bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Continuous ST-Segment Monitoring: Nurses’ Attitudes, Practices, and Quality of Patient Care
Authors: Sangkachand Prasama , Sarosario Brenda , Funk Marjorie
Published: May 2011

Background

Continuous ischemia monitoring helps identify patients with acute, but often silent, myocardial ischemia. Evidence suggests nurses do not activate ischemia monitoring because they think it is difficult to use. ST-Map software incorporates graphic displays to make monitoring of ongoing ischemia easier.

Objectives

To determine if nurses’ use of and attitude toward ischemia monitoring and the quality of patient care improve with use of ST-Map.

Methods

The study included 61 nurses and 202 patients with acute coronary syndrome in a cardiac intensive care unit. Baseline data on nurses’ use of and attitude toward ischemia monitoring and quality of care were obtained. Education was then provided and ST-Map software was installed on all monitors. Follow-up data were obtained 4 months later.

Results

The percentage of nurses who had ever used ischemia monitoring was 13% before ST Map and 90% afterward (P < .001). The most common reason for not using ischemia monitoring before ST Map was inadequate knowledge (62%). The most common reason for liking ischemia monitoring after ST Map was knowing when a patient has ischemia (80%). Time to acquisition of a 12-lead electrocardiogram in response to symptoms or ST-segment changes was 5 to 15 minutes before ST Map and always less than 5 minutes afterward (P < .001). Time to return to the catheterization laboratory did not differ before and after ST Map.

Conclusions

ST Map was associated with more frequent use of ischemia monitoring, improved attitudes of nurses toward ischemia monitoring, and shorter time to obtaining 12-lead electrocardiograms.
Electrical Stimulation of Acupuncture Points and Blood Pressure Responses to Postural Changes: A Pilot Study
Authors: Jones Alice Y. M. , Kwan Y. L. , Leung Nathan T. F. , Yu Rachel P. W. , Wu Cindy M. Y. , Warburton Darren E. R.
Published: May 2011

Background

Application of transcutaneous electrical stimulation over acupuncture points (Acu-TENS) facilitates heart rate recovery after exercise and restores hemodynamic stability after open heart surgery. The role of Acu-TENS on cardiovascular parameters in response to postural changes has not been reported.

Objective

To investigate (1) the effect of Acu-TENS on blood pressure responses to −10º head-down postural change and (2) whether such effects were associated with modulation by the autonomic nervous system.

Method

Sixteen healthy volunteers, mean age 22.8 (SD, 3.1) years, were subjected to a −10º head-down tilt from the supine position on 3 separate occasions and received in random order the following 3 intervention protocols for 40 minutes before the postural change: Acu-TENS (over bilateral acupuncture points, PC6), sham-TENS (TENS applied to the skin over the patellae), and control (no electrical output from the TENS device applied at PC6). Mean arterial pressure, large artery elasticity index, cardiac output, and heart rate were recorded and compared at different stimulation protocols in the supine and −10º head-down tilt positions. Spectral analysis of heart rate variability was used to determine any modulation by the autonomic nervous system.

Results

Change in large artery elasticity index was observed only in the Acu-TENS group (P < .05) and mean arterial pressure appeared most stable during Acu-TENS. Autonomic nervous system modulation was not apparent with spectral analysis, irrespective of intervention. Sympathetic activity predominated in all positions.

Conclusion

Acu-TENS seems to reduce blood pressure changes with −10º head-down tilt with concomitant changes in arterial vessel tone.
Cardiac Index Based on Measurements Obtained in a Bedside Chair and in Bed
Authors: Rader Cheryl , Nelson Melissa , Sobek Cindy , Smith Michelle , Garcia Rose , Wright Susan , Moutray Kelly , Shrum Sarah , Richards Nancy M.
Published: May 2011

Background

Accurate measurements for determining cardiac index can be obtained while patients are supine in bed at various backrest elevations. It is not clear if these measurements are accurate when patients are in a bedside chair.

Objective

To determine if cardiac index based on measurements obtained with the patient in a chair is similar to cardiac index based on measurements obtained with the patient in bed.

Methods

A convenience sample of cardiac surgical patients and a method-comparison design were used to compare cardiac index values based on measurements obtained with patients in 2 different positions: in a chair and in the bed. A standard thermodilution technique was used to measure cardiac output. Measurement of cardiac output in the second position was obtained immediately after measurement in the first position. Positions were randomly assigned. Bias and precision were calculated and graphed with the Bland-Altman method. Differences in cardiac index of 0.50 or more were considered clinically significant. Analysis of variance was used to determine differences between cardiac index values for the 2 positions.

Results

A total of 27 postoperative cardiac surgical patients were studied. Cardiac index values based on measurements obtained with patients in the 2 different positions did not differ significantly (F1,50 = 0.446; P = .51). The mean difference score (bias) between the 2 positions was −0.07 (precision, 0.30)

Conclusions

The practice of putting cardiac surgical patients whose hemodynamic status is stable back to bed before obtaining measurements for calculation of cardiac index may not be required for accurate values.
Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor Cdkn2c Regulates B Cell Homeostasis and Function in the NZM2410-Derived Murine Lupus Susceptibility Locus Sle2c1
Authors: Xu Zhiwei , Potula Hari-Hara S. K. , Vallurupalli Anusha , Perry Daniel , Baker Henry , Croker Byron P. , Dozmorov Igor , Morel Laurence
Published: May 2011

Sle2c1 is an NZM2410- and NZB-derived lupus susceptibility locus that induces an expansion of the B1a cell compartment. B1a cells have a repertoire enriched for autoreactivity, and an expansion of this B cell subset occurs in several mouse models of lupus. A combination of genetic mapping and candidate gene analysis presents Cdkn2c, a gene encoding for cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p18INK4c (p18), as the top candidate gene for inducing the Slec2c1-associated expansion of B1a cells. A novel single nucleotide polymorphism in the NZB allele of the Cdkn2c promoter is associated with a significantly reduced Cdkn2c expression in the splenic B cells and peritoneal cavity B1a cells from Sle2c1-carrying mice, which leads to a defective G1 cell cycle arrest in splenic B cells and increased proliferation of peritoneal cavity B1a cells. As the cell cycle is differentially regulated in B1a and B2 cells, these results suggest that Cdkn2c plays a critical role in B1a cell self-renewal and that its impaired expression leads to an accumulation of these cells with high autoreactive potential.
The CD3 ζ Subunit Contains a Phosphoinositide-Binding Motif That Is Required for the Stable Accumulation of TCR–CD3 Complex at the Immunological Synapse
Authors: DeFord-Watts Laura M. , Dougall David S. , Belkaya Serkan , Johnson Blake A. , Eitson Jennifer L. , Roybal Kole T. , Barylko Barbara , Albanesi Joseph P. , Wülfing Christoph , van Oers Nicolai S. C.
Published: May 2011

T cell activation involves a cascade of TCR-mediated signals that are regulated by three distinct intracellular signaling motifs located within the cytoplasmic tails of the CD3 chains. Whereas all the CD3 subunits possess at least one ITAM, the CD3 ε subunit also contains a proline-rich sequence and a basic-rich stretch (BRS). The CD3 ε BRS complexes selected phosphoinositides, interactions that are required for normal cell surface expression of the TCR. The cytoplasmic domain of CD3 ζ also contains several clusters of arginine and lysine residues. In this study, we report that these basic amino acids enable CD3 ζ to complex the phosphoinositides PtdIns(3)P, PtdIns(4)P, PtdIns(5)P, PtdIns(3,5)P2, and PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 with high affinity. Early TCR signaling pathways were unaffected by the targeted loss of the phosphoinositide-binding functions of CD3 ζ. Instead, the elimination of the phosphoinositide-binding function of CD3 ζ significantly impaired the ability of this invariant chain to accumulate stably at the immunological synapse during T cell–APC interactions. Without its phosphoinositide-binding functions, CD3 ζ was concentrated in intracellular structures after T cell activation. Such findings demonstrate a novel functional role for CD3 ζ BRS–phosphoinositide interactions in supporting T cell activation.
Chlamydia pneumoniae Inhibits Activated Human T Lymphocyte Proliferation by the Induction of Apoptotic and Pyroptotic Pathways
Authors: Olivares-Zavaleta Norma , Carmody Aaron , Messer Ronald , Whitmire William M. , Caldwell Harlan D.
Published: May 2011

Chlamydia pneumoniae is an omnipresent obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen that infects numerous host species. C. pneumoniae infections of humans are a common cause of community acquired pneumonia but have also been linked to chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and asthma. Persistent infection and immune avoidance are believed to play important roles in the pathophysiology of C. pneumoniae disease. We found that C. pneumoniae organisms inhibited activated but not nonactivated human T cell proliferation. Inhibition of proliferation was pathogen specific, heat sensitive, and multiplicity of infection dependent and required chlamydial entry but not de novo protein synthesis. Activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were equally sensitive to C. pneumoniae antiproliferative effectors. The C. pneumoniae antiproliferative effect was linked to T cell death associated with caspase 1, 8, 9, and IL-1β production, indicating that both apoptotic and pyroptotic cellular death pathways were activated after pathogen–T cell interactions. Collectively, these findings are consistent with the conclusion that C. pneumoniae could induce a local T cell immunosuppression and inflammatory response revealing a possible host–pathogen scenario that would support both persistence and inflammation.
GSK3 Function in the Brain during Development, Neuronal Plasticity, and Neurodegeneration
Authors: Salcedo-Tello Pamela , Ortiz-Matamoros Abril , Arias Clorinda
Published: May 2011

GSK3 has diverse functions, including an important role in brain pathology. In this paper, we address the primary functions of GSK3 in development and neuroplasticity, which appear to be interrelated and to mediate age‐associated neurological diseases. Specifically, GSK3 plays a pivotal role in controlling neuronal progenitor proliferation and establishment of neuronal polarity during development, and the upstream and downstream signals modulating neuronal GSK3 function affect cytoskeletal reorganization and neuroplasticity throughout the lifespan. Modulation of GSK3 in brain areas subserving cognitive function has become a major focus for treating neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. As a crucial node that mediates a variety of neuronal processes, GSK3 is proposed to be a therapeutic target for restoration of synaptic functioning and cognition, particularly in Alzheimer′s disease.
Stroke Mortality, Clinical Presentation and Day of Arrival: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study
Authors: O'Brien Emily C. , Rose Kathryn M. , Shahar Eyal , Rosamond Wayne D.
Published: May 2011

Background. Recent studies report that acute stroke patients who present to the hospital on weekends have higher rates of 28-day mortality than similar patients who arrive during the week. However, how this association is related to clinical presentation and stroke type has not been systematically investigated.Methods and Results. We examined the association between day of arrival and 28-day mortality in 929 validated stroke events in the ARIC cohort from 1987–2004. Weekend arrival was defined as any arrival time from midnight Friday until midnight Sunday. Mortality was defined as all-cause fatal events from the day of arrival through the 28th day of followup. The presence or absence of thirteen stroke signs and symptoms were obtained through medical record review for each event. Binomial logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (OR; 95% CI) for the association between weekend arrival and 28-day mortality for all stroke events and for stroke subtypes. The overall risk of 28-day mortality was 9.6% for weekday strokes and 10.1% for weekend strokes. In models controlling for patient demographics, clinical risk factors, and event year, weekend arrival was not associated with 28-day mortality (0.87; 0.51, 1.50). When stratified by stroke type, weekend arrival was not associated with increased odds of mortality for ischemic (1.17, 0.62, 2.23) or hemorrhagic (0.37; 0.11, 1.26) stroke patients.Conclusions. Presence or absence of thirteen signs and symptoms was similar for weekday patients and weekend patients when stratified by stroke type. Weekend arrival was not associated with 28-day all-cause mortality or differences in symptom presentation for strokes in this cohort.
Non-Existence of Ramanujan Congruences in Modular Forms of Level Four
Authors: Dewar Michael
Published: May 2011

Ramanujan famously found congruences like p(5n+4) ≡ 0 mod 5 for the partition function. We provide a method to find all simple congruences of this type in the coefficients of the inverse of a modular form on Г1(4) that is non-vanishing on the upper half plane. This is applied to answer open questions about the (non)-existence of congruences in the generating functions for overpartitions, crank differences, and 2-colored F-partitions.
Critical Points and Resonance of Hyperplane Arrangements
Authors: Cohen D. , Denham G. , Falk M. , Varchenko A.
Published: May 2011

If is a master function corresponding to a hyperplane arrangement 𝒜 and a collection of weights ⋋, we investigate the relationship between the critical set of , the variety defined by the vanishing of the one-form ⩊⋋ = d log , and the resonance of ⋋. For arrangements satisfying certain conditions, we show that if ⋋ is resonant in dimension p, then the critical set of has codimension at most p. These include all free arrangements and all rank 3 arrangements.
Secondary aerosol formation from photochemical aging of aircraft exhaust in a smog chamber
Authors: Miracolo M. A. , Hennigan C. J. , Ranjan M. , Nguyen N. T. , Gordon T. D. , Lipsky E. M. , Presto A. A. , Donahue N. M. , Robinson A. L.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. Field experiments were performed to investigate the effects of photo-oxidation on fine particle emissions from an in-use CFM56-2B gas turbine engine mounted on a KC-135 Stratotanker airframe. Emissions were sampled into a portable smog chamber from a rake inlet installed one-meter downstream of the engine exit plane of a parked and chocked aircraft. The chamber was then exposed to sunlight and/or UV lights to initiate photo-oxidation. Separate tests were performed at different engine loads (4, 7, 30, 85 %). Photo-oxidation created substantial secondary particulate matter (PM), greatly exceeding the direct PM emissions at each engine load after an hour or less of aging at typical summertime conditions. After several hours of photo-oxidation, the ratio of secondary-to-primary PM mass was on average 35 ± 4.1, 17 ± 2.5, 60 ± 2.2, and 2.7 ± 1.1 for the 4, 7, 30, and 85 % load experiments, respectively. The composition of secondary PM formed strongly depended on load. At 4 % load, secondary PM was dominated by secondary organic aerosol (SOA). At higher loads, the secondary PM was mainly secondary sulfate. A traditional SOA model that accounts for SOA formation from single-ring aromatics and other volatile organic compounds underpredicts the measured SOA formation by ~60 % at 4 % load and ~40 % at 85 % load. Large amounts of lower-volatiliy organic vapors were measured in the exhaust; they represent a significant pool of SOA precursors that are not included in traditional SOA models. These results underscore the importance of accounting for atmospheric processing when assessing the influence of aircraft emissions on ambient PM levels. Models that do not account for this processing will likely underpredict the contribution of aircraft emissions to local and regional air pollution.
Longitudinal variability of the biogeochemical role of Mediterranean aerosols in the Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Ternon E. , Guieu C. , Ridame C. , L'Helguen S. , Catala P.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. The Mediterranean Sea is a semi-enclosed basin characterized by a strong thermal stratification during summer during which the atmosphere is the main source of new nutrients to the nutrient-depleted surface layer. From aerosol sampling and microcosm experiments performed during the TransMed BOUM cruise (June–July 2008) we showed that: (i) the Mediterranean atmosphere composition (Al, Fe, P) was homogeneous over ~28° of longitude and was a mixture with a constant proportion of anthropogenic contribution and a variable but modest contribution of crustal aerosols. This quite stable composition over a one month period and a long transect (~2500 km) allowed to define the Mediterranean atmospheric "background" that characterizes the summer season in the absence of major Saharan event and forest fires, (ii) primary production significantly increased at all tested stations after aerosols addition collected on-board and after Saharan dust analog addition, indicating that both additions relieved on-going (co)-limitations. Although both additions significantly increased the N2 fixation rates at the western station, diazotrophic activity remained very low (~0.2 nmol N L−1 d−1), (iii) due to the presence of anthropogenic particles, the probable higher solubility of nutrients associated with mixed aerosols (crustal + anthropogenic contribution), conferred a higher fertilizing potential to on-board collected aerosol as compared to Saharan dust analog. Finally, those experiments showed that atmospheric inputs from a mixed atmospheric event ("summer rain" type) or from a high-intensity Saharan event would induce comparable response by the biota in the stratified Mediterranean SML, during summer.
Anthropogenic impact on biogenic Si pools in temperate soils
Authors: Clymans W. , Struyf E. , Govers G. , Vandevenne F. , Conley D. J.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. Human land use changes directly affect silica (Si) mobilisation and Si storage in terrestrial ecosystems and influence Si export from the continents, although the magnitudes of the impact are unknown. Yet biogenic silica (BSi) in soils is an understudied aspect. We have quantified and compared total biogenic (PSia) and easily soluble (PSie) Si pools at four sites along a gradient of disturbance in southern Sweden. An estimate of the magnitude of change in temperate continental BSi pools due to human disturbance is provided. Land use clearly affects BSi pools and their distribution. Total PSia and PSie for a continuous forested site at Siggaboda Nature Reserve (66 900 ± 22 800 kg SiO2 ha−1 and 952 ± 16 kg SiO2 ha−1) are significantly higher than disturbed land use types from the Råshult Culture Reserve including arable land (28 800 ± 7200 kg SiO2 ha−1 and 239 ± 91 kg SiO2 ha−1), pasture sites (27 300 ± 5980 kg SiO2 ha−1 and 370 ± 129 kg SiO2 ha−1) and grazed forest (23 600 ± 6370 kg SiO2 ha−1 and 346 ± 123 kg SiO2 ha−1). Vertical PSia and PSie profiles show significant (p<0.05) variation among the sites. These differences in size and distribution are interpreted as the long-term effect of reduced BSi replenishment and increased mobilisation of the PSia in disturbed soils. In temperate regions, total PSia showed a 10 % decline since agricultural development (3000BCE). Recent agricultural expansion (after 1700CE) has resulted in an average export of 1.1 ± 0.8 Tmol Si yr−1, leading to an annual contribution of ca. 20 % to the global land-ocean Si flux carried by rivers. Human activities clearly exert a long-term influence on Si cycling in soils and contribute significantly to the land-ocean Si flux.
Diversity of cultivated and metabolically active aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria along an oligotrophic gradient in the Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Jeanthon C. , Boeuf D. , Dahan O. , Le Gall F. , Garczarek L. , Bendif E. M. , Lehours A.-C.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic (AAP) bacteria play significant roles in the bacterioplankton productivity and biogeochemical cycles of the surface ocean. In this study, we applied both cultivation and mRNA-based molecular methods to explore the diversity of AAP bacteria along an oligotrophic gradient in the Mediterranean Sea in early summer 2008. Colony-forming units obtained on three different agar media were screened for the production of bacteriochlorophyll-a (BChl-a), the light-harvesting pigment of AAP bacteria. BChl-a-containing colonies represented a low part of the cultivable fraction. In total, 52 AAP strains were isolated and the phylogenetic analyses based on their 16S rRNA and pufM genes showed that they were all affiliated to the Alphaproteobacteria. The most frequently isolated strains belonged to Citromicrobium bathyomarinum, and Erythrobacter and Roseovarius species. Most other isolates were related to species not reported to produce BChl-a and/or may represent novel taxa. Direct extraction of RNA from seawater samples enabled the analysis of the expression of pufM, the gene coding for the M subunit of the reaction centre complex of aerobic anoxygenic photosynthesis. Clone libraries of pufM gene transcripts revealed that most phylotypes were highly similar to sequences previously recovered from the Mediterranean Sea and a large majority (~94%) was affiliated with the Gammaproteobacteria. The most abundantly detected phylotypes occurred in the western and eastern Mediterranean basins. However, some were exclusively detected in the eastern basin, reflecting the highest diversity of pufM transcripts observed in this ultra-oligotrophic region. To our knowledge, this is the first study to document extensively the diversity of AAP isolates and to unveil the active AAP community in an oligotrophic marine environment. By pointing out the discrepancies between culture-based and molecular methods, this study highlights the existing gaps in the understanding of the AAP bacteria ecology, especially in the Mediterranean Sea and likely globally.
Upper ocean climate of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea during the Holocene Insolation Maximum – a model study
Authors: Adloff F. , Mikolajewicz U. , Kucera M. , Grimm R. , Maier-Reimer E. , Schmiedl G. , Emeis K.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. Nine thousand years ago, the Northern Hemisphere experienced enhanced seasonality caused by an orbital configuration with a minimum of the precession index. To assess the impact of the "Holocene Insolation Maximum" (HIM) on the Mediterranean Sea, we use a regional ocean general circulation model forced by atmospheric input derived from global simulations. A stronger seasonal cycle is simulated in the model, which shows a relatively homogeneous winter cooling and a summer warming with well-defined spatial patterns, in particular a subsurface warming in the Cretan and Western Levantine areas. The comparison between the SST simulated for the HIM and the reconstructions from planktonic foraminifera transfer functions shows a poor agreement, especially for summer, when the vertical temperature gradient is strong. However, a reinterpretation of the reconstructions is proposed, to consider the conditions throughout the upper water column. Such a depth-integrated approach accounts for the vertical range of preferred habitat depths of the foraminifera used for the reconstructions and strongly improves the agreement between modelled and reconstructed temperature signal. The subsurface warming is recorded by both model and proxies, with a light shift to the south in the model results. The mechanisms responsible for the peculiar subsurface pattern are found to be a combination of enhanced downwelling and wind mixing due to strengthened Etesian winds, and enhanced thermal forcing due to the stronger summer insolation in the Northern Hemisphere. Together, these processes induce a stronger heat transfer from the surface to the subsurface during late summer in the Western Levantine; this leads to an enhanced heat piracy in this region.
Mobile Mindfulness Intervention for Psychological Distress Among Intensive Care Unit Survivors
Authors: Cox Christopher E. , Gallis John A. , Olsen Maren K. , Porter Laura S. , Gremore Tina , Greeson Jeffrey M. , Morris Cynthia , Moss Marc , Hough Catherine L.
Published: May 2024

Importance

Although psychological distress is common among survivors of critical illness, there are few tailored therapies.

Objective

To determine the optimal method for delivering a mindfulness intervention via a mobile app for critical illness survivors.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This randomized clinical trial used a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design and was conducted at 3 sites among survivors of critical illness with elevated postdischarge symptoms of depression. The study was conducted between August 2019 and July 2023.

Interventions

Participants were randomized to 1 of 8 different groups as determined by 3 two-level intervention component combinations: intervention introduction method (mobile app vs therapist call), mindfulness meditation dose (once daily vs twice daily), and management of increasing symptoms (mobile app vs therapist call).

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) depression scale score (range, 0-27) at 1 month. Secondary outcomes included anxiety (7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder) and posttraumatic stress disorder (Posttraumatic Stress Scale) symptoms at 1 and 3 months, adherence, and feasibility. General linear models were used to compare main effects and interactions of the components among intervention groups. A formal decisional framework was used to determine an optimized intervention version.

Results

A total of 247 participants (mean [SD] age, 50.2 [15.4] years; 104 [42.1%] women) were randomized. Twice-daily meditation compared with once-daily meditation was associated with a 1.2 (95% CI, 0.04-2.4)–unit lower mean estimated PHQ-9 score at 1 month and a 1.5 (95% CI, 0.1-2.8)–unit lower estimated mean score at 3 months. The other 2 intervention components had no main effects on the PHQ-9. Across-group adherence was high (217 participants [87.9%] using the intervention at trial conclusion) and retention was strong (191 [77.3%] and 182 [73.7%] at 1 and 3 months, respectively).

Conclusions and Relevance

A mindfulness intervention for survivors of critical illness that included an app-based introduction, twice-daily guided meditation, and app-based management of increasing depression symptoms was optimal considering effects on psychological distress symptoms, adherence, and feasibility.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04038567
Financial Burden of Health Care in the Privately Insured US Population
Authors: Shashikumar Sukruth A. , Zheng ZhaoNian , Joynt Maddox Karen E. , Wadhera Rishi K.
Published: May 2024

This cross-sectional study examines how changes in privately insured families’ contributions to insurance premiums and out-of-pocket spending have affected the financial burden of health care in recent decades.
How Should Medicare Pay for Artificial Intelligence?
Authors: Zink Anna , Chernew Michael E. , Neprash Hannah T.
Published: May 2024

This Viewpoint examines artificial intelligence–enabled clinical services, existing payment structures, and the economics of artificial intelligence pricing.
Air and Noise Pollution Exposure in Early Life and Mental Health From Adolescence to Young Adulthood
Authors: Newbury Joanne B. , Heron Jon , Kirkbride James B. , Fisher Helen L. , Bakolis Ioannis , Boyd Andy , Thomas Richard , Zammit Stanley
Published: May 2024

Importance

Growing evidence associates air pollution exposure with various psychiatric disorders. However, the importance of early-life (eg, prenatal) air pollution exposure to mental health during youth is poorly understood, and few longitudinal studies have investigated the association of noise pollution with youth mental health.

Objectives

To examine the longitudinal associations of air and noise pollution exposure in pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence with psychotic experiences, depression, and anxiety in youths from ages 13 to 24 years.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, an ongoing longitudinal birth cohort founded in 1991 through 1993 in Southwest England, United Kingdom. The cohort includes over 14 000 infants with due dates between April 1, 1991, and December 31, 1992, who were subsequently followed up into adulthood. Data were analyzed October 29, 2021, to March 11, 2024.

Exposures

A novel linkage (completed in 2020) was performed to link high-resolution (100 m2) estimates of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), fine particulate matter under 2.5 μm (PM2.5), and noise pollution to home addresses from pregnancy to 12 years of age.

Main outcomes and measures

Psychotic experiences, depression, and anxiety were measured at ages 13, 18, and 24 years. Logistic regression models controlled for key individual-, family-, and area-level confounders.

Results

This cohort study included 9065 participants who had any mental health data, of whom (with sample size varying by parameter) 51.4% (4657 of 9051) were female, 19.5% (1544 of 7910) reported psychotic experiences, 11.4% (947 of 8344) reported depression, and 9.7% (811 of 8398) reported anxiety. Mean (SD) age at follow-up was 24.5 (0.8) years. After covariate adjustment, IQR increases (0.72 μg/m3) in PM2.5 levels during pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.11 [95% CI, 1.04-1.19]; P = .002) and during childhood (AOR, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.00-1.10]; P = .04) were associated with elevated odds for psychotic experiences. Pregnancy PM2.5 exposure was also associated with depression (AOR, 1.10 [95% CI, 1.02-1.18]; P = .01). Higher noise pollution exposure in childhood (AOR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.03-1.38]; P = .02) and adolescence (AOR, 1.22 [95% CI, 1.02-1.45]; P = .03) was associated with elevated odds for anxiety.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this longitudinal cohort study, early-life air and noise pollution exposure were prospectively associated with 3 common mental health problems from adolescence to young adulthood. There was a degree of specificity in terms of pollutant-timing-outcome associations. Interventions to reduce air and noise pollution exposure (eg, clean air zones) could potentially improve population mental health. Replication using quasi-experimental designs is now needed to shed further light on the underlying causes of these associations.
Time Windows Between Symptom Onset and Treatment—An Outdated Myth
Authors: Caplan Louis R.
Published: May 2024

This Viewpoint discusses how time windows between symptom onset and treatment have evolved and why more factors need to be considered.
Constructing an Interlaced Catalytic Surface via Fluorine‐Doped Bimetallic Oxides for Oxygen Electrode Processes in Li–O2 Batteries
Authors: Sun Zongqiang , Lin Xiaodong , Wang Chutao , Tan Yanyan , Dou Wenjie , Hu Ajuan , Cui Jiaqing , Fan Jingmin , Yuan Ruming , Zheng Mingsen , Dong Quanfeng
Published: May 2024

Lithium–oxygen (Li–O2) batteries, renowned for their high theoretical energy density, have garnered significant interest as prime candidates for future electric device development. However, their actual capacity is often unsatisfactory due to the passivation of active sites by solid‐phase discharge products. Optimizing the growth and storage of these products is a crucial step in advancing Li–O2 batteries. Here, a fluorine‐doped bimetallic cobalt‐nickel oxide (CoNiO2–xFx/CC) with an interlaced catalytic surface (ICS) and a corncob‐like structure is proposed as an oxygen electrode. Unlike conventional oxide electrodes with a “single adsorption catalytic mechanism,” the ICS of CoNiO2−xFx/CC offers a “competitive adsorption catalytic mechanism,” where oxygen sites facilitate oxygen conversion while fluorine sites contribute to the growth of Li2O2. This results in a change in Li2O2 morphology from a surface film to toroidal particles, effectively preventing the burial of active sites. Additionally, the unique open architecture aids in the capture and release of oxygen and the formation of well‐contacted Li2O2/electrode interfaces, which benefits the complete decomposition of Li2O2 products. Consequently, the Li–O2 battery with a CoNiO2−xFx/CC cathode demonstrates a high specific capacity of up to 30923 mAh g−1 and a lifespan exceeding 580 cycles, surpassing most reported metal oxide‐based cathodes.
Inclusion of Anion Additives in the Inner Solvation Shell to Regulate the Composition of Solid Electrolyte Interphase
Authors: Lohani Harshita , Kumar Ajit , Bano Amreen , Ghosh Arpita , Kumari Pratima , Ahuja Aakash , Sengupta Abhinanda , Kumar Dhruv , Major Dan Thomas , Mitra Sagar
Published: May 2024

An innovative approach to electrolyte engineering in carbonate electrolytes is introduced by incorporating high donor number dual anion additives into the conventional electrolyte system (1 M NaPF6 EC:PC). The active engagement of anions in the primary solvation shell effectively hinders the reduction of solvent molecules by reducing the Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital (LUMO) of Na+‐solvent‐anion complex as compared to the LUMO of pure solvents or Na+‐solvent complex. The participation of anions leads to the formation of a thinner and an inorganic‐rich Solid Electrolyte Interphase on the hard carbon anode enhancing Initial Coulombic Efficiency and significantly improving its kinetics. Moreover, the system with dual anion additives exhibits oxidative stability up to 4.5 V, effectively mitigating the undesired side reactions at high voltage operation of the layered sodium nickel manganese oxide cathode. The addition of dual anion additives proves instrumental in suppressing structural degradation and transition metal dissolution during the long cycling performance of the layered oxide cathode in a sodium‐ion full cell. The synergistic effects of this dual anion additive added electrolyte on both the anode and the cathode ultimately ensured prolonged cycling of the sodium‐ion full cell. The electrolyte engineering approach outlined in this study opens the door to advancing next‐generation high‐voltage sodium batteries.
Stimuli‐responsive photoluminescent copper(I) halides for scintillation, anticounterfeiting, and light‐emitting diode applications
Authors: Popy Dilruba A. , Singh Yashpal , Tratsiak Yauhen , Cardoza Abby M. , Lane John M. , Stand Luis , Zhuravleva Mariya , Rai Neeraj , Saparov Bayram
Published: May 2024

Highly sensitive stimuli‐responsive luminescent materials are crucial for applications in optical sensing, security, and anticounterfeiting. Here, we report two zero‐dimensional (0D) copper(I) halides, (TEP)2Cu2Br4, (TEP)2Cu4Br6, and 1D (TEP)3Ag6Br9, which are comprised of isolated [Cu2Br4]2−, [Cu4Br6]2−, and [Ag6Br9]3− polyanions, respectively, separated by TEP+ (tetraethylphosphonium [TEP]) cations. (TEP)2Cu2Br4 and (TEP)2Cu4Br6 demonstrate greenish‐white and orange‐red emissions, respectively, with near unity photoluminescence quantum yields, while (TEP)3Ag6Br9 is a poor light emitter. Optical spectroscopy measurements and density‐functional theory calculations reveal that photoemissions of these compounds originate from self‐trapped excitons due to the excited‐state distortions in the copper(I) halide units. Crystals of Cu(I) halides are radioluminescence active at room temperature under both X‐ and γ‐rays exposure. The light yields up to 15,800 ph/MeV under 662 keV γ‐rays of 137Cs suggesting their potential for scintillation applications. Remarkably, (TEP)2Cu2Br4 and (TEP)2Cu4Br6 are interconvertible through chemical stimuli or reverse crystallization. In addition, both compounds demonstrate luminescence on‐off switching upon thermal stimuli. The sensitivity of (TEP)2Cu2Br4 and (TEP)2Cu4Br6 to the chemical and thermal stimuli coupled with their ultrabright emission allows their consideration for applications such as solid‐state lighting, sensing, information storage, and anticounterfeiting.
Precise Helium Sieving from Hydrogen Using Fluorine‐Decorated Carbon Hollow Fiber Membranes
Authors: Wu Qi , Liu Lu , Jiao Yang , Li Zhenyuan , Bai Ju , Ma Xiaohua , Luo Shuangjiang , Zhang Suojiang
Published: May 2024

Separating helium (He) and hydrogen (H2), two gases that are extremely similar in molecular size and condensation properties, presents a formidable challenge in the helium industry. The development of membranes capable of precisely differentiating between these gases is crucial for achieving large‐scale, energy‐efficient He/H2 separation. However, the limited selectivity of current membranes has hindered their practical application. In this study, we propose a novel approach to overcome this challenge by engineering submicroporous membranes through the fluorination of partially carbonized hollow fibers. We demonstrate that the fluorine substitution on the inner rim of the micropore walls within the carbon hollow fibers enables tunability of the microporous architecture. Furthermore, it enhances interactions between H2 molecules and the micropore walls through the polarization and hydrogen bonding induced by C−F bonds, resulting in simultaneous improvements in both He/H2 diffusivity and solubility selectivities. The fluorinated HFM‐550‐F‐1 min membrane exhibits exceptional mixed‐gas separation performance, with a binary mixed‐gas He/H2 selectivity of 10.5 and a ternary mixed‐gas He/(H2+CO2) selectivity of 20.8, at 40 bar feed pressure and 35 °C, surpassing all previously reported polymer‐based gas separation membranes, and remarkable plasticization resistance and long‐term continuous stability over 30 days.
Improving Team Members’ Attention During the OR Briefing or Time Out
Authors: Braverman Ariel
Published: May 2024

Effective coordination among health care professionals is crucial to achieving optimal outcomes. In the OR, even minor errors can have catastrophic consequences. To mitigate the risk of error, health care professionals have adopted a briefing culture like that used in the aviation industry. Briefings are essential to ensure that everyone involved in a procedure knows the plan and potential risks and is prepared to perform their duties safely and effectively. The fundamental human sense involved in briefings is auditory perception; although important, hearing alone does not equate to focused attention. To enhance the efficacy of briefings, engaging the use of a second sense by adding a visual checklist may increase attentiveness and the chances of early error detection and prevention. Using a projection device may enhance all team members’ engagement and participation during the briefing or time‐out process and can be an effective tool for improving communication and reducing errors.
Effect of Weighted Blanket Versus Traditional Practices on Anxiety and Pain in Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Payne Danielle R. , Vinson Jaime , Powers Jan , McDaniel Brandon T. , Sevier Cherise , Marshall Cynthia , Sell Sue
Published: May 2024

Perioperative anxiety is common in surgical patients and linked to poor outcomes. This multicenter randomized controlled trial assessed the effect of the use of a warm weighted blanket on presurgical anxiety and pain, as well as postsurgical restlessness, nausea, and vomiting. Levels of anxiety and pain were measured in adult patients using a 100‐point visual analog scale before elective surgery. Patients received either a warm weighted blanket (n = 74) or a traditional sheet or nonweighted blanket (n = 74). Patients in the intervention group had significantly lower preoperative anxiety scores (mean [SD] = 26.28 [25.75]) compared to the control group (mean [SD] = 38.73 [30.55], P = .008). However, the intervention had no significant effect on presurgical pain or postsurgical nausea, vomiting, or restlessness. These results suggest that weighted blankets reduce preoperative anxiety in adult patients.
Two‐particle debris flow simulation based on SPH
Authors: Zhang Jiaxiu , Yang Meng , Li Xiaomin , Jiang Qun'ou , Zhang Heng , Meng Weiliang
Published: May 2024

Debris flow is a highly destructive natural disaster, necessitating accurate simulation and prediction. Existing simulation methods tend to be overly simplified, neglecting the three‐dimensional complexity and multiphase fluid interactions, and they also lack comprehensive consideration of soil conditions. We propose a novel two‐particle debris flow simulation method based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) for enhanced accuracy. Our method employs a sophisticated two‐particle model coupling debris flow dynamics with SPH to simulate fluid‐solid interaction effectively, which considers various soil factors, dividing terrain into variable and fixed areas, incorporating soil impact factors for realistic simulation. By dynamically updating positions and reconstructing surfaces, and employing GPU and hash lookup acceleration methods, we achieve accurate simulation with significantly efficiency. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of our method across different conditions, making it valuable for debris flow risk assessment in natural disaster management.
Deep‐Ultraviolet Photoexcitation of Aqueous Urea Forms Carbamic Acid/Carbamate in Less Than One Picosecond
Authors: Thøgersen Jan , Madzharova Fani , Weidner Tobias , Jensen Frank
Published: May 2024

Urea is believed to have been essential to the synthesis of prebiotic nucleotides and thereby the RNA or DNA of the first lifeforms. Models suggesting that life began in wet‐dry cycles around shallow aquatic ponds imply that reactants such as urea were exposed to deep ultraviolet irradiation from the young sun. Detrimental photodissociation of urea induced by deep UV excitation potentially challenges these models. We here follow the primary deep ultraviolet photochemistry of aqueous urea. The data show that urea is barely excited at 200 nm due to weak ultraviolet absorption. The likelihood of photodissociation is further reduced by strong intra‐molecular coupling of the CN and CO stretch vibrations accompanied by an efficient dissipation of the excitation energy to the surrounding water molecules mitigated by urea‐water hydrogen bonds. We find that 54±5 % of the excited urea molecules dissociate. Reactions between the photoproducts and surrounding solvent molecules form carbamic acid or the carbamate anions within 0.6 ps. The molecules that do not dissociate return to the electronic ground state in 2 ps. Interestingly, the photodissociation processes of urea in the aqueous phase is different from earlier reported reactions observed following the VUV photolysis of urea in noble gas matrices and highlight the potential influence of water on the prebiotic photochemistry.
Impact of pressure on coking of vacuum residue
Authors: Shen Jing , Sajiv Kumar Roshni , Wiens Jason , Wormsbecker Michael , Semagina Natalia
Published: May 2024

Thermal conversion of vacuum tower bottoms (VTB) and its narrow‐cut distillation fractions were studied at 530°C between 0.1 and 2 MPa pressure to assess the effect of the reaction pressure on coking. Coke yield in the VTB conversion increased with pressure, which was found to be mostly due to the enhanced coking of the 700°C+ narrow cut. The microcarbon residue in the liquid remained unaffected. The yield of products with a boiling point below 510°C, including distillate and by‐product lights, decreased with the pressure increase. The trend was a cumulative effect of the increased yields from the VTB cuts boiling below 635°C and the decreased yields from the heavier cuts. Admixing different VTB cuts into the VTB feed resulted in the weighted average changes with no synergistic or antagonistic effects.
Conversion of tailings solvent recovery unit (TSRU) by‐products into activated carbon‐zeolite composites: Impact of fusion pre‐treatment on porosity and CO2 capture
Authors: Sedghkerdar Mohammad Hashem , Patel Umang , Mahinpey Nader
Published: May 2024

Currently, the oil sands industry is producing millions of tons of tailings by‐products from the tailings solvent recovery unit (TSRU) into the tailings ponds. TSRU tailings (TTs) consist of water, asphaltene, and minerals, including silica and alumina mixtures. The oil sands sector has expanded efforts to discover solutions to remove the tailings ponds due to growing public concern about the environmental effects of these ponds and stiffer government rules on their disposal. Therefore, this report studied the effect of the different methods for the conversion of the TTs into the activated carbon‐zeolite composite. The TTs were treated with activation followed by hydrothermal, either with or without fusion with NaOH at 800°C for 1 h as a pre‐treatment. Zeolite Na‐P, zeolite A, and zeolite X were identified during the different characterizations, depending on the pre‐treatment of the fusion. The result showed that the fusion with NaOH before the hydrothermal reaction was effective as it increased the porosity and adsorption of the composite. The CO2 capture capacity of the product before fusion was 0.19 mmol/g, and after fusion, it was improved to 0.486 mmol/g.
Mitigating voltage decay of O3‐NaNi1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3O2 layered oxide cathode for sodium‐ion batteries by incorporation of 5d metal tantalum
Authors: Huang Shuai , Sun Yuanyuan , Yuan Tao , Che Haiying , Zheng Qinfeng , Zhang Yixiao , Li Pengzhi , Qiu Jian , Pang Yuepeng , Yang Junhe , Ma Zi‐Feng , Zheng Shiyou
Published: May 2024

The cycling stability of O3‐type NaNi1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3O2 (NFM) as a commercial cathode material for sodium ion batteries (SIBs) is still a challenge. In this study, the Ni/Fe/Mn elements are replaced successfully with tantalum (Ta) in the NFM lattice, which generated additional delocalized electrons and enhanced the binding ability between the transition metal and oxygen, resulting in suppressed lattice distortion during charging and discharging. This caused significant mitigation of voltage decay and improved cycle stability within the potential range of 2.0–4.2 V. The optimized Na(Ni1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3)0.97Ta0.03O2 sample achieved a reversible capacity of 162.6 mAh g−1 at a current rate of 0.1 C and 73.2 mAh g−1 at a high rate of 10 C. Additionally, the average charge/discharge potential retention reached 98% after 100 cycles, significantly mitigating the voltage decay. This work demonstrates a significant contribution towards the practical utilization of NFM cathodes in the SIBs energy storage field.