bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pilot Models for Estimating Bicycle Intersection Volumes
Authors: Griswold Julia B. , Medury Aditya , Schneider Robert J.
Published: December 2011

Bicycle volume data are useful for practitioners and researchers to understand safety, travel behavior, and development impacts. Several simple models of bicycle intersection volumes were developed for Alameda County, California. The models were based on 2-h bicycle counts performed at a sample of 81 intersections in the spring of 2008 and 2009. Study sites represented areas with a wide range of population density, employment density, proximity to commercial property, neighborhood income, and street network characteristics. The explanatory variables considered for the models included intersection site, land use, transportation system, and socioeconomic characteristics of the areas surrounding each intersection. Four alternative models were developed with adjusted R2 values ranging from .39 to .60. The models showed that bicycle volumes tended to be higher at intersections surrounded by more commercial retail properties within1.10mi, closer to a major university, with a marked bicycle facility on at least one leg of the intersection, surrounded by less hilly terrain within1.2mi, or surrounded by a more connected roadway network. The models also showed several important differences between weekday and weekend intersection volumes. The positive association between bicycle volume and proximity to retail properties or a large university was greater on weekdays than on weekends, whereas bicycle facilities had a stronger positive association and hilly terrain had a weaker negative association with bicycle volume on weekends than on weekdays. The study found that further testing and refinement was necessary before accurate count predictions could be made in Alameda County or other communities.
Electronics — A New Multidisciplinary Open Access Journal
Authors: Bassiouni Mostafa
Published: December 2011

The proliferation of electronic devices has profoundly affected all aspects of modern life. Large populations of people worldwide are now acclimated to the use of modern electronic devices on a daily basis. Giant industrial corporations, commercial companies and small businesses all use a variety of computing, communications and electronic devices to increase their productivity, enhance market research and improve customer support and satisfaction. [...]
Buckling of Carbon Nanotubes: A State of the Art Review
Authors: Shima Hiroyuki
Published: December 2011

The nonlinear mechanical response of carbon nanotubes, referred to as their “buckling” behavior, is a major topic in the nanotube research community. Buckling means a deformation process in which a large strain beyond a threshold causes an abrupt change in the strain energy vs. deformation profile. Thus far, much effort has been devoted to analysis of the buckling of nanotubes under various loading conditions: compression, bending, torsion, and their certain combinations. Such extensive studies have been motivated by (i) the structural resilience of nanotubes against buckling, and (ii) the substantial influence of buckling on their physical properties. In this contribution, I review the dramatic progress in nanotube buckling research during the past few years.
Practical Synthesis of Hydroxychromenes and Evaluation of Their Biological Activity
Authors: Jung Jae-Chul , Oh Seikwan
Published: December 2011

A simple and efficient seven steps synthesis of brodifacoum and difethialone from phenylacetyl chloride is described. The key synthetic strategies involve Friedel-Crafts acylation, intramolecular ring cyclization and condensation reaction in the presence of Brønsted-Lowry acids. It was found that brodifacoum showed favorable inhibiting activities on LPS-stimulated nitrite production in BV-2 microglia cells. Brodifacoum exhibited superior anti-inflammatory effects than difethialone. We expect that an efficient linear synthesis of 4-hydroxycoumarin derivatives and key fragments that are useful agents for the modulation of inflammation as well as inhibition of coagulation will be of practical use.
Fusion of a Variable Baseline System and a Range Finder
Authors: Hernández-Aceituno Javier , Acosta Leopoldo , Arnay Rafael
Published: December 2011

One of the greatest difficulties in stereo vision is the appearance of ambiguities when matching similar points from different images. In this article we analyze the effectiveness of using a fusion of multiple baselines and a range finder from a theoretical point of view, focusing on the results of using both prismatic and rotational articulations for baseline generation, and offer a practical case to prove its efficiency on an autonomous vehicle.
National Sustainability Outreach Assessment Based on Human and Social Capital: The Case of Environmental Sciences in Switzerland
Authors: Mieg Harald A. , Hansmann Ralph , Frischknecht Peter M.
Published: December 2011

This paper reports on a sustainability outreach study based on an assessment of human and social capital. The aim was to capture the national sustainability outreach of twenty years of Environmental Sciences education, centered at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. The study contained two lines of research, one being a human capital assessment with a survey among graduates from the years 1992 to 2005 (n = 542) and the other being a social capital analysis based on interviews with institutions that represent the Swiss social systems of economy, politics/public administration and civil society (20 institutions). Our analyses reveal several functional forms of both human capital (specialists, pioneers, leaders) and social capital (qualification profile, internalization, networks, standardization, professionalization) that trigger and channel sustainability outreach.
L'oreille de Freud
Authors: Kamieniak Jean-Pierre
Published: December 2011

Résumé Si Freud a pu être sensible à la musique, il n’en a pas moins témoigné ouvertement d’une réelle défiance, allant jusqu’à se proclamer ganz unmusikalisch . Ce paradoxe trouve cependant sa résolution dans la découverte de la source de cette prétendue surdité sélective, en l’occurrence cette séduction maternelle précoce dont a été l’objet le petit Sigmund et que lui révèle son autoanalyse, le conduisant à éviter désormais tout ce qui la rappelle?: ici, la musique.
Fusarium head blight development and trichothecene accumulation in point inoculated Fusarium infected wheat heads
Authors: Gautam P. , Dill-Macky R.
Published: December 2011

Fusarium graminearum Schwabe [teleomorph Gibberella zeae (Schwein) Petch] is the predominant causal agent
of Fusarium head blight (FHB), an economically important disease of wheat, in North America. Warm and humid
environments at and shortly after anthesis favour FHB. FHB results in yield losses and quality losses in infected
grain due to the accumulation of mycotoxins produced by the invading fungus. The objective of this study was
to characterise the influence of different F. graminearum isolates and host resistance on FHB development and
mycotoxin accumulation. A series of two greenhouse experiments were established where five single isolates of F.
graminearum were tested. Three wheat cultivars were examined: Alsen (moderately resistant), 2375 (moderately
susceptible) and Wheaton (susceptible). In the point-inoculation experiments, ca. 1000 conidia were placed into a
central spikelet of spikes at anthesis. Point-inoculated spikelets were sampled at different growth stages up to soft
dough stage. Samples from both experiment series were analysed for mycotoxins. The susceptible cultivar Wheaton
had both the highest FHB severity and mycotoxin accumulation. The spread of symptoms both below and above
the inoculated central spikelet was significantly higher in 2375 and Wheaton than Alsen. Though deoxynivalenol
(DON) did not peak and decline in all experiments, when a peak in the DON content was present it was earlier
in 2375 (early milk) than in either Alsen (early dough) or Wheaton (late milk). Though the isolates did not rank
similarly in all experiments and in all cultivars, generally isolates Butte86Ada-11 and B63A were more aggressive
and isolates 49-3 and B45A were less aggressive in terms of disease severity and mycotoxin accumulation.
e-Government Implementation in a Developing Country
Authors: Hamner Marvine , Negrón Martin A. , Taha Doaa , Brahimi Salah
Published: December 2011

When e-Government projects fail, the costs to developing countries can be extraordinarily high. Therefore, the importance of understanding the risks, the ability to manage those risks, or when necessary, to minimize the costs, is incredibly important. One way of developing this understanding, of determining how to manage the risks present, is to study real-world examples. This case study explores one developing country’s attempts to implement e-Government. These attempts have taken place over a roughly twenty year period and four different administrations. Millions of dollars have been spent, but an interactive, inter-agency e-Government system remains elusive. The reasons for this are described in this case study along with relevant country political and economic data. The conclusion is that until the political turmoil within this country is resolved, e-Government, and likely many other government initiatives, will continue to be unsuccessful.
E-Government and Transparency
Authors: Cucciniello Maria , Nasi Greta , Saporito Raffaella
Published: December 2011

Governmental transparency is a highly regarded value, often studied by academics and emphasized by practitioners. In literature, transparency is discussed as a tool for enhancing the accountability of governments, as a principle to be implemented in order to reduce corruption in public administration, and as a means for making information on government performance more readily available. This chapter drafts a framework aimed at measuring the degree of governmental transparency and interactivity based on the multiple dimensions of information published on the institutional websites of municipalities. The framework has been tested on a purposive sample composed of the 21 municipalities in Italy’s regional capital cities. The results show that they primarily display information about what they do, how they use resources, whereas acknowledgement of government performance with regard to service delivery is still scarce.
The OpenNebula Cloud Toolkit
Authors: Molina Daniel , Martín Sánchez Carlos , Melis Jaime , Fontán Javier , Vázquez Constantino , Montero Ruben S. , Llorente Ignacio M.
Published: December 2011

This chapter aims to describe the OpenNebula Cloud Toolkit, a framework born as a result of many years of research and development that intends to provide an efficient and scalable solution for the large-scale distributed management of Virtual Machines running on a pool of physical resources. A description of the history of the project is presented, along with a detailed explanation of the characteristics of the Toolkit, including directions on how to install and configure the software, enumeration of the interfaces exposed, and information on how to use and configure the three types of clouds (private, hybrid, and public) that can be built with the framework. The chapter ends with a practical use case that shows how to deploy a service composed of Virtual Machines on top of an OpenNebula cloud, and with the lessons learned during the project and the future work planned for the Toolkit.
Calderón-type Reproducing Formula and the $Tb$ Theorem
Authors: Han Yongsheng
Published: December 2011

In this paper we use the Calderón-Zygmund operator theory to prove a Calderón type reproducing formula associated with a para-accretive function. Using our Calderón-type reproducing formula we introduce a new class of the Besov and Triebel-Lizorkin spaces and prove a

Tb

theorem for these new spaces.
An inverse Sobolev lemma
Authors: Koskela Pekka
Published: December 2011

We establish an inverse Sobolev lemma for quasiconformal mappings and extend a weaker version of the Sobolev lemma for quasiconformal mappings of the unit ball of

\mathbb R^n

to the full range

0 < p < n

. As an application we obtain sharp integrability theorems for the derivative of a quasiconformal mapping of the unit ball of

\mathbb R^n

in terms of the growth of the mapping.
Projecteurs invariants, matrices de dilatation, ondelettes et analyses multi-résolutions
Authors: Lemarié-Rieusset Pierre Gilles
Published: December 2011

We show that (bi-orthogonal) wavelet bases associated to a dilation matrix which is compatible with integer shifts are generally provided by a multi-resolution analysis. The proof is done by studying the projectors which commute with integer shifts.
Uniqueness of positive solutions of nonlinear second order systems
Authors: Dalmasso Robert
Published: December 2011

In this paper we discuss the uniqueness of positive solutions of the nonlinear second order system

–u'' = g(v)

,

–v'' = f (u)

in

(–R,R)

,

u(±R) = v(±R) = 0

where

f

and

g

satisfy some appropriate conditions. Our result applies, in particular, to

g(v) = v

,

f(u) = u^p

,

p>1

, or

f(u) = \lambda u + a_1u^{p1} + \cdots + a_ku^{pk}

with

p_j > 1

,

a_j > 0

for

j = 1,\dots , k

and

0 ≤ \lambda < \mu_1^2

where

\mu_1 = \pi^2 / 4R^2

.
Localisation fréquentielle des paquets d'ondelettes
Authors: Séré Éric
Published: December 2011

Orthonormal bases of wavelet packets constitute a powerful tool in signal compression. It has been proved by Coifman, Meyer and Wickerhauser that "many" wavelet packets

w_n

suffer a lack of frequency localization. Using the

L^1

-norm of the Fourier transform

\hat{w}_n

as localization criterion, they showed that the average

2^{–j} \sum^{2^j–1}_{n=0} \|\hat{w}_n\|_{L^1}

blows up as

j

goes to infinity. A natural problem is then to know which values of

n

create this blowup in average. The present work gives an answer to this question thanks to sharp estimates on

\|\hat{w}_n\|_{L^1}

which depend on the dyadic expansion of

n

for several types of filters. Let us point out that the value of

\|\hat{w}_n\|_{L^1}

is a weak localization criterion, which can only lead to a lower estimate on the variance of

\hat{w}_n

.
Convex domains and unique continuation at the boundary
Authors: Adolfsson Vilhelm , Escauriaza Luis , Kenig Carlos E.
Published: December 2011

We show that a harmonic function which vanishes continuously on an open set of the boundary of a convex domain cannot have a normal derivative which vanishes on a subset of positive surface measure. We also prove a similar result for caloric functions vanishing on the lateral boundary of a convex cylinder.
The Psychological Impact of Video Display Terminals on Employees' Well-Being
Authors: Steffy Brian D. , Jones John W.
Published: December 2011

A survey was administered to two large groups of employees, one a group of health care employees and the other a group of employees from a large insurance firm. The survey was used to determine whether video display terminal (VDT) operators experience greater psychosomatic distress, job tension, job dissatisfaction, and strain than nonoperators or employees who operate VDTs infrequently. After controlling for demographic factors, tenure, and role strain variables, findings suggest that hours of VDT use has an impact on employee well-being, though role strain was more consistently related to outcome measures.
Goal-Oriented Evaluation as a Program Management Tool
Authors: Guild Priscilla A.
Published: December 2011

Health promotion programs, like all human services activities, must be well managed in order to be effective. In an age of reduced financial resources to support new programs and sustain old ones, all program directors must be concerned with the efficiency with which available resources are used to meet program goals and objectives. In times such as these, competition is high for those resources that are available. Programs that can demonstrate both effectiveness in meeting their goals and operational efficiency in doing so are more likely to be successful in the competition for these scarce resources. In this article, practical suggestions for the use and presentation of evaluation data in the analysis of program effectiveness and efficiency are presented. The methodology is based on the contention that program evaluation should be useful to program directors as an integral part of their management of program resources in relation to program goals.
Impact of a Community-Wide Stop Smoking Contest
Authors: Cummings K. Michael , Kelly Jacqueline , Sciandra Russell , DeLoughry Thomas , Francois Fritz
Published: December 2011

This paper presents the results oj a jollow-up evaluation conducted to assess the impact oj a community-wide stop smoking contest conducted in Buffalo, lVew York in January 1988. The contest challenged smokers to make a pledge to quit jar 30 days to have a chance to win $1,000 cash, a vacation trip, or other prizes. Finalists were randomly selected and chemically tested to verify abstinence. Telephone jollow-up interviews were conducted on a sample oj 411 contestants six weeks and eight months ajter the quit date. A total oj 2,565 smokers enrolled in the contest. Compared to smokers in the general population, contestants were more likely to be jemale, white, under age 40, and smoke 25 or more cigarettes daily. Over 90 percent oj contestants attempted to stop smoking, 51 percent quit jar the 3D-day contest period, and 32 percent were not smoking ajter eight months.
Signal Peptidase Complex Subunit 1 and Hydroxyacyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Beta Subunit Are Suitable Reference Genes in Human Lungs
Authors: Too Issac H. K. , Ling Maurice H. T.
Published: December 2011

Lung cancer is a common cancer, and expression profiling can provide an accurate indication to advance the medical intervention. However, this requires the availability of stably expressed genes as reference. Recent studies had shown that genes that are stably expressed in a tissue may not be stably expressed in other tissues suggesting the need to identify stably expressed genes in each tissue for use as reference genes. DNA microarray analysis has been used to identify those reference genes with low fluctuation. Fourteen datasets with different lung conditions were employed in our study. Coefficient of variance, followed by NormFinder, was used to identify stably expressed genes. Our results showed that classical reference genes such as GAPDH and HPRT1 were highly variable; thus, they are unsuitable as reference genes. Signal peptidase complex subunit 1 (SPCS1) and hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase beta subunit (HADHB), which are involved in fundamental biochemical processes, demonstrated high expression stability suggesting their suitability in human lung cell profiling.
Lights! Camera! Proportion!
Authors: Williams Desha L.
Published: December 2011

Using figures from the movie Monsters vs Aliens, students can calculate the real-life size of the characters.
Utilities Provide UV Disinfection Lessons Learned
Authors: Elliott Todd , Swaim Paul
Published: December 2011

This article summarizes general operation and maintenance (O&M) requirements for six North American municipal drinking water ultraviolet (UV) disinfection installations based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's UV Disinfection Guidance Manual (UVDGM).
Is Preventive Maintenance Worth the Time, Effort, and Training?
Authors: Copeland Ari
Published: December 2011

A common challenge for water and wastewater facilities is a lack of proper preventive maintenance (PM) being conducted or the frequency at which it's performed. This article lists maintenance activities (usually recommended by the manufacturer) to keep the equipment working properly. An important part of PM is to regularly inspect all equipment and address problems as they arise. The article provides examples of catastrophic consequences that can arise when proper PM is not conducted.
Regulatory Update: Pay Attention to Upcoming Changes
Authors: Roberson Alan
Published: December 2011

This article discusses new revisions to drinking water regulations in development by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, including four major regulatory proposal deadlines within the next 18 months, as well as finalizing the Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR3) and the Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR). The article discusses revisions that utilities need to pay particular attention to, such as the final RTCR and the proposed Revised Long‐Term Lead and Copper Rule (LT‐LCR), as these two rules impact most systems.
Bimetallic MOF‐Based Fibrous Device for Noninvasive Bilirubin Sensing
Authors: Lu Zihan , Xiao Zhijia , Wang Jinlong , Zhao Zhe , Huang Jiayuan , Cui Jizhai , Mei Yongfeng , Huang Gaoshan
Published: June 2024

Noninvasive and real‐time detection of bilirubin concentration enables rapid assessment of liver health status and the diagnosis of jaundice‐related diseases. Herein, the study proposes a strategy to uniformly grow bimetallic FeCo metal–organic framework (MOF) films onto the surface of carbonized electrospun nanofibers via a stepwise growth strategy involving an induction effect of oxide nanomembrane prepared by atomic layer deposition, to realize high‐performance flexible nanofiber bilirubin sensors. Compared with monometallic MOF, the FeCo bimetallic MOF can attain a larger specific surface area, thus augmenting the exposed active sites. Furthermore, the synergistic interaction between the bimetallic active sites on the MOF film and the carbonized nanofibers enhances the electronic conduction network, thereby significantly enhancing the catalytic activity of the flexible electrode for bilirubin. The current nanofibers sensor exhibits excellent performance in bilirubin detection, in terms of high sensitivity, large linear detection range, and low detection limit. The synthesis of bimetallic MOF films on flexible fibers holds promise for the development of highly sensitive electrodes for wearable bilirubin detection devices.
Nanolaminate‐Induced Mechanically and Environmentally Robust Al2O3/TiO2 Thin Film Encapsulation by Low‐Temperature Atomic Layer Deposition: Toward Flexible and Wearable OLEDs
Authors: Oh Seung Jin , Lee Sun‐Woo , Lee Hyeongjun , Kim Hyeunwoo , Kim Taek‐Soo , Kwon Jeong Hyun
Published: June 2024

The growing demand for low‐temperature thin‐film encapsulation (TFE) in advanced flexible and wearable organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) has intensified to mitigate thermal issues, which deteriorate the device performance. Herein, Al2O3/TiO2 nanolaminates (A/T NLs)are introduced and fabricated via thermal atomic layer deposition at an exceptionally low temperature of 40 °C, which exhibited enhanced mechanical and environmental robustness. Compared to the single‐layer Al2O3 and TiO2 thin films (0.06% and 0.31%), the A/T NLs with sublayer thickness under 15 nm exhibit dramatic improvement in elongation (0.46–0.53%), attributed to the effective decoupling of critical defects by the Al2O3/TiO2 interfaces. Furthermore, the A/T NLs with 3 nm‐thick‐sublayer demonstrate highly improved water vapor transmission rates of 9.48 × 10−5 g m−2 day−1, making them promising candidates for TFE in wearable OLEDs. Notably, the optimized A/T NL‐encapsulated wearable phosphorescent OLEDs (phOLEDs) exhibit extended lifetimes (LT70), surpassing 200 h in the accelerated environmental conditions (40 °C/90% RH) which is 40 times longer lifetimes compared to the not encapsulated OLEDs. Additionally, the A/T NL‐encapsulated wearable phOLEDs displayed mechanical endurance, enduring 125 h even under the bending strain of 0.4% compared to the Al2O3‐ and TiO2‐encapsulated OLEDs (4 and 18 h).
Manipulation and Mechanistic Understanding of Exciton Spin Dynamics in a Chiral Inorganic Nanosystem via Facile pH‐Regulation
Authors: Wu Qinglong , Jiang Shenlong , Zhang Qun , Luo Yi
Published: June 2024

This study demonstrates effective manipulation of exciton spin dynamics in a prototypical chiral inorganic nanosystem, i.e., cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanosheets capped with chiral cysteine ligands in aqueous solution, via facile pH‐regulation that can directly modify the electronic coupling between CdSe and cysteine's thiol group through Cd─S bonding. The comparative scrutiny by using transient circular dichroism spectroscopy enables to decipher the pertinent mechanisms behind the pH‐regulated spin‐flip dynamics. The hole‐trapping interaction between the valence‐band heavy‐hole spin state of CdSe and the cysteine‐induced “extrinsic” surface state is found to play a dominant role in prolonging the hole spin relaxation lifetime (by more than threefold). This study also demonstrates a relevant application in modulating the sensitivity of circularly polarized light detection. This work sets a paradigm for harnessing the elusive interactions in chiral inorganic nanosystems to achieve desired spin‐polarization regulation, refreshing the fundamental understanding about the mechanisms of spin dynamics involved therein.
The risk of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive impairment characteristics in eight mental disorders: A UK Biobank observational study and Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Liu Yiliang , Xiao Xuewen , Yang Yang , Yao Rui , Yang Qijie , Zhu Yuan , Yang Xuan , Zhang Sizhe , Shen Lu , Jiao Bin
Published: June 2024

INTRODUCTION

The cognitive impairment patterns and the association with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in mental disorders remain poorly understood.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 486,297 UK Biobank participants, categorizing them by mental disorder history to identify the risk of AD and the cognitive impairment characteristics. Causation was further assessed using Mendelian randomization (MR).

RESULTS

AD risk was higher in individuals with bipolar disorder (BD; hazard ratio [HR] = 2.37, P < 0.01) and major depressive disorder (MDD; HR = 1.63, P < 0.001). MR confirmed a causal link between BD and AD (ORIVW = 1.098), as well as obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) and AD (ORIVW = 1.050). Cognitive impairments varied, with BD and schizophrenia showing widespread deficits, and OCD affecting complex task performance.

DISCUSSION

Observational study and MR provide consistent evidence that mental disorders are independent risk factors for AD. Mental disorders exhibit distinct cognitive impairment prior to dementia, indicating the potential different mechanisms in AD pathogenesis. Early detection of these impairments in mental disorders is crucial for AD prevention.

Highlights

This is the most comprehensive study that investigates the risk and causal relationships between a history of mental disorders and the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), alongside exploring the cognitive impairment characteristics associated with different mental disorders.

Individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) exhibited the highest risk of developing AD (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.37, P < 0.01), followed by those with major depressive disorder (MDD; HR = 1.63, P < 0.001). Individuals with schizophrenia (SCZ) showed a borderline higher risk of AD (HR = 2.36, P = 0.056).

Two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) confirmed a causal association between BD and AD (ORIVW = 1.098, P < 0.05), as well as AD family history (proxy‐AD, ORIVW = 1.098, P < 0.001), and kept significant after false discovery rate correction. MR also identified a nominal significant causal relationship between the obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) spectrum and AD (ORIVW = 1.050, P < 0.05).

Individuals with SCZ, BD, and MDD exhibited impairments in multiple cognitive domains with distinct patterns, whereas those with OCD showed only slight declines in complex tasks.
Teacher digital identity divergences: From teacher education to classroom
Authors: Trevisan Ottavia
Published: June 2024

Despite high‐quality initial teacher education (ITE), a notable proportion of newly graduated teachers encounter a stark reality shock upon entering the profession, facing burnout and suboptimal teaching performance. While internships during ITE are often seen as a potential solution to bridge the gap between theory and practice, their effectiveness is questioned. This multiple‐case study (N = 38) delves into the ideals and attributes of teacher identities as perceived by preservice teachers in both ITE and internship contexts, with a specific focus on the role of digital technology in education. The interview findings highlight an expectation gap and a susceptibility to succumb to contextual pressures, even within the sheltered environments of internships. This study advocates for closer collaboration between ITE and internship settings to uphold the development of a sound teacher identity and sustain teacher resilience in the increasingly digitalised educational landscape.
A highly sensitive fluorescence sensor for tobacco mosaic virus RNA based on DSN cycle and ARGET ATRP double signal amplification
Authors: Jin Zhenyu , Ma Lele , Zhang Yuting , Chen Luyao , Yang Huaixia , Liu Yanju , Guo Liang
Published: June 2024

Early and sensitive detection of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is of great significance for improving crop yield and protecting germplasm resources. Herein, we constructed a novel fluorescence sensor to detect TMV RNA (tRNA) through double strand specific nuclease (DSN) cycle and activator regenerative electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET ATRP) dual signal amplification strategy. The hairpin DNA complementarily paired with tRNA was used as a recognition unit to specifically capture tRNA. By the double‐stranded DNA hydrolyzed with DSN, tRNA is released to open more hairpin DNA, and more complementary DNA (cDNA) is bound to the surface of the magnetic beads (MBs) to achieve the first amplification. After binding with the initiator, the cDNA employed ARGET ATRP to attach more fluorescent signal molecules to the surface of MBs, thus achieving the second signal amplification. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the logarithm of fluorescence intensity versus tRNA concentration showed a good linear relationship in the range of 0.01–100 pM, with a detection limit of 1.03 fM. The limit of detection (LOD) was calculated according to LOD = 3 N/S. Besides, the sensor showed good reproducibility and stability, which present provided new method for early and highly sensitive detection for plant viruses.
Graph‐theoretical chirality measure and chirality–property relations for chemical structures with multiscale mirror asymmetries
Authors: Cha Minjeong , Ma Jessica , Kim Ji‐Young , Emre Emine Sumeyra Turali , Kotov Nicholas A.
Published: June 2024

Chirality is an essential geometric property unifying small molecules, biological macromolecules, inorganic nanomaterials, biological microparticles, and many other chemical structures. Numerous chirality measures have attempted to quantify this geometric property of mirror asymmetry and to correlate these measures with physical and chemical properties. However, their utility has been widely limited because these correlations have been largely notional. Furthermore, chirality measures also require prohibitively demanding computations, especially for chiral structures comprised of thousands of atoms. Acknowledging the fundamental problems with quantification of mirror asymmetry, including the ambiguity of sign‐variable pseudoscalar chirality measures, we revisit this subject because of the significance of quantifying chirality for quantitative biomimetics and describing the chirality of nanoscale materials that display chirality continuum and scale‐dependent mirror asymmetry. We apply the concept of torsion within the framework of differential geometry to the graph theoretical representation of chiral molecules and nanostructures to address some of the fundamental problems and practical limitations of other chirality measures. Chiral gold clusters and other chiral structures are used as models to elaborate a graph‐theoretical chirality (GTC) measure, demonstrating its applicability to chiral materials with different degrees of chirality at different scales. For specific cases, we show that GTC provides an adequate description of both the sign and magnitude of mirror asymmetry. The direct correlations with macroscopic properties, such as chiroptical spectra, are enhanced by using the hybrid chirality measures combining parameters from discrete mathematics and physics. Taking molecular helices as an example, we established a direct relation between GTC and optical activity, indicating that this chirality measure can be applied to chiral metamaterials and complex chiral constructs.
Protonation Effects on the Benzoxazine Formation Pathways and Products Distribution
Authors: Ribeiro Francisco W. M. , Omari Isaac , Scott McIndoe J. , Correra Thiago C.
Published: June 2024

The effect of acidic media on the formation of the 3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐3‐phenyl‐1,3‐benzoxazine Bz is evaluated, focusing on the differentiation of intermediates and products formed by the distinct pathways observed in the presence and absence of acid. The use of real‐time mass spectrometry (PSI‐ESI‐MS) coupled to tandem mass spectrometry and infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) allowed the differentiation of the species observed during the synthesis of benzoxazines in these different conditions. The results suggest that formic acid promotes the formation of aniline and phenol condensation products (IC and IIC) by protecting the aniline amino group and enhancing the formaldehyde electrophilicity. The results also suggest that although the presence of acid allow a more efficient potential energy landscape to be accessed, the last cyclization step for the formation of benzoxazines cannot be mediated by the protonation route intermediate (ROP Bz). Overall, the conclusions presented here provide important information about the synthesis of benzoxazines under acidic conditions, allowing the development of optimal reaction conditions.
Computational Screening of Hydrophobic Zeolites for the Removal of Emerging Organic Contaminants from Water
Authors: Brauer Jakob , Fischer Michael
Published: June 2024

The pollution of water resources by pharmaceuticals and agents of personal care products (PPCPs) poses an increasingly pressing issue that has received considerable attention from scientists and government agencies alike. Hydrophobic zeolites can serve as selective adsorbents to remove these contaminants from aqueous solution. So far, the adsorption of PPCPs in zeolites has often been investigated in case studies focusing on a small number of contaminants and one or a few zeolites. We present a computational screening approach to investigate the interaction of 53 PPCPs with 14 all‐silica zeolites, aiming at a more comprehensive understanding of factors that are beneficial for a strong host‐guest interaction and thus an efficient adsorption. The systems are modelled on the classical force field level of theory, allowing for the efficient computational treatment of a large number of PPCP‐zeolite combinations and evaluated in terms of the interaction energy between PPCP and zeolite framework. For selected PPCP‐zeolite combinations additional Free Energy Perturbation simulations are employed to compute Free Energies of Transfer between the aqueous phase and the adsorbed state. These results can serve as a starting point for experimental studies of relevant PPCP‐zeolite combination or more in‐depth theoretical investigations.
Discovery and Engineering of a Bacterial (+)‐Pulegone Reductase for Efficient (−)‐Menthol Biosynthesis
Authors: Wu Qiong , Li Hai‐Peng , Liu Ya , Shou Chao , Chen Qi , Xu Jian‐He , Li Chun‐Xiu
Published: June 2024

The biosynthesis of valuable plant‐derived monoterpene (−)‐menthol from readily available feedstocks (e. g., (−)‐limonene) is of great significance because of the high market demand for this product. However, biotransforming (+)‐pulegone into (−)‐menthone, the (−)‐menthol precursor, through (+)‐pulegone reductase (PGR) catalysis is inefficient because of the poor protein expression or catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of plant origin PGRs. In this study, a novel bacterial PGR from Pseudomonas resinovorans (PrPGR) was identified, and the most successful variant, PrPGRM2‐1 (A50 V/G53 W), was obtained, showing respective 20‐fold and 204‐fold improvements in specific activity and catalytic efficiency. PrPGRM2‐1 was employed to bioreduce (+)‐pulegone, resulting in 4.4‐fold and 35‐fold enhancements in (−)‐menthone titers compared with the bioreductions catalyzed by wild‐type (WT) PrPGR and MpPGR, respectively. Furthermore, a whole‐cell biocatalyst containing PrPGRM2‐1, MpMMR, and BstFDH was constructed and achieved the highest (−)‐menthol titer reported to date without externally supplemented NADPH/NADP+. Overall, this study details an efficient PGR with high catalytic efficiency that possesses great potential for (−)‐menthol biosynthesis.
The cenobamate KORK study—A prospective monocenter observational study investigating cenobamate as an adjunctive therapy in refractory epilepsy, with comparisons to historical cohorts treated with add‐on lacosamide, perampanel, and brivaracetam
Authors: Steinhoff Bernhard J. , Georgiou Dimitra , Intravooth Tassanai
Published: June 2024

Objective

In Europe, cenobamate has been approved for use as an adjunctive therapy in adult patients with epilepsy (PWE) with focal‐onset seizures (FOS) who have not responded satisfactorily to treatment with at least two antiseizure medications (ASMs). Pivotal trials and real‐world observational studies have demonstrated a high efficacy of cenobamate, even in very difficult‐to‐treat epilepsies. Our aim was to investigate the efficacy of add‐on cenobamate in adult PWE who were prospectively monitored. We compared these results with those previously obtained for add‐on lacosamide, perampanel, and brivaracetam therapy.

Methods

Patients were enrolled from the CENKORK study, which is a prospective, non‐interventional, open‐label, monocenter cohort study of adult PWE experiencing FOS. The titration of cenobamate was performed according to the guidelines outlined in the summary of product characteristics. The primary outcome measure was the retention rate at 6 months and 1 year. In addition, we assessed seizure‐free rates, the proportion of patients achieving at least a 50% seizure reduction, adverse events, and the reasons for treatment discontinuation. These outcome measures were compared with historical controls treated with adjunctive lacosamide, perampanel, or brivaracetam at our center.

Results

Between June 2021 and 2022, 172 PWE with ongoing FOS were included. 22 cases were lost to follow‐up, leaving 150 cases for the 1‐year assessment. The retention rates at 6 months and 1 year were 88.7% and 80%, respectively. Seizure freedom was achieved in 14% of patients at both the 6‐month and 1‐year marks, while the ≥50% responder rates were 50% and 61%, respectively. The 6‐month retention rate was significantly higher in cenobamate than in other ASMs (p < 0.001 for each comparator). Adverse events were significantly more common with perampanel (p < 0.001).

Significance

Add‐on cenobamate proved to be particularly efficacious compared to our experience with other recently introduced ASMs.

Plain Language Summary

This observational study was carried out in 172 adult patients with difficult‐to‐treat epilepsy who were treated with adjunctive cenobamate. After 1 year, the data of 150 patients could be analyzed. Seizure freedom, in the preceding 3 months, was achieved in 14%. The rate of PWE continuing cenobamate was 80%. In our hands, cenobamate showed promising efficacy and tolerability even when compared to other recently introduced antiseizure medications.
Potential Hazards of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Great Lakes Tributaries Using Water Column and Porewater Passive Samplers and Sediment Equilibrium Partitioning
Authors: Baldwin Austin K. , Corsi Steven R. , Alvarez David A. , Villeneuve Daniel L. , Ankley Gerald T. , Blackwell Brett R. , Mills Marc A. , Lenaker Peter L. , Nott Michelle A.
Published: June 2024

The potential for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-related effects in benthic organisms is commonly estimated from organic carbon-normalized sediment concentrations based on equilibrium partitioning (EqP). Although this approach is useful for screening purposes, it may overestimate PAH bioavailability by orders of magnitude in some sediments, leading to inflated exposure estimates and potentially unnecessary remediation costs. Recently, passive samplers have been shown to provide an accurate assessment of the freely dissolved concentrations of PAHs, and thus their bioavailability and possible biological effects, in sediment porewater and overlying surface water. We used polyethylene passive sampling devices (PEDs) to measure freely dissolved porewater and water column PAH concentrations at 55 Great Lakes (USA/Canada) tributary locations. The potential for PAH-related biological effects using PED concentrations were estimated with multiple approaches by applying EqP, water quality guidelines, and pathway-based biological activity based on in vitro bioassay results from ToxCast. Results based on the PED-based exposure estimates were compared with EqP-derived exposure estimates for concurrently collected sediment samples. The results indicate a potential overestimation of bioavailable PAH concentrations by up to 960-fold using the EqP-based method compared with measurements using PEDs. Even so, PED-based exposure estimates indicate a high potential for PAH-related biological effects at 14 locations. Our findings provide an updated, weight-of-evidence–based site prioritization to help guide possible future monitoring and mitigation efforts. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1509–1523. © 2024 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

PAH-related biological effects based on different hazard assessment methods. PAH = polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon; ΣESBTU = sum equilibrium partitioning sediment benchmark toxic unit; TQ = toxicity quotient; ΣIWTU = sum interstitial water toxic unit; ΣEAR = sum exposure-activity ratio; ΣWCTU = sum water column toxic unit.
Microencapsulation improves the effects of octacosanol to ameliorate alcoholic liver injury
Authors: Meng Xiangchun , Sun Yishu , Xu Tao , Tang Lihua , Chang Yaning , Zhou Yingjun
Published: June 2024

Octacosanol is a plant natural product with the potential to ameliorate alcoholic liver injury. However, its poor solubility limits its application in the food industry. This study first verified that octacosanol has a favorable effect on acute and subchronic alcoholic liver injury in mice by protecting the gastric mucosa and ameliorating disease levels. Additionally, octacosanol microcapsules were prepared under the optimal drying conditions of the feed flow rate of 400 mL/h and drying temperature of 180°C to improve the ameliorative effects of octacosanol, with moisture content, water activity, dispersibility, and solubility of 1.53%, 0.16%, 89.84%, and 95.30%, respectively. The microcapsules had a spherical structure, and the droplet sizes after redissolution ranged from 0.061 to 4.63 µm. Instrumental measurements and simulated digestion experiments have shown that microencapsulation enhanced the solubility and thermal stability of octacosanol, with 90.88% of the octacosanol being continuously released. As expected, microencapsulation significantly enhanced the effect of octacosanol in ameliorating alcoholic liver injury by determining the disease index in the mice model. This study demonstrated the beneficial effects of octacosanol on alcoholic liver injury and explored a viable method to improve its solubility and bioaccessibility, thereby enhancing its therapeutic efficacy for the treatment of alcoholic liver injury.
Assessment of lytic therapy effect in patients with intermediate‐high risk pulmonary embolism for prevention of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: A randomized, double‐blind trial
Authors: Mansouri Pejman , Rashidi Amir Mohsen , Mansouri Mohammad Hadi , Sadeghi Masoumeh , Zavar Reihaneh , Amirpour Afshin , Hashemi Seyedeh Melika , Taheri Marzieh
Published: June 2024

Background and Aims

This study aims to compare the effectiveness of thrombolytic therapy and anticoagulation in preventing chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).

Method

A total of 60 patients with intermediate‐high risk pulmonary embolism (PE) were randomly assigned to receive either thrombolytic therapy (n = 30) or anticoagulation (n = 30).

Results

Echocardiographic assessments demonstrated no significant differences between the two treatment approaches in terms of right ventricular size (RVS) (on discharge in thrombolytic group: 31.17 ± 3.43 vs. anticoagulant group: 32.73 ± 5.27, p = 0.912), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) (on discharge in thrombolytic group: 17.66 ± 2.39 vs. anticoagulant group: 16.73 ± 2.93, p = 0.290), and systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) (on discharge in thrombolytic group: 32.93 ± 9.73 vs. anticoagulant group: 34.46 ± 9.30, p = 0.840). However, significant changes were observed in all assessed parameters within each treatment group (p < 0.001). The 6‐month follow‐up showed no significant difference between the two groups in terms of CTEPH incidence (p = 0.781) or functional class of the patients (p = 0.135).

Conclusion

Based on the findings of this study, neither thrombolytic therapy nor anticoagulation demonstrated superiority over the other in reducing adverse outcomes associated with intermediate‐high risk PE, including right ventricular size, SPAP, TAPSE, or CTEPH.
Banxia Xiexin decoction combined with 5‐ASA protects against CPT‐11‐induced intestinal dysfunction in rats via inhibiting TLR4/NF‐κB signaling pathway
Authors: Zou Yuanyuan , Wang Yakun , Zhou Wenying , Pei Jingbo
Published: June 2024

Background

Banxia Xiexin decoction (BXD) can control irinotecan (CPT‐11)‐caused delayed diarrhea, but the corresponding mechanism remains undefined.

Aims

This paper aimed to uncover the mechanism of BXD in regulating CPT‐11‐caused delayed diarrhea.

Materials & Methods

Sprague‐Dawley (SD) rats were assigned into the control, model, BXD low‐dose (BXD‐L, 5 g/kg), BXD medium‐dose (BXD‐M, 10 g/kg), BXD high‐dose (BXD‐H, 15 g/kg), 5‐aminosalicylic acid (5‐ASA, 10 mL/kg), and BXD‐M + 5‐ASA groups. Rats were injected intraperitoneally with 150 mg/kg CPT‐11 at Day 4 and Day 5 to induce delayed diarrhea, and later treated with various doses (low, medium, and high) of BXD and 5‐ASA for 9 days, except for rats in control group. The body weight of rats was measured. The rat colon tissue injury, inflammatory cytokine levels, and the activation of toll‐like receptor 4/nuclear factor‐κB (TLR4/NF‐κB) signaling pathway were detected.

Results

BXD (5, 10, or 15 g/kg) or 5‐ASA (10 mL/kg) alleviated body weight loss and colon tissue injury, decreased levels of inflammatory cytokines, and inactivated TLR4/NF‐κB signaling pathway in CPT‐11‐induced model rats. BXD at 10 g/kg (the optimal concentration) could better treat CPT‐11‐induced intestinal dysfunction, as evidenced by the resulting approximately 50% reduction on injury score of model rats. Moreover, BXD‐M (10 g/kg) synergistic with 5‐ASA (10 mL/kg) further strengthened the inhibition on rat body weight loss, colon tissue injury, inflammatory cytokine levels, and TLR4/NF‐κB signaling pathway.

Conclusion

To sum up, BXD has a protective effect against CPT‐11‐induced intestinal dysfunction by inhibiting inflammation through inactivation TLR4/NF‐κB signaling pathway. In particular, the combined use of BXD and 5‐ASA holds great promise for treating CPT‐11‐induced delayed diarrhea.