailong , Chiu Keith Wan‐Hang
Published: June 2021

Background

Single‐shot diffusion‐weighted imaging (ssDWI) has been shown useful for detecting active bowel inflammation in Crohn's disease (CD) without MRI contrast. However, ssDWI suffers from geometric distortion and low spatial resolution.

Purpose

To compare conventional ssDWI with higher‐resolution ssDWI (HR‐ssDWI) and multi‐shot DWI based on multiplexed sensitivity encoding (MUSE‐DWI) for evaluating bowel inflammation in CD, using contrast‐enhanced MR imaging (CE‐MRI) as the reference standard.

Study Type

Prospective.

Subjects

Eighty nine patients with histological diagnosis of CD from previous endoscopy (55 male/34 female, age: 17–69 years).

Field Strength/Sequences

ssDWI (2.7 mm × 2.7 mm), HR‐ssDWI (1.8 mm × 1.8 mm), MUSE‐DWI (1.8 mm × 1.8 mm) based on echo‐planar imaging, T2‐weighted imaging, and CE‐MRI sequences, all at 1.5 T.

Assessment

Five raters independently evaluated the tissue texture conspicuity, geometry accuracy, minimization of artifacts, diagnostic confidence, and overall image quality using 5‐point Likert scales. The diagnostic performance (sensitivity, specificity and accuracy) of each DWI sequences was assessed on per‐bowel‐segment basis.

Statistical Tests

Inter‐rater agreement for qualitative evaluation of each parameter was measured by the intra‐class correlation coefficient (ICC). Paired Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests were performed to evaluate the statistical significance of differences in qualitative scoring between DWI sequences. A P value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

Results

Tissue texture conspicuity, geometric distortions, and overall image quality were significantly better for MUSE‐DWI than for ssDWI and HR‐ssDWI with good agreement among five raters (ICC: 0.70–0.89). HR‐ssDWI showed significantly poorer performance to ssDWI and MUSE‐DWI for all qualitative scores and had the worst diagnostic performance (sensitivity of 57.0% and accuracy of 87.3%, with 36 undiagnosable cases due to severe artifacts). MUSE‐DWI showed significantly higher sensitivity (97.5% vs. 86.1%) and accuracy (98.9% vs. 95.1%) than ssDWI for detecting bowel inflammation.

Data Conclusion

MUSE‐DWI was advantageous in assessing bowel inflammation in CD, resulting in improved spatial resolution and image quality.

Level of Evidence

2

Technical Efficacy Stage

2
Histopathological Validation of Dark‐Blood Late Gadolinium Enhancement MRI Without Additional Magnetization Preparation
Authors: Holtackers Robert J. , Gommers Suzanne , Heckman Luuk I.B. , Van De Heyning Caroline M. , Chiribiri Amedeo , Prinzen Frits W.
Published: June 2021

Background

Conventional bright‐blood late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) often suffers from poor scar‐to‐blood contrast due to the bright blood pool adjacent to the enhanced scar tissue. Recently, a dark‐blood LGE method was developed which increases scar‐to‐blood contrast without using additional magnetization preparation.

Purpose

We aim to histopathologically validate this dark‐blood LGE method in a porcine animal model with induced myocardial infarction (MI).

Study Type

Prospective.

Animal Model

Thirteen female Yorkshire pigs.

Field Strength/Sequence

1.5 T, two‐dimensional phase‐sensitive inversion‐recovery radiofrequency‐spoiled turbo field‐echo.

Assessment

MI was experimentally induced by transient coronary artery occlusion. At 1‐week and 7‐week post‐infarction, in‐vivo cardiac MRI was performed including conventional bright‐blood and novel dark‐blood LGE. Following the second MRI examination, the animals were sacrificed, and histopathology was obtained. Matching LGE slices and histopathology samples were selected based on anatomical landmarks. Independent observers, while blinded to other data, manually delineated the endocardial, epicardial, and infarct borders on either LGE images or histopathology samples. The percentage of infarcted left‐ventricular myocardium was calculated for both LGE methods on a per‐slice basis, and compared with histopathology as reference standard. Contrast‐to‐noise ratios were calculated for both LGE methods at 1‐week and 7‐week post‐infarction.

Statistical Tests

Pearson's correlation coefficient and paired‐sample t‐tests were used. Significance was set at P < 0.05.

Results

A combined total of 24 matched LGE and histopathology slices were available for histopathological validation. Dark‐blood LGE demonstrated a high level of agreement compared to histopathology with no significant bias (−0.03%, P = 0.75). In contrast, bright‐blood LGE showed a significant bias of −1.57% (P = 0.03) with larger 95% limits of agreement than dark‐blood LGE. Image analysis demonstrated significantly higher scar‐to‐blood contrast for dark‐blood LGE compared to bright‐blood LGE, at both 1‐week and 7‐weeks post‐infarction.

Data Conclusion

Dark‐blood LGE without additional magnetization preparation provides superior visualization and quantification of ischemic scar compared to the current in vivo reference standard.

Level of Evidence

1

Technical Efficacy Stage

2
COVID‐19‐associated Guillain‐Barre syndrome: Postinfectious alone or neuroinvasive too?
Authors: Khan Farman , Sharma Praveen , Pandey Saurabh , Sharma Deepak , V. Vijayavarman , Kumar Neeraj , Shukla Suruchi , Dandu Himanshu , Jain Amita , Garg Ravindra K. , Malhotra Hardeep S.
Published: June 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has been shown to be associated with a lot of neurological complications, of whom Guillain‐Barre syndrome (GBS) is an important post‐infectious consequentiality. More than 220 patients with GBS have been reported thus far. We intend to share our experience with five patients of GBS where one of them had severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This is the first‐ever report demonstrating the presence of SARS‐CoV‐2 in the CSF of an adult patient; a similar occurrence has recently been described in a pediatric patient. We wish to emphasize the fact that commonly GBS occurs as a result of a post‐infectious process but in a few cases where the symptoms of COVID‐19 and GBS occur concurrently, corresponding to the viremic phase, separate pathogenesis needs to be thought of. This para‐infectious nature is exemplified by the presence of virus in the cerebrospinal fluid of one of our patients. We review the neuroinvasive potential of SARS‐Cov‐2 in this regard and draw parallels with Cytomegalovirus, Zika virus, and Human Immunodeficiency virus‐associated occurrences of GBS.