bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Your Body Is Your Home: The feasibility of an intuitive eating intervention for early adolescents
Authors: Babbott Katie M. , Consedine Nathan S. , Roberts Marion
Published: February 2024

Objective

Intuitive eating (IE) is an emerging health promotion framework which has shown promise in the prevention and early intervention of disordered eating (DE) behavior in adults. This study sought to extend this work by assessing the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a 5‐week IE intervention, “Your Body is Your Home,” delivered in school classrooms for early adolescents aged 11–13.

Methods

The present study utilized a quasi‐experimental design. Eligibility criteria were defined a priori and published in a registered protocol. Four classrooms (n = 128 student participants) were recruited into two streams, and self‐report questionnaires were administered at pre‐test, post‐test, and 4‐week follow‐up. The questionnaires included the Intuitive Eating Scale for Early Adolescents (IES‐2‐EA), the Body Appreciation Scale (BAS‐2), and the WHO Wellbeing Index (WHO‐5). Linear mixed models were used to conduct preliminary efficacy testing.

Results

The results indicate that a brief classroom‐based IE intervention is feasible and acceptable for both students and teaching staff; retention, fidelity, and attendance targets were achieved. Students and teachers rated all five sessions of the intervention as a highly feasible method of health promotion. Further, preliminary efficacy data suggest IE interventions aimed at early adolescents may be a feasible way of improving certain aspects of IE (p < .001) in male and female participants, and body appreciation (p < .001) in male participants.

Discussion

The study provides preliminary support for the implementation and evaluation of an IE intervention as part of school‐based health promotion and offers preliminary effect size estimates for a larger‐scale randomized trial.

Public Significance

Existing evidence suggests that IE may be a useful framework through which relationships with food and the body can be improved. The present study seeks to extend this work by adapting the framework for early adolescents (among whom the framework is not well understood) and examining feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary changes to several health and well‐being metrics following a 5‐week school‐based intervention.
Use of natriuretic peptides and echocardiography for diagnosing heart failure
Authors: Talha Khawaja M. , Januzzi James L. , Meng Tong , Greene Stephen J. , Vaduganathan Muthiah , Janicijevic Tijana K. , John Ani , Bayes‐Genis Antoni , Butler Javed
Published: February 2024

Aims

International guidelines have recommended the use of echocardiography and natriuretic peptides (NP) testing in the diagnostic evaluation of heart failure (HF) for more than 10 years. However, real‐world utilization of these diagnostic tests in the US is not known. We sought to assess contemporary trends in echocardiography and NP testing for diagnosing HF in the US.

Methods and results

The TriNetX data were queried for the total number of first HF diagnoses in adults aged >18 years in the US from 2016 to 2019 with exclusions applied. NP testing and echocardiography any time before through 1 year following the index diagnosis were assessed. Temporal trends significance was evaluated using Cochran–Armitage trend tests. A total of 124 126 patients were included. Mean age was 68 ± 13 years, 53% were male, and 71% were White. Overall, 61 023 (49%) incident diagnoses were made in the outpatient and 63 103 (51%) in the inpatient setting with a significantly increasing trend toward inpatient diagnoses (p < 0.001). Of all incident HF diagnoses, 70 612 (57%) underwent echocardiography, 67 991 (55%) underwent NP testing, and 31 206 (25%) did not undergo either diagnostic test. There were increasing trends in the proportion of patients diagnosed in the inpatient versus outpatient setting that underwent echocardiography, NP testing, and either diagnostic test (p < 0.001 for all).

Conclusions

We found low rates of echocardiography and NP testing in those with HF, with more of such testing performed amongst inpatient diagnoses. We also found increasing rates of inpatient HF diagnoses, indicating lost opportunities for earlier treatment initiation and better outcomes.
Thiophane‐Catalyzed Umpolung of N‐Bromoimides for Dibromination of Olefins
Authors: Wang Miao , Niu Teng , Xu Changming
Published: February 2024

A thiophane‐catalyzed dibromination of olefins using NBS as the sole bromine source has been developed, providing a low‐cost and mild methodology for preparing vicinally dibrominated compounds from electron‐neutral or ‐deficient alkenes. The mechanistic investigation showed that 2,3‐dihydrothiophene generated in situ from the reaction of thiophane with NBS was the actual catalyst, which reversed the polarity of NBS to yield bromide ion.
Morphological characteristics of gullies affected by the soil type of artificial slopes in the Dry‐hot Valley Region, Southwest China
Authors: Yang Dan , Yu Yushou , Luo Mingliang , Zhang Bin , Liu Hui , Xu Ting
Published: February 2024

Gully erosion is widely recognized as a significant form of land degradation globally, posing threats to ecological security and human societal development because of its ability to generate substantial amount of sediment. Artificial slopes are commonly disturbed landforms that are susceptible to intensive gully erosion. Morphological characteristics play a crucial role in assessing the intensity of gully erosion and can be utilized to predict sediment yield. Notably, soil type has been identified as a key factor influencing the morphological characteristics of gullies. Consequently, a comprehensive analysis was conducted based on meticulous field investigations to examine the impact of soil type on the morphological characteristics of gullies on artificial slopes in the Dry‐hot Valley Region of Southwest China. The results showed that the gully cross‐sectional area (Ac), curvature (Cc), and shape index (Si) exhibited a decrease along the downslope direction of the artificial slopes for all three studied soil types, following power functions. Additionally, the soil type of the artificial slope significantly influenced the mean values of the gully cross‐sectional morphological characteristics. Regarding the longitudinal morphological characteristics of the gullies, the largest longitudinal concavity (Ca), longitudinal curvature (Cl), and length‐gradient index (Gl) values were observed for the Vertisol, Entisol, and Ferrasol, respectively. These findings suggested that gullies developed on different soil types exhibit significant variations, particularly in terms of longitudinal morphological characteristics. Furthermore, strong correlations were detected between the gully cross‐sectional and longitudinal profile morphological characteristics, and the gully cross‐sectional shape index (Si) was correlated with all the longitudinal profile morphological characteristics. This study offers valuable insights into the morphological characteristics of gullies on artificial slopes with different soil types. Such knowledge is of paramount importance for effectively preventing and controlling gully erosion in contemporary society.
Probabilistic electricity price forecasting based on penalized temporal fusion transformer
Authors: Jiang He , Pan Sheng , Dong Yao , Wang Jianzhou
Published: February 2024

Abstact

In the deregulated electricity market, it is increasingly important to accurately predict the fluctuating, nonlinear, and high‐frequent electricity price for market decision‐making. However, the uncertainties associated with electricity prices, such as non‐stationarity, nonlinearity, and high volatility, pose critical difficulties for electricity price forecasting (EPF). Unlike point forecasting, which provides only a single, deterministic estimate of future prices, probabilistic forecasting gives a more comprehensive and nuanced picture of future price dynamics, which can help market participants make better‐informed decisions when facing uncertainty. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a robust deep learning method for multi‐step probabilistic forecasting. First, we use the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) in the expert model to generate point forecasts. Second, we introduce the smoothly clipped absolute deviation regularization term, a nonconvex penalty with proven oracle properties in model selection, into temporal fusion transformers. Finally, we employ the proposed model to integrate point forecasts to give probabilistic forecasts. To evaluate the proposed forecasting model, real‐data experiments are conducted in the Nord Pool electricity market and the Polish Power Exchange market. Empirical results show that the proposed model has demonstrated superior probabilistic forecasting performances compared with other competitors and has proven its effectiveness in real‐world applications.
Optimization of the method of ultrasonic extraction of lycopene with a green extract from the fruit of Elaeagnus umbellata, common in Western Georgia
Authors: Surmanidze Nona , Vanidze Maia , Djafaridze Indira , Davitadze Ruslan , Qarcivadze Inga , Khakhutaishvili Meri , Kalandia Aleko
Published: February 2024

The study determined the content of lycopene in the fruits of the Elaeagnus umbellata (35.25–60.21 mg/100 g), common at different heights above sea level in Western Georgia. For the effective extraction of lycopene as a biologically active substance, the optimal conditions for ultrasonic extraction were selected: sunflower oil was used as a “green solvent”; the ratio of solid mass and solvent was 1:50; temperature 30°C; ultrasound amplitude 40%; power 85 W; and extraction time 10 min. FTIR spectra revealed the characteristic functional groups of lycopene exhibiting two characteristic peaks at 2920 and 2950 cm−1. To explore the effect of lycopene on oil quality, the acid value, peroxide value, and p‐anisidine were determined in each oil sample. The antioxidant determination by inhibition of DPPH radicals showed significant differences in native oils and oils with lycopene.
Dual independent pathway‐densely connected residual network with dilated convolution‐based arterial spin labeling MRI image reconstruction with minimum label‐control pairs
Authors: Shyna A. , Ushadevi Amma C. , John Ansamma , Kesavadas C. , Thomas Bejoy
Published: February 2024

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is a non‐invasive MRI technique widely used to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF), but it suffers from poor SNR, requiring the acquisition of a large number of multiple Label‐Control (L‐C) pairs at the expense of prolonged acquisition time. This work proposed a novel deep learning network to reconstruct the ASL CBF map using the minimum number of L‐C pairs. A dataset comprising 72 normal ASL raw images with 52 L‐C pairs is obtained from ADNI2. The mean CBF map, derived from 52 L‐C pairs with Gaussian smoothing and outlier cleaning, serves as the reference. The mean CBF images obtained from randomly selected 10 pairs per subject, without preprocessing, are employed as input for the proposed model. A novel data augmentation technique for model training, leveraging the characteristics of ASL L‐C pairs, is implemented. The accuracy and reproducibility of the reconstructed ASL CBF map were assessed with various state‐of‐the‐art methods on both normal and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) data. The proposed model surpasses state‐of‐the‐art methods, yielding PSNR = 23.9542, SSIM = 0.81499, and Lin's CCC = 0.9168 for the ASL CBF map with 10 L‐C pairs in normal data. For AD patients, the model achieves PSNR of 22.5932, SSIM of 0.80923, and Lin's CCC of 0.9078. The Bland–Altman plot, using the radiologist's manual GMCBF ROI, consistently aligns the estimated and reference CBF values. The novel data augmentation technique improved the ASL CBF map quantification accuracy with Lin's CCC >0.9. The proposed work is a promising approach to reconstructing the ASL CBF map using a minimum number of ASL LC pairs that can lead to low image acquisition time with a reduction in motion artifacts. The use of a novel data augmentation approach, utilizing the properties of ASL L‐C pairs, allows for the generation of a large dataset for further experimentation and analysis.
Light stimulation of mitochondria reduces blood glucose levels
Authors: Powner Michael B. , Jeffery Glen
Published: February 2024

Mitochondria regulate metabolism, but solar light influences its rate. Photobiomodulation (PBM) with red light (670 nm) increases mitochondrial membrane potentials and adenosine triphosphate production and may increase glucose demand. Here we show, with a glucose tolerance test, that PBM of normal subjects significantly reduces blood sugar levels. A 15 min exposure to 670 nm light reduced the degree of blood glucose elevation following glucose intake by 27.7%, integrated over 2 h after the glucose challenge. Maximum glucose spiking was reduced by 7.5%. Consequently, PBM with 670 nm light can be used to reduce blood glucose spikes following meals. This intervention may reduce damaging fluctuations of blood glucose on the body.
Development of a bottom‐up coarse‐grained model for interactions of lipids with TiO 2 nanoparticles
Authors: Ivanov Mikhail , Lyubartsev Alexander P.
Published: February 2024

Understanding interactions of inorganic nanoparticles with biomolecules is important in many biotechnology, nanomedicine, and toxicological research, however, the size of typical nanoparticles makes their direct modeling by atomistic simulations unfeasible. Here, we present a bottom‐up coarse‐graining approach for modeling titanium dioxide (TiO) nanomaterials in contact with phospholipids that uses the inverse Monte Carlo method to optimize the effective interactions from the structural data obtained in small‐scale all‐atom simulations of TiO surfaces with lipids in aqueous solution. The resulting coarse‐grained models are able to accurately reproduce the structural details of lipid adsorption on different titania surfaces without the use of an explicit solvent, enabling significant computational resource savings and favorable scaling. Our coarse‐grained simulations show that small spherical TiO nanoparticles ( nm) can only be partially wrapped by a lipid bilayer with phosphoethanolamine headgroups, however, the lipid adsorption increases with the radius of the nanoparticle. The current approach can be used to study the effect of the size and shape of TiO nanoparticles on their interactions with cell membrane lipids, which can be a determining factor in membrane wrapping as well as the recently discovered phenomenon of nanoquarantining, which involves the formation of layered nanomaterial–lipid structures.
Purification, characterization and study of blue fluorescent substance in caffeine
Authors: Yang Li , Yue Jincai , Zhou Bo , Zheng Shiqing
Published: February 2024

Background

Caffeine, a xanthine alkaloid compound, is a stimulant of the central nervous system and is mainly used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Because caffeine is directly absorbed into the body, Chinese pharmacopeia has high requirements on the quality of caffeine products, and fluorescence has always been an important indicator to measure the quality of caffeine. In this study, a major fluorescent impurity affecting the appearance and purity of caffeine products was isolated for the first time, and the solubility, thermodynamic properties and dissociation constants of this impurity were studied.

Results

(i) The fluorescent impurity affecting the appearance and purity of the product was successfully isolated from crude caffeine and theophylline sodium salt, and named as a blue fluorescent substance. The mass purity of the substance was 96.27%, and its structure was determined based on a comprehensive analysis of high‐resolution mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy [hydrogen 1 (1H) NMR, carbon‐13 (13C) NMR, COSY, NOESY, HSQC, HMBC]. (ii) The solubility of blue fluorescent substance in four pure solvents was determined and the thermodynamic properties were calculated. (iii) The dissociation constants of the blue fluorescent substance in water at 298.15 K were determined by UV spectrophotometry.

Conclusion

The results provide a theoretical basis for the crystallization separation of the blue fluorescent substance during the industrial production of caffeine, as well as basic data for the green synthesis process of caffeine. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
My Way: development and preliminary evaluation of a novel delivery system for PrEP and other sexual health needs of young women in Western Kenya
Authors: Haberer Jessica E. , Oware Kevin , Juma Lawrence , Nyerere Bernard , Momanyi Vincent , Odoyo Josephine , Garrison Lindsey , Bhagat Julita , Musinguzi Nicholas , Baeten Jared M. , Siegler Aaron , Bukusi Elizabeth A.
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Young women in sub‐Saharan Africa are a priority population for HIV prevention, yet challenges with adherence and persistence to HIV pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are common. This study involved the development and pilot testing of My Way—a novel delivery system for PrEP and co‐packaged sexual health services.

Methods

My Way was developed in Kisumu, Kenya through a user‐centred design process (2020). The intervention involves peer‐delivery and support for HIV testing and PrEP use, self‐collected vaginal swabs for sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, pregnancy testing, oral contraceptive pills, self‐injectable medroxyprogesterone and/or condoms. My Way was assessed among 16‐ to 24‐year‐old sexually active women in a randomized controlled trial versus standard of care (SoC; 2021–2022). Use of PrEP and other sexual health services were tracked at 1, 3 and 6 months for feasibility. Acceptability was determined by questionnaire. The effect of the intervention on tenofovir diphosphate (TFV‐DP) levels was assessed by chi‐square test (primary outcome); other predictors were explored with regression analysis.

Results

Among 150 women, the median age was 22 years and the median number of sexual partners was 2. Moderate/severe depression was common (60%). In the intervention arm, peers made 88% (198/225) of possible kit deliveries (177 with PrEP) and 49 STIs were diagnosed. In the SoC arm, 24% (55/225) of expected clinic visits occurred (53 with PrEP); no STI testing was performed. TVF‐DP was detected in 16 participants at 6 months: 16% (12/75) in the intervention arm versus 5% (4/75) in the SoC arm (p = 0.03). Persistence among those with ongoing HIV prevention needs (i.e. prevention‐effective persistence) was 18% (12/67) versus 7% (4/56; p = 0.08). No women acquired HIV. The intervention was significantly associated with detectable TFV‐DP (OR 3.5, 1.1‐11.4; p = 0.04); moderate/severe depression trended towards an association with TFV‐DP (OR 0.2, 0.03–1.6; p = 0.13).

Conclusions

My Way is a promising delivery system for PrEP and other sexual health services among young women in Western Kenya. We found high feasibility and acceptability. PrEP use was modest, but higher with My Way compared to SoC. Long‐acting PrEP formulations may overcome important barriers to PrEP use and should be explored in combination with the My Way delivery model.
Impact of yoga asanas on flexion and relaxation phenomenon in women with chronic low back pain: Prophet model prospective study
Authors: Marotta Nicola , de Sire Alessandro , Lippi Lorenzo , Moggio Lucrezia , Tasselli Anna , Invernizzi Marco , Ammendolia Antonio , Iona Teresa
Published: February 2024

Chronic nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP) is a prevalent condition with socioeconomic and healthcare challenges. The flexion–relaxation phenomenon (FRP) evaluation is a valid clinical tool for low back pain (LBP) assessment. Yoga, a holistic mind–body practice, has been explored as an LBP intervention. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of yoga asanas on the FRP in women with NSLBP. The study included healthy and chronic NSLBP females who underwent an eight‐session yoga asanas program, with the first session conducted in‐clinic and the rest delivered with tele‐approach. Outcome measures included pain intensity, flexion–relaxation ratio (FRR), and trough surface electromyography collected during trunk maximum voluntary flexion (MVF). The study included 11 healthy and 10 NSLBP women. Repeated measures test in chronic NSLBP group showed a significant decrease in pain intensity after the 4 weeks follow‐up (visual analog scale [VAS]: 6.80 ± 1.48 vs. 3.30 ± 1.25; p < 0.001) and an FRR improvement after the intervention (5.12 ± 0.93 vs. 9.49 ± 0.92; p < 0.001). VAS and FRR effect sizes were 0.77 and 0.47, respectively. Therefore, we performed a Prophet evaluation to assess FRR trends, finding a growth rate (k) of 0.405 ± 0.448, with a forecast 1 month after the end of the intervention approaching the trend line of the control group. The findings suggested that tele‐yoga asana might have a positive impact on pain intensity and the FRP in chronic LBP. Further research is warranted to confirm the long‐term effects of yoga for managing LBP.
Growth enhancement, metabolic profile improvement, and DXR and TPS2 gene expression changes in Thymus vulgaris L. by cyanobacterial inoculation
Authors: Rasuli Nasim , Riahi Hossein , Shariatmadari Zeinab , Nohooji Majid Ghorbani , Dehestani Ali , MehrabanJoubani Pooyan
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND

In recent decades cyanobacterial species have attracted research attention as potential sources of new biostimulants. In this study, the biostimulant effects of five cyanobacterial suspensions on the growth and essential oil composition of Thymus vulgaris L. were evaluated. The expression of key genes involved in the biosynthesis of thymol and carvacrol, such as DXR and TPS2, were investigated.

RESULTS

A pot culture experiment revealed that cyanobacterial application significantly improved T. vulgaris L. growth indices, including plant height, dry and fresh weight, leaf and flower number, leaf area, and photosynthetic pigment content. Total phenol and flavonoid content in inoculated plants also showed a significant increase compared with the control. Anabaena torulosa ISB213 inoculation significantly increased root and shoot biomass by about 65.38% and 92.98% compared with the control, respectively. Nostoc calcicola ISB215 inoculation resulted in the highest amount of essential oil accumulation (18.08 ± 0.62) in T. vulgaris leaves, by about 72.19% compared with the control (10.5 ± 0.50%). Interestingly, the amount of limonene in the Nostoc ellipsosporum ISB217 treatment (1.67%) increased significantly compared with the control and other treatments. The highest expression rates of DXR and TPS2 genes were observed in the treatment of N. ellipsosporum ISB217, with 5.92‐fold and 5.22‐fold increases over the control, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This research revealed the potential of the cyanobacteria that were studied as promising biostimulants to increase the production of biomass and secondary metabolites of T. vulgaris L., which could be a suitable alternative to chemical fertilizers. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Roles of soil amendments in the water and salt transport of coastal saline soils through regulation of microstructure
Authors: Fei Yuanhang , She Dongli , Yi Jun , Sun Xiaoqin , Han Xiao , Liu Dongdong , Liu Muxing , Zhang Hailin
Published: February 2024

Increasing scientific knowledge on the improvement of coastal saline soils is critical for spatially expanding coastal development. Biochar and polyacrylamide (PAM) are popular soil amendments, however, it remains unclear how they affect water and salt transport by regulating soil microstructure characteristics. In this study, we conducted a five‐year rice barrel trial and investigated the changes in the aggregates and microstructure of saline soils after adding biochar with three different application rates (B1 = 0%, B2 = 2%, and B3 = 5%, mass ratio) and PAM with three different application rates (P1 = 0%, P2 = 0.4‰, and P3 = 1.0‰, mass ratio), and simulated the water and salt transport. Results showed that at B1 and B2 treatments, soil μ‐CT porosity in 2020 increased by 89.8% and 208.0%, respectively, with respect to that in 2016. The development of soil mesopore structure was promoted at B2 treatments, whereas the P2 and P3 treatments promoted the development of the soil macrostructure. Compared with those of the blank control, soil internal mean water flow rate increased by 22.2% at B2 treatments and 69.2% at P2 treatments, respectively. However, their increases were less pronounced at B3 treatments and the water flow rate decreased by 50.5% at P3 treatments. It might be reasonably attributed to the reason that porous biochar helped the formation of soil pore structure while an excessive amount of biochar blocked soil pores. Furthermore, PAM amendment helped to form soil aggregates while an excessive amount of viscous PAM might block soil pores or form a viscous layer. The time corresponding to the maximum salt concentration was negatively correlated with soil μ‐CT porosity (R2 = 0.27) and pore connectivity density (R2 = 0.29). Our findings indicate that appropriate amounts of biochar and PAM can help improve saline soil structure in coastal areas, improve their hydraulic properties, and alleviate salt stress.
Response of the growth and survival of tree species planted in a degraded land with a supplement of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer
Authors: Alem Shiferaw
Published: February 2024

Degraded lands pose significant challenges for tree establishment and growth due to poor soil quality and limited nutrient availability. This research aims to explore the potential of using DAP (diammonium phosphate) fertilizer as a supplement for enhancing the survival and growth of tree species in degraded lands; Casuarina equisetifolia L., Grevillea robusta var. robusta R.Br., and Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata (Wall. & G. Don). To achieve the objectives, seedlings of the species were planted in degraded land using a randomized complete block design (RCBD), with a supplement of DAP fertilizer. Six replications, each consisting of 20 seedlings, were used for each of the species with the DAP treatment. The survival and growth data were collected from January 2015 to May 2022. One‐way ANOVA, t‐test, and mean survival percentage were used for data analysis. The results revealed that the mean final survival percentage of C. equisetifolia that received DAP fertilizer (73.6%) was higher than that of C. equisetifolia without fertilizer (44.4%). The statistical t‐test also showed significant differences between the mean survival percentages of C. equisetifolia planted with a supplement of DAP and without fertilizer (p = 0.033). The mean survival percentage of O. europaea and G. robusta, whether fertilized or not, was poor (0%–7%). The one‐way ANOVA result showed significant differences in both fertilized and unfertilized seedlings among the C. equisetifolia, G. robusta, and O. europaea species (p < 0.001). The dry biomass of C. equisetifolia grown with a supplement of DAP fertilizer and the unfertilized was 15.4 kg/tree and 11.2 kg/tree. The t‐test result revealed no significant differences in the dry biomass of the C. equisetifolia grown with a supplement of DAP fertilizer and without fertilizer. Finally, it is concluded that the effect of DAP fertilizer on the growth and survival of the species is species‐specific.
Coping strategies and social support in nursing students during clinical practice: A scoping review
Authors: Loureiro Fernanda , Peças Dina , Neves Ana Cristina , Antunes Ana Vanessa
Published: February 2024

Aim

To identify the coping strategies and social support received by nursing students during clinical practice.

Design

Scoping review.

Methods

Primary studies on coping strategies and social support, in full text, in English, French, Spanish or Portuguese and published in 2018 or later were included. Search was carried out in January 2023 on EBSCOhost, PubMed, SciELO, ScienceDirect, OpenAIRE, MedNar Search, WorldWideScience and the references of previously selected articles.

Results

A total of 24 studies were identified. Seven studies mentioned social support as a useful strategy and several instruments were identified that allow measurement.

Conclusions

Few studies establish a direct relationship between the effectiveness of coping strategies with stressful situations. Positive coping strategies are associated with effective stress management. The relationship between social support and stress reduction is scarcely addressed.

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

Stressful situations can have an impact on students' health and on the quality of care. Nursing schools and healthcare institutions must work together in programmes to improve students coping abilities.

Impact

This review addressed coping strategies used by nursing students during clinical practice. A set of relevant coping strategies were identified that can be used by teachers to improve students' outcomes.

Reporting Method

The review was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA‐ScR).

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
Steroid myopathy and rehabilitation in patients with cancer
Authors: Tsetlina Vera , Stanford Ray A. , Syrkin Grigory , Ibanez Katarzyna
Published: February 2024

Steroids are broadly used in oncology, despite known adverse events such as glucocorticosteroid‐induced myopathy (SM). To date there are no accepted guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of SM. The purpose of this review is to provide up‐to‐date information regarding SM with emphasis on neuro‐oncology and hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients, given they are at high risk of experiencing SM following routine treatment with steroids. Our work is a combination of a comprehensive narrative review regarding etiology, pathogenesis, incidence, clinical presentation and treatment options for SM and a scoping review on exercise therapy for SM. We have identified 24 in vivo studies of different exercise modalities in the settings of glucocorticosteroid treatment. Twenty of 24 studies demonstrated decreased muscle catabolism with exercise training. Both endurance and resistance exercises at mild to moderate intensity were beneficial. The value of high‐intensity activities remains questionable as it may worsen muscle atrophy. Rehabilitation interventions, along with pharmacologic and dietary considerations, may be beneficial in preventing or reversing SM. Potential adverse events of some of these interventions and expected caveats in translating findings in preclinical models to human settings warrant caution and demand controlled clinical studies.
The ratio of fibroin to sericin in the middle silk gland of Bombyx mori and its correlation with the extensional behavior of the silk dope
Authors: Välisalmi Teemu , Linder Markus B.
Published: February 2024

Understanding how native silk spinning occurs is crucial for designing artificial spinning systems. One often overlooked factor in Bombyx mori is the secretion of sericin proteins. Herein, we investigate the variation in amino acid content at different locations in the middle silk gland (MSG) of B. mori. This variation corresponds to an increase in sericin content when moving towards the anterior region of the MSG, while the posterior region predominantly contains fibroin. We estimate the mass ratio of sericin to fibroin to be ~25/75 wt% in the anterior MSG, depending on the fitting method. Then, we demonstrate that the improvement in the extensional behavior of the silk dope in the MSG correlates with the increase in sericin content. The addition of sericin may decrease the viscosity of the silk dope, a factor associated with an increase in the spinnability of silk. We further discuss whether this effect could also result from other known physicochemical changes within the MSG.
Degradation versus fibrillogenesis, two alternative pathways modulated by seeds and glycosaminoglycans
Authors: Verona Guglielmo , Raimondi Sara , Canetti Diana , Mangione P. Patrizia , Marchese Loredana , Corazza Alessandra , Lavatelli Francesca , Gillmore Julian D. , Taylor Graham W. , Bellotti Vittorio , Giorgetti Sofia
Published: February 2024

The mechanism that converts native human transthyretin into amyloid fibrils in vivo is still a debated and controversial issue. Commonly, non‐physiological conditions of pH, temperature, or organic solvents are used in in vitro models of fibrillogenesis of globular proteins. Transthyretin amyloid formation can be achieved under physiological conditions through a mechano‐enzymatic mechanism involving specific serine proteases such as trypsin or plasmin. Here, we investigate S52P and L111M transthyretin variants, both causing a severe form of systemic amyloidosis mostly targeting the heart at a relatively young age with heterogeneous phenotype among patients. Our studies on thermodynamics show that both proteins are significantly less stable than other amyloidogenic variants. However, despite a similar thermodynamic stability, L111M variant seems to have enhanced susceptibility to cleavage and a lower tendency to form fibrils than S52P in the presence of specific proteases and biomechanical forces. Heparin strongly enhances the fibrillogenic capacity of L111M transthyretin, but has no effect on the S52P variant. Fibrillar seeds similarly affect the fibrillogenesis of both proteins, with a stronger effect on the L111M variant. According to our model of mechano‐enzymatic fibrillogenesis, both full‐length and truncated monomers, released after the first cleavage, can enter into fibrillogenesis or degradation pathways. Our findings show that the kinetics of the two processes can be affected by several factors, such as intrinsic amyloidogenicity due to the specific mutations, environmental factors including heparin and fibrillar seeds that significantly accelerate the fibrillogenic pathway.
Mutation in PgABCC2 confers low‐level resistance to Cry1Ac in pink bollworm
Authors: Wang Ling , Xu Min , He Lu , Wei Wei , Xu Dong , Cong Shengbo , Liu Kaiyu , Wan Peng
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND

With the increasing incidence of pest resistance to transgenic crops producing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins in the field, elucidating the molecular basis of resistance is important for monitoring, delaying and countering pest resistance. Previous work revealed that mutation or down‐regulated expression of the cadherin gene (PgCad1) is associated with pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) resistance to Cry1Ac, and 20 mutant PgCad1 alleles (r1‐r20) were characterized. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the ABC transporter PgABCC2 is a functional receptor for the Bt toxin Cry1Ac and that a mutation is associated with resistance.

RESULTS

We identified and characterized the first resistance allele (rC2) of PgABCC2 in the laboratory‐selected Cry1Ac‐resistant strain AQ‐C2 of pink bollworm. The rC2 allele had a one‐base deletion in exon20, resulting in a frameshift and the introduction of a premature stop codon. This resulting PgABCC2 protein had a truncated C‐terminus, including the loss of the NBD2 domain. AQ‐C2 exhibited 20.2‐fold greater resistance to Cry1Ac than the susceptible strain, and its inheritance of Cry1Ac resistance was recessive and genetically linked to PgABCC2. When produced in cultured insect cells, recombinant wild‐type and rC2 mutant PgABCC2 proteins localized within the cell plasma membrane, although substantial cytoplasmic retention was also observed for the mutant protein, while the mutant PgABCC2 caused a 13.9‐fold decrease in Cry1Ac toxicity versus the wild‐type PgABCC2.

CONCLUSIONS

PgABCC2 is a functional receptor of Cry1Ac and the loss of its carboxyl terminus (including its NBD2 domain) confers low‐level resistance to Cry1Ac in both larvae and in cultured cells. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Dynamics of diabatically forced anticyclonic plumes in the stratosphere
Authors: Podglajen Aurélien , Legras Bernard , Lapeyre Guillaume , Plougonven Riwal , Zeitlin Vladimir , Brémaud Vincent , Sellitto Pasquale
Published: February 2024

A new class of vortices has been observed in the stratosphere following extreme wildfires (Canada 2017, Australia 2020) and volcanic eruptions (Raikoke 2019). These vortices are long‐lived mesoscale anticyclones (hundreds to 1,000 km in diameter) trapping plumes of aerosols and combustion/volcanic compounds. Owing to their unusual composition, these anticyclonically trapped plumes (ATPs) are associated with a significant radiative heating, which fuels their ascent through the stratosphere. This article investigates the dynamics of ATPs using two complementary approaches: analytically, in a potential vorticity (PV) perspective, and through idealised numerical simulations with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. In both cases, we consider the vortical flow forced by a heating Lagrangian tracer. By reformulating the problem in the potential radius–potential temperature coordinate system introduced for tropical cyclones, we first clarify that ATP formation is concomitant with the injection of air into the stratosphere at extratropical latitudes. Then, we derive a set of simplified one‐dimensional equations describing the subsequent evolution of the flow after the injection. The equation obtained for the tracer is a variant of the classical Burgers' equation. In qualitative agreement with the three‐dimensional WRF simulations, this theoretical model predicts that ATPs develop an upper tracer front associated with sustained near‐zero anticyclonic PV, followed by a smooth tracer tail of cyclonic PV. Radiative relaxation of the temperature perturbations induced by the anticyclone and the presence of an initial PV anomaly tend to stabilise ATPs during their ascent. Finally, we note that the theory predicts a similar relationship between the plume and anticyclonic PV for cooled ATPs, which is supported by three‐dimensional simulations and may apply to the 2022 Hunga volcanic plume.
Persistent cough and situs inversus in a middle‐aged female
Authors: Rahimi Besharat , Roostaei Ghazal , Kazemizadeh Hossein , Edalatifard Maryam , Khoshnam‐Rad Niloofar
Published: February 2024

Key message

Kartagener syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, can present in adults with persistent respiratory symptoms and radiological changes, such as bronchiectasis and situs inversus. Clinicians should maintain a high clinical suspicion, as early recognition and appropriate management are crucial for preserving pulmonary function.
Adaptive finite‐time stabilizing control of fractional‐order nonlinear systems with unmodeled dynamics via sampled‐data output‐feedback
Authors: Mao Jun , Wang Ronghao , Zou Wencheng , Xiang Zhengrong
Published: February 2024

This article realizes an adaptive finite‐time sampled‐data output‐feedback stabilization for a class of fractional‐order nonlinear systems with unmodeled dynamics and unavailable states. K‐filters are constructed to estimate unavailable states, a dynamic signal is introduced to handle unmodeled dynamics and neural networks were used to approximate uncertain nonlinearities existed in stabilizer construction. With the help of backstepping technique, an adaptive sampled‐data output‐feedback stabilizer is exported, and such stabilizer with allowable design parameters and sampling period can render the corresponding closed‐loop system reaches practically finite‐time stable, which can be demonstrated by means of selected Lyapunov function candidates. In the end, two simulations with a numerical and an engineering examples are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
A novel two‐step extrapolation‐insertion risk model based on the Expectile under the Pareto‐type distribution
Authors: Geng Ziwen
Published: February 2024

The catastrophe loss model developed is a challenging problem in the insurance industry. In the context of Pareto‐type distribution, measuring risk at the extreme right tail has become a major focus for academic research. The quantile and Expectile of distribution are found to be useful descriptors of its tail, in the same way as the median and mean are related to its central behavior. In this article, a novel two‐step extrapolation‐insertion method is introduced and proved its advantages of less bias and variance theoretically through asymptotic normality by modifying the existing far‐right tail numerical model using the risk measures of Expectile and Expected Shortfall (ES). In addition, another solution to obtain the ES is proposed based on the fitted extreme distribution, which is demonstrated to have superior unbiased statistical properties. Uniting these two methods provides the numerical interval upper and lower bounds for capturing the real quantile‐based ES commonly used in insurance. The numerical simulation and the empirical analysis results of Danish reinsurance claim data indicate that these methods offer high prediction accuracy in the applications of catastrophe risk management.
Coaching provides vital support for 1st‐year students
Authors: Ehrnstrom Colleen , Cooper Lisa , Hesse Elizabeth , Bottiglio Melissa
Published: February 2024

Supporting student success with resources outside the classroom is vital to higher education and much is known about the unique needs of first‐year college students. Yet trends continue to show that first‐year students struggle with the transition to college and underuse certain resources, such as mental health services. A review of a specific group of first‐year students in a program in exploratory studies provides insight into their needs. Data supports the theories that though first‐year students have similar self‐reported levels of psychological distress when compared with other cohorts, they’re less likely to use campus health and wellness resources than their cohorts. Additionally, these first‐year students report higher levels of academic distress than other cohorts and subsequently are willing to engage in academic coaching services. These results highlight the need for colleges and universities to invest in academic coaching as an essential resource for student retention and success.
Parameter estimation and forecasting with quantified uncertainty for ordinary differential equation models using QuantDiffForecast: A MATLAB toolbox and tutorial
Authors: Chowell Gerardo , Bleichrodt Amanda , Luo Ruiyan
Published: February 2024

Mathematical models based on systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) are frequently applied in various scientific fields to assess hypotheses, estimate key model parameters, and generate predictions about the system's state. To support their application, we present a comprehensive, easy‐to‐use, and flexible MATLAB toolbox, QuantDiffForecast, and associated tutorial to estimate parameters and generate short‐term forecasts with quantified uncertainty from dynamical models based on systems of ODEs. We provide software (
https://github.com/gchowell/paramEstimation_forecasting_ODEmodels/) and detailed guidance on estimating parameters and forecasting time‐series trajectories that are characterized using ODEs with quantified uncertainty through a parametric bootstrapping approach. It includes functions that allow the user to infer model parameters and assess forecasting performance for different ODE models specified by the user, using different estimation methods and error structures in the data. The tutorial is intended for a diverse audience, including students training in dynamic systems, and will be broadly applicable to estimate parameters and generate forecasts from models based on ODEs. The functions included in the toolbox are illustrated using epidemic models with varying levels of complexity applied to data from the 1918 influenza pandemic in San Francisco. A tutorial video that demonstrates the functionality of the toolbox is included.
Design and Synthesis of Quinoline‐Pyrazine Based Carboxamides: Leukemic Cancer Active Ugi Adducts
Authors: Piludiya Reshmabanu , Kamdar Jignesh H. , Khedkar Vijay M. , Sangani Chetan B. , Saeed Waseem Sharaf , Christy Maria , Teraiya Nishith , Kapadiya Khushal
Published: February 2024

The design and synthesis of new chemical entities (NCEs) with suitable physicochemical properties are playing a key role in medicinal research areas. Hence, we have designed and synthesized the 10 diverse scaffolds by rightly selecting the quinoline and pyrazine to articulate carboxamide derivatives in a single‐step process with maximum conversation in a shorter time through diverse studies of Ugi multi‐component reaction. Molecular docking studies against FMS‐like tyrosine kinase‐3 (FLT3) provided well‐clustered solutions for the binding modes of these molecules and shed light on the key structural features governing the binding affinity. Two carboxamides derivatives with 3,4,5‐trimethoxy, and chloro substituents showed comparable potency in Leukemia cell lines and medium efficacy in Breast and Melanoma cancer. These results suggest that pyrazine and quinoline‐based carboxamides may be prominent as new anti‐cancer agents in chemotherapy. Additionally, in silico analysis was employed to predict the comprehensive physicochemical ADME profile (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) of the carboxamide derivatives which was proven drug‐like properties.
Carbon Molecular Sieve Membranes with Ultra‐Thin Selective Skin Layer by Pyrolysis of Porous Hollow Fibers
Authors: Sheng Lujie , Zhang Xianglong , Hua Kaisheng , Deng Maicun , Ren Jizhong
Published: February 2024

Translating carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes into highly scalable hollow fiber geometry with ultra‐thin selective layer (<1 µm) for gas separation remains as great challenge. The porous support layer of precursor hollow fiber membranes is prone to collapse during pyrolysis, which induces thick skin layer (15–50 µm) of CMS hollow fiber membranes. Here, a novel strategy is present to obtain an ultra‐thin selective skin layer by carbonization of hollow fiber membranes with porous skin. P84‐based defect‐free CMS hollow fiber membranes with ultra‐thin selective skin layer (0.9 µm) for gas separation are prepared without any coating or complex chemical pretreatment. Compared with the carbon membranes derived from defect‐free fibers, the H2 permeance (93.9 GPU) of CMS membranes derived from the porous fibers increases ≈1353% with comparable selectivity of H2/CH4 (143) and higher H2/N2 (120). Furthermore, the porous fibers are pre‐aged near the Tg in N2 conditions before carbonization, and the H2 permeance of the derived CMS hollow fiber membranes reached 147 GPU (increased 2180%). It is a new facile way to prepare CMS hollow fiber membranes with ultra‐thin selective layer by porous fibers, demonstrating its versatile potential in gas separation or organic liquids separation.
Reactive Oxygen‐Correlated Photothermal Imaging of Smart COF Nanoreactors for Monitoring Chemodynamic Sterilization and Promoting Wound Healing
Authors: Zhu Xiaohong , Feng Tiantian , Chen Yidan , Xiao Yan , Wen Wei , Wang Shengfu , Wang Dong , Zhang Xiuhua , Liang Jichao , Xiong Huayu
Published: February 2024

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) has emerged as a promising approach for treating infected diabetic wounds, while reliable imaging technology for simultaneous monitoring of ROS and therapeutic processes is still a formidable challenge. Herein, smart covalent organic framework (COF) nanoreactors (COF NRs) are constructed by hyaluronic acid (HA) packaged glucose oxidase (GOx) covalently linked Fe‐COF for diabetic wound healing. Upon the breakdown of the HA protective layer, GOx consumes glucose to produce gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), resulting in decreased local pH and H2O2 supplementation. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that Fe‐COF has high catalytic activity towards H2O2, leading to in situ generation of hydroxyl radicals (·OH) for sterilization, and the localized downregulation of glucose effectively improved the microenvironment of diabetic wounds. Meanwhile, based on the near‐infrared photothermal imaging of oxidized 3,3′,5,5′‐tetramethylbenzidine (oxTMB), the authors showed that TMB can be applied for the point‐of‐care testing of ·OH and glucose, and assessing the sterilization progress in vivo. More significantly, the facile photothermal signaling strategy can be extended to monitor various ROS‐mediated therapeutic systems, enabling accurate prediction of treatment outcomes.