bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Situational analysis for informing the global strengthening of the occupational therapy workforce
Authors: Jesus Tiago S. , Mani Karthik , Bhattacharjya Sutanuka , Kamalakannan Sureshkumar , von Zweck Claudia , Ledgerd Ritchard ,   World Federation of Occupational Therapists
Published: December 2022

Background

Occupational Therapists are needed for meeting the health, rehabilitation, and occupational needs of the population worldwide, but there is no strategy for strengthening the occupational therapy workforce against a backdrop of an insufficient and inequitable supply worldwide.

Objective

To perform a situational assessment of occupational therapy workforce development and research toward informing a global human resources strategy for the occupational therapy workforce strengthening.

Method

A multi‐methods design incorporating Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis based on scoping review findings, workforce development frameworks, and expert feedback.

Results

Strengths included identified workforce research trends, gaps, and findings. Weaknesses included a shortage of workforce research, lack of uniform and readily available workforce datasets, absence of workforce research programs, over‐reliance on descriptive and non‐experimental research, lack of research on workforce topics (e.g., diversity), and lack of labor market or economic analyses. Opportunities are the availability of guidance and tools for strengthening the health and rehabilitation workforce worldwide, and increased membership from low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) in the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. Threats include the suboptimal funding of occupational therapy workforce research, the lack of occupational therapists data on international datasets and studies, suboptimal educational capacity in LMICs, lack of professional regulation and uniform workforce data collection in many contexts, and a perceived lower priority of this health workforce focused on health and wellbeing rather than medical outcomes.

Conclusion

This SWOT analysis identifies strengths and opportunities to be seized and weaknesses and threats to be addressed by development of a strategy for the global strengthening of the occupational therapy workforce.
Analysis and management of herbicidal mixtures in a high-intensity agricultural landscape in Belgium
Authors: Schuster Hanna S. , Taylor Nadine S. , Sur Robin , Weyers Arnd
Published: December 2022

Water bodies located in anthropogenically influenced environments, such as agricultural landscapes, may be exposed to different chemicals simultaneously or sequentially. Yet, current environmental risk assessments focus on single active substances for unintended mixtures. For 3.5 years, the present study monitored the mixture of herbicides, within an intensively managed agricultural catchment, accompanied by a stewardship program. Twelve herbicides and one metabolite were monitored on a daily to sub-daily basis, generating a unique, high temporal resolution data set, enabling an assessment of cumulative exposure in a worst-case scenario. Analyses focused on the number of events at which the herbicide mixture concentration exceeded the regulatory accepted concentration for algae and macrophytes, based on concentration addition, and the potential factors influencing the frequency of these events are considered. A low number of individual herbicides drove the toxicity and only two of these overlapped for the two organism groups, algae and macrophytes. The observed exceedance events coincided with seasonal influences, and low rainfall during the 2011 season correlated with a highly reduced number of these events. The major influence was found to be the implementation of the stewardship program, which directed farmers to use more advanced farming techniques, avoid spillages, and other point sources. The number of exceedance events was reduced by more than half for algae (9% of the daily mean samples in 2010 and 4% in 2013) and by approximately 10 times for macrophytes (36% in 2010 to 3% in 2013). This high-resolution monitoring data set illustrates how knowledge of the influencing factors can help reduce unintended exposure to chemicals and achieve real-world improvements. Overall, a single-substance assessment is protective of mixture effects. Where mixture effects do play a role, local measures to manage point sources are more effective than changes to the desk-based environmental risk assessments that focus on diffuse sources. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:1297–1306. © 2022 Cambridge Environmental Assessments RSK ADAS Ltd and Bayer AG. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
Evaluation of the clinical performance of OncoPredict HPV® SCR assay within the VALGENT‐2 framework
Authors: Dhillon Sharonjit K. , Cocuzza Clementina E. , Chung Pui Yan Jenny , Martinelli Marianna , Giubbi Chiara , Njoku Ruth C. , Bhatia Ramya , Cuschieri Kate , Arbyn Marc
Published: December 2022

Human papillomavirus (HPV) assays used in cervical cancer screening should be clinically validated according to international criteria. OncoPredict HPV® Screening (SCR) is a partial genotyping multiplex real‐time PCR assay targeting E6/E7 genes of 13 high‐risk (hr) HPVs. OncoPredict HPV® SCR (index assay) identifies HPV‐16 and HPV‐18 separately, 11 other hrHPV in aggregate and includes quality controls for sample adequacy, DNA extraction efficiency and PCR inhibition. 1300 VALGENT‐2 study samples (from women aged 20–60 attending the Scottish cervical cancer screening program) were tested with the index assay and the GP5+/6+ PCR enzyme immunoassay (standard comparator assay). Non‐inferior accuracy detecting cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of grade 2 or worse (CIN2+) of the index versus comparator was verified. Intra‐ and interlaboratory reproducibility of the index was evaluated by overall concordance and Cohen's kappa, using a sub‐population (n = 526). Relative sensitivity and specificity for CIN2+ of the index versus comparator were 1.01 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99–1.03) and 1.02 (95% CI: 1.0–1.04), respectively. Noninferiority p values were all ≤0.05, except for CIN3+ in patients ≥30 years. Excellent intra‐ and interlaboratory reproducibility was shown with concordance >98% and kappas >0.95. OncoPredict HPV® SCR fulfills the three international validation criteria for hrHPV DNA tests in cervical cancer screening.
National incidence and trends of bicycle injury
Authors: Johnson Charles A. , Newton William N. , LaRochelle Luke , Daly Charles A.
Published: December 2022

Bicycle utilization continues to increase annually, and this trend was recently accelerated by the coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic. There is limited epidemiologic data, however, regarding the prevalence and nature of bicycle‐related injuries. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to characterize trends in bicycle‐related injuries. The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System was queried for bicycle‐related injuries from 2012 to 2021. Patient demographic and injury data were collected and analyzed to describe trends in incidence, patient demographics, and injury patterns associated with an emergency department encounter for a bicycle‐related injury. There were an estimated 4,666,491 (95% confidence interval: 4,661,472–4,671,510) bicycle‐related injuries from 2012 to 2021. The incidence of these injuries has significantly decreased over time (R = −0.983, R2 = 0.967, p < 0.001). However, the rate of injury in elderly patients increased over time. Injuries occurred most often during summer months (36%) and on weekend days (31.9%). Males and younger patients were more commonly injured. Head injuries were the most commonly affected body part among all age groups. Fractures were the most common injury type overall. Upper extremity injuries were more common than the lower extremity. Despite increased public bicycle utilization, there is a significant downtrend in bicycle‐related injuries over the last decade. Injuries among elderly patients are becoming more common, who demonstrate a high rate of fracture and head injury. Fractures and head injuries were the most common injuries among all age groups, highlighting the importance of bicycle safety initiatives and helmet‐wearing regardless of age.
Effect of high‐pressure homogenization on Ca2+‐induced gel formation of soybean 11 S globulin
Authors: Sun Bingyu , Gu Xuelian , Wang Fengqiujie , Liu Linlin , Huang Yuyang , Gao Yuan , Lü Mingshou , Zhu Ying , Shi Yanguo , Zhu Xiuqing
Published: December 2022

Background

High‐pressure homogenization (HPH) is commonly used as a non‐thermal processing technique for soybean and soy protein products, and the preparation of soy protein gel products often requires the synergistic effect of HPH and heat treatment. The dissociative association behavior of 11 S is the key to the protein gel formation state. In this study, therefore, 11 S thermal gels were prepared by high‐pressure homogenization and co‐induction (90 °C, 30 min) (adding Ca2+ to promote gel formation before heat treatment), and the effects of different high‐pressure homogenization pressures (0–100 MPa) and co‐treatment on the dissociative association behavior of 11 S protein, gel properties, and microstructure of 11 S gels were investigated.

Results

The results showed that HPH at higher pressures led to the breaking of disulfide bonds of aggregates and disrupted non‐covalent interactions in protein aggregates, leading to collisions between protein aggregates and the reduction of large protein aggregates. High‐pressure homogenization treatment at 60 MPa improved the gel properties of 11 S more. The HPH combined with heating changed the binary and tertiary structure of 11 S soy globulin and enhanced the hydrophobic interaction between 11 S molecules, thus improving the gel properties of 11 S. The change in intermolecular forces reflected the positive effect of HPH treatment on the formation of denser and more homogeneous protein gels.

Conclusion

In conclusion, high‐pressure homogenization combined with heating can improve the properties of 11 S gels by changing the structure of 11 S protein, providing data and theoretical support for soy protein processing and its further applications. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Comparing fecal DNA capture‐recapture to mark‐resight for estimating abundance of mule deer on winter ranges
Authors: Stewart Andi M. , Conner Mary M. , McKeever Jane S. , Ellsworth Alisa , Crowhurst Rachel S. , Epps Clinton W. , Stephenson Thomas R.
Published: December 2022

Monitoring big game populations is necessary for making well‐informed management decisions. In the eastern Sierra Nevada in California, USA, mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) herds have been monitored using traditional mark‐resight methods on winter ranges since the 1990s. Although mark‐resight methods work well for estimating abundance, animal capture for marking is expensive, invasive, and risky. We were motivated to evaluate fecal DNA‐based capture‐recapture for estimating abundance on winter ranges based on the effectiveness of this new technique in other populations in California. This method has been successful for estimating abundance when animals are concentrated around a required resource or pellets are collected from game trails, but it has not been evaluated using randomly selected transects on winter ranges where traditional methods work well. We compared precision (CV) and cost of fecal DNA capture‐recapture surveys to aerial mark‐resight surveys for estimating population abundance. In the Round Valley and Goodale study areas in the eastern Sierra Nevada, we conducted annual aerial mark‐resight surveys and collected fecal pellet samples in Round Valley during winter 2020. We genotyped fecal DNA from pellets to identify unique individuals and sex. Population abundance estimates from aerial mark‐resight surveys were more precise in Round Valley (CV = 6.6%) compared to abundance estimates from fecal DNA capture‐recapture (CV = 20.4%). But based on simulations from Round Valley data, to obtain the same CV (CV = 10%), fecal DNA capture‐recapture was about 63% less expensive than aerial mark‐resight using very high frequency collars and 70% less expensive than aerial mark‐resight using global positioning system collars. In contrast, fecal DNA capture‐recapture did not succeed in the Goodale study area because of weather and logistical constraints. Determining which method is best depends on the situation, but fecal DNA capture‐recapture provides another tool for estimating population size on winter range. We conclude that fecal DNA capture‐recapture is a cost‐effective alternative for estimating abundance of ungulates on winter ranges when weather is not limiting and when researchers can survey an adequate proportion of the study area and collect an adequate number of samples.
Effect of Junction Aggregation on the Dynamics of Supramolecular Polymers and Networks
Authors: Ahmadi Mostafa , Jangizehi Amir , Saalwächter Kay , Seiffert Sebastian
Published: December 2022

Transient structures based on associative polymers can deliver complex functions; as such, they hold promise for advanced applications as in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and electronics. The network structure and timescale of its rearrangement are key factors that define their range of utility. However, the inevitable phase separation of polar pairwise associations from nonpolar polymer chains frequently causes junction aggregation, whose stability and functionality significantly affect the network structure and dynamics, and as such, redefine its utility. Engineering the extent of association is a necessity for controlling properties of supramolecular materials, yet the current knowledge of the effect of design parameters on specificities of aggregates and their consequent effects on material properties is limited. To address this gap, the importance of aggregation is highlighted, the available theories and models of the dynamics of associative polymers in the presence of aggregates are reviewed, and the existing experimental records to draw a general guideline for interpreting the effect of aggregates on polymer dynamics are classified. Moreover, pitfalls and considerations like the applicability of time–temperature superposition, and the interplay of kinetics and thermodynamics of aggregation that may undermine the authenticity of the reported data are reviewed.
Musielak–Orlicz Hardy space estimates for commutators of Calderón–Zygmund operators
Authors: Huy Duong Quoc , Ky Luong Dang
Published: December 2022

Let and T be a δ‐Calderón–Zygmund operator. When and , it is well‐known (see the work by Harboure, Segovia, and Torrea [Illinois J. Math. 41 (1997), no. 4, 676–700]) that the commutator is not bounded from the Hardy space into the Lebesgue space if b is not a constant function. Let φ be a Musielak–Orlicz function satisfying that, for any , belongs to the Muckenhoupt weight class with the critical weight exponent and is an Orlicz function with the critical lower type . In this paper, we find a proper subspace of such that, if then is bounded from the Musielak–Orlicz Hardy space into the Musielak–Orlicz space . Conversely, if and the commutators of the classical Riesz transforms are bounded from into , then . Our results generalize some recent results by Huy and Ky [Vietnam J. Math. (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10013‐020‐00406‐2] and Liang, Ky, and Yang [Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 144 (2016), no. 12, 5171–5181].
Clavicular reconstruction utilizing free fibula flap with periosteal extension
Authors: O'Neill Rebecca , Skochdopole Anna , Grush Andrew E. , Atassi Omar H. , Maricevich Marco
Published: December 2022

Clavicular reconstruction is typically managed conservatively. Despite demonstrating improving outcomes, including range of motion and pain, there are currently no published reports of acute reconstruction with vascularized free fibula flaps (VFFF) or vascularized periosteal extensions in adult patients with clavicular defects. VFFFs have been utilized to correct critical bony defects of the clavicle and chronic nonunions; however, descriptions following acute trauma are rare. Bony union enhancement with periosteal extension has been described in both pediatric and adult populations, but never in the case of clavicular reconstruction. Herein, we seek to fill this gap in the literature by describing the acute reconstruction of a 6.5 cm bony gap in a 29‐year‐old male following a gunshot wound to the chest, utilizing a 6.5 cm VFFF with periosteal extension, and inset to the internal mammary vessels. The postoperative course was uncomplicated, with bony consolidation noted by 10 weeks, and full, pain‐free range of motion at 8 months, showing this technique may be a viable option following acute trauma.
Automatic segmentation of thrombosed aortic dissection in post‐operative CT‐angiography images
Authors: Feng Hanying , Fu Zheng , Wang Yulin , Zhang Puming , Lai Hao , Zhao Jun
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The thrombus in the false lumen (FL) of aortic dissection (AD) patients is a meaningful indicator to determine aortic remodeling but difficult to measure in clinic. In this study, a novel segmentation strategy based on deep learning was proposed to automatically extract the thrombus in the FL in post‐operative computed tomography angiography (CTA) images of AD patients, which provided an efficient and convenient segmentation method with high accuracy.

Methods

A two‐step segmentation strategy was proposed. Each step contained a convolutional neural network (CNN) to segment the aorta and the thrombus, respectively. In the first step, a CNN was used to obtain the binary segmentation mask of the whole aorta. In the second step, another CNN was introduced to segment the thrombus. The results of the first step were used as additional input to the second step to highlight the aorta in the complex background. Moreover, skip connection attention refinement (SAR) modules were designed and added in the second step to improve the segmentation accuracy of the thrombus details by efficiently using the low‐level features.

Results

The proposed method provided accurate thrombus segmentation results (0.903 ± 0.062 in dice score, 0.828 ± 0.092 in Jaccard index, and 2.209 ± 2.945 in 95% Hausdorff distance), which showed improvement compared to the methods without prior information (0.846 ± 0.085 in dice score) and the method without SAR (0.899 ± 0.060 in dice score). Moreover, the proposed method achieved 0.967 ± 0.029 and 0.948 ± 0.041 in dice score of true lumen (TL) and patent FL (PFL) segmentation, respectively, indicating the excellence of the proposed method in the segmentation task of the overall aorta.

Conclusions

A novel CNN‐based segmentation framework was proposed to automatically obtain thrombus segmentation for thrombosed AD in post‐operative CTA images, which provided a useful tool for further application of thrombus‐related indicators in clinical and research application.
A high‐efficient excitation‐detection thermoacoustic imaging probe for breast tumor detection
Authors: Zhang Huimin , Ren Mingyang , Wang Yu , Qin Huan
Published: December 2022

Background

Microwave‐induced thermoacoustic (TA) imaging (MTAI) is a promising alternative to biomedical imaging due to its high resolution, deep imaging depth, and minimal biohazard. To provide images of different anatomical regions and apply them to different clinical scenarios, the development of miniaturized portable TA probes is imperative.

Purpose

This study is aimed to propose a highly efficient handheld non‐reflective microwave‐acoustic coaxial TA probe to advance the translation of MTAI for the clinical use.

Methods

The TA probe integrates a hollowed microwave antenna with a forward radiating uniform microwave field and a linear ultrasonic transducer array which is placed in the hole in the middle of the antenna that has almost no effect on the microwave distribution. The integrated probe was evaluated for properties, including the excitation efficiency of the microwave and the reception efficiency of the acoustic signal. Finally, an isolated EMT6 cell tumor was embedded in a sheep mammary gland to simulate the natural breast tumor environment, and the tumor was detected with the proposed MTAI probe to evaluate its practical feasibility.

Results

Compared with the previous TA imaging probe, it has improved the detection efficiency of TA signals by up to 41%, contributing to an improved signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) of the image. The proposed TA probe successfully detected tumors embedded in the breast with a contrast ratio 3.27 times higher than the surrounding tissue in phantom experiments.

Conclusion

The proposed TA probe with the features of microwave illumination and ultrasonic detection of coaxial, avoiding TA signal attenuation due to reflection, enables high‐efficient TA signal excitation and detection. The proposed TA probe is essential for improving the excitation and detection efficiency of TA signals, and increasing the flexibility of the probe, providing a bright future for the clinical application of MTAI technology.
Evaluation and control of inventory distribution systems with quantity based shipment consolidation
Authors: Malmberg Filip , Marklund Johan
Published: December 2022

Joint consideration of inventory and shipment decisions is an important aspect of obtaining economically and environmentally sustainable distribution systems. We consider this issue in the context of a one‐warehouse‐multiple‐retailer inventory system with quantity‐based shipment consolidation to groups of nonidentical retailers facing Poisson demand. The system is centralized, with free information sharing and access to real‐time point of sale data. Thus, demand information at the retailers is immediately conveyed upstream to the warehouse without any fixed ordering costs. However, fixed costs associated with handling and transporting goods from the warehouse to the retailers are reflected in the shipment consolidation policy. Stock replenishments at the warehouse are made from an outside supplier/manufacturer according to an (R, Q) policy. For this system, we derive an exact recursive method for determining the inventory level distributions at the retailers. This allows us to evaluate the expected inventory and shipment costs, fill‐rates, and transport emissions for the entire system. We also show how to optimize the system by providing bounds on the optimal shipment quantities and the warehouse reorder level.
A pressure‐robust weak Galerkin finite element method for Navier–Stokes equations
Authors: Mu Lin
Published: December 2022

In this article, we develop and analyze a novel numerical scheme for the steady incompressible Navier–Stokes equations by the weak Galerkin methods. By employing the divergence‐preserving velocity reconstruction operator, our algorithm can achieve pressure‐robustness, which means, the velocity error is independent of the pressure and the irrotational body force. Error analysis has been established to show the rate of convergence. Numerical experiments are presented to validate the theoretical conclusions.
Efficient Removal of Mercury from Polluted Aqueous Solutions Using the Wireless Bipolar Electrochemistry Technique
Authors: Fattah Zahra Ali
Published: December 2022

Mercury represents one of the major toxic pollutants in water that affect human and ecosystem. Extensive efforts have been globally invested to remove mercury using various chemical and electrochemical approaches. In this study, I propose the use of bipolar electrochemistry for the first time for mercury depollution process. Mercury(II) is removed from aqueous solutions by direct electrodeposition on millimeter scale graphite rods held in a bipolar setup. By adjusting the strength of the applied electric field and the number of the graphite rods the efficiency of the system can be controlled. This wireless technique allows the use of multiple graphite rod arrays within the bulk cell which resulted in high removal efficiency (98 %) of Hg2+ ions from the polluted solution. The method is straightforward, green, and efficient. The concept can be adapted to remove other heavy metal ions or electrochemically active contaminants from polluted water as long as their reduction potentials are within the water stability window.
Impact of COVID‐19 on a worksite weight loss program for employees with overweight and obesity
Authors: Lee Che Young , Robertson Michael C. , Servino Kendahl , Le Thuan , Raber Margaret , Oestman Katherine , Basen‐Engquist Karen M.
Published: December 2022

Objective

The COVID‐19 pandemic has been shown to be negatively associated with physical activity engagement, adherence to healthy diet, and weight management among people with obesity. The current study examined COVID‐19‐related changes in weight, physical activity (PA), and diet among employees with obesity or overweight who participated in Vibrant Lives (VL), a worksite weight loss program.

Methods

School district employees participated in the 6‐month VL weight loss program and were categorized into non‐COVID‐era participants and COVID‐era participants. Participants completed questionnaires about PA and dietary intake at baseline and follow‐up. COVID‐era participants reported the effects of pandemic on their behaviors. Changes in weight, PA, and diet were compared between groups using multilevel linear mixed models and logistic regression models.

Results

A total of 266 participants (non‐COVID, n = 173; COVID, n = 93) were included. Significant weight loss (non‐COVID, −2.3 kg vs. COVID, −1.3 kg) and increases in moderate‐to‐vigorous PA minutes (non‐COVID, 48.7 min vs. COVID, 61.5 min) were observed associated with the program, but no significant differences in changes between the groups were found. Compared to non‐COVID participants, COVID participants decreased fast food consumption (p = 0.008) and increased sugar‐sweetened beverage intake (p = 0.016). Higher frequency of snacking and overeating were reported as barriers to a healthy diet.

Conclusion

The COVID‐19 pandemic was negatively associated with healthful dietary behaviors. The information obtained from participants regarding the reasons for their pandemic‐related changes in diet may help identify strategies to encourage healthier behaviors and weight management among people who have been negatively affected by the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Impact and Friction Sensitivities of PETN: II. Sensitivities of the Acidic Material During Manufacturing
Authors: Klapötke Thomas M. , Lemarchand Guillaume , Lenz Tobias , Mühlemann Moritz , Stierstorfer Jörg , Venetz Fabian , Weber Ralf , Wutke Jens
Published: December 2022

In this second part of our work on the sensitivity of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) the investigations focus on the manufacturing process. Literature about the explosive during production is very rare and optimization or changes in the process demand more in‐depth knowledge of the safety parameters. Therefore, the industrial process is imitated in a small‐scale laboratory reactor. Then impact and friction sensitivities of emergency drowned, spent acid wet and acid washed PETN are investigated. In advance, PETN samples were taken from the filter of the SSE production and measured in the same manner. It becomes clear at which point a sensitive material is expected in the process. The data will improve handling safety and plant design.
DPAM: A domain parser for AlphaFold models
Authors: Zhang Jing , Schaeffer R. Dustin , Durham Jesse , Cong Qian , Grishin Nick V.
Published: December 2022

The recent breakthroughs in structure prediction, where methods such as AlphaFold demonstrated near‐atomic accuracy, herald a paradigm shift in structural biology. The 200 million high‐accuracy models released in the AlphaFold Database are expected to guide protein science in the coming decades. Partitioning these AlphaFold models into domains and assigning them to an evolutionary hierarchy provide an efficient way to gain functional insights into proteins. However, classifying such a large number of predicted structures challenges the infrastructure of current structure classifications, including our Evolutionary Classification of protein Domains (ECOD). Better computational tools are urgently needed to parse and classify domains from AlphaFold models automatically. Here we present a Domain Parser for AlphaFold Models (DPAM) that can automatically recognize globular domains from these models based on inter‐residue distances in 3D structures, predicted aligned errors, and ECOD domains found by sequence (HHsuite) and structural (Dali) similarity searches. Based on a benchmark of 18,759 AlphaFold models, we demonstrate that DPAM can recognize 98.8% of domains and assign correct boundaries for 87.5%, significantly outperforming structure‐based domain parsers and homology‐based domain assignment using ECOD domains found by HHsuite or Dali. Application of DPAM to the massive AlphaFold models will enable efficient classification of domains, providing evolutionary contexts and facilitating functional studies.
SOX9 and HMGB3 co‐operatively transactivate NANOG and promote prostate cancer progression
Authors: Xu Yunyi , Xu Miao , Li Xinglan , Weng Xin , Su Zhengzheng , Zhang Mengni , Tan Junya , Zeng Hao , Li Xun , Nie Ling , Gong Jing , Chen Ni , Chen Xueqin , Zhou Qiao
Published: December 2022

Background

The homeodomain‐containing transcription factor NANOG is overexpressed in prostate adenocarcinoma (PCa) and predicts poor prognosis. The SOX family transcription factor SOX9, as well as the transcription co‐activator HMGB3 of the HMGB family, are also overexpressed and may play pivotal roles in PCa. However, it is unknown whether SOX9 and HMGB3 interact with each other, or if they regulate NANOG gene transcription.

Methods

We identified potential SOX9 responsive elements in NANOG promoter, and investigated if SOX9 regulated NANOG transcription in co‐operation with HMGB3 by experimental analysis of potential SOX9 binding sites in NANOG promoter, reporter gene transcription assays with or without interference or artificial overexpression of SOX9 and/or HMGB3, and protein‐binding assays of SOX9‐HMGB3 interaction. Clinicopathologic and prognostic significance of SOX9‐HMGB3 overexpression in PCa was analyzed.

Results

SOX9 activated NANOG gene transcription by preferentially binding to a highly conserved consensus cis‐regulatory element (−573 to −568) in NANOG promoter, and promoted the expression of NANOG downstream oncogenic genes. Importantly, HMGB3 functioned as a partner of SOX9 to co‐operatively enhance transactivation of NANOG by interacting with SOX9, predominantly via the HMG Box A domain of HMGB3. Overexpression of SOX9 and/or HMGB3 enhanced PCa cell survival and cell migration and were significantly associated with PCa progression. Notably, Cox proportional regression analysis showed that co‐overexpression of both SOX9 and HMGB3 was an independent unfavorable prognosticator for both CRPC‐free survival (relative risk [RR] = 3.779，95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.159–12.322, p = 0.028) and overall survival (RR = 3.615，95% CI: 1.101–11.876, p = 0.034).

Conclusions

These findings showed a novel SOX9/HMGB3/NANOG regulatory mechanism, deregulation of which played important roles in PCa progression.
Subjective well‐being and school outcomes among children of immigrants and natives in Italy
Authors: Ambrosetti Elena , Bettin Giulia , Cela Eralba , Paparusso Angela
Published: December 2022

Children of immigrants are generally disadvantaged in terms of educational outcomes in most European countries and this remains true even after controlling for their socioeconomic status. Factors affecting the long‐term educational careers among children of immigrants and natives have been broadly investigated in the literature, although limited attention has been paid so far to the role of subjective well‐being in this context. In this paper, we aim to fill this gap by analyzing how subjective well‐being in the school and family context is related to objective school outcomes of immigrant and native children residing in Italy, after controlling for several relevant socio‐demographic factors. We use rich and unique data from the ‘Integration of the Second Generation’ survey carried out by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) in 2015, that has not been used to analyse this relationship so far. The national representative sample includes 68,127 students interviewed in both lower and upper secondary schools. Around 47% of them are immigrant children without Italian citizenship. Our results show that subjective well‐being is positively correlated with school performance, but well‐being at school is much more important for immigrant students’ achievements, as compared to their native peers, especially in the lower secondary school. The same result does not hold for well‐being in the family domain.
Predicting changes in the pharmacokinetics of CYP3A‐metabolized drugs in hepatic impairment and insights into factors driving these changes
Authors: Ladumor Mayur K. , Storelli Flavia , Liang Xiaomin , Lai Yurong , Enogieru Osatohanmwen J. , Chothe Paresh P. , Evers Raymond , Unadkat Jashvant D.
Published: December 2022

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic models, populated with drug‐metabolizing enzyme and transporter (DMET) abundance, can be used to predict the impact of hepatic impairment (HI) on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of drugs. To increase confidence in the predictive power of such models, they must be validated by comparing the predicted and observed PK of drugs in HI obtained by phenotyping (or probe drug) studies. Therefore, we first predicted the effect of all stages of HI (mild to severe) on the PK of drugs primarily metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A enzymes using the default HI module of Simcyp Version 21, populated with hepatic and intestinal CYP3A abundance data. Then, we validated the predictions using CYP3A probe drug phenotyping studies conducted in HI. Seven CYP3A substrates, metabolized primarily via CYP3A (fraction metabolized, 0.7–0.95), with low to high hepatic availability, were studied. For all stages of HI, the predicted PK parameters of drugs were within twofold of the observed data. This successful validation increases confidence in using the DMET abundance data in HI to predict the changes in the PK of drugs cleared by DMET for which phenotyping studies in HI are not available or cannot be conducted. In addition, using CYP3A drugs as an example, through simulations, we identified the salient PK factors that drive the major changes in exposure (area under the plasma concentration–time profile curve) to drugs in HI. This theoretical framework can be applied to any drug and DMET to quickly determine the likely magnitude of change in drug PK due to HI.
Effect of Trace Amount Modified SiC Nanoparticles on Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of ZA27 Alloy
Authors: Yan Zhiming , Xie Jiawei , Zou Cunlei , Shi Zhenzong , Teng Yingli
Published: December 2022

In order to modify the microstructure and enhance the mechanical properties, the influence of trace amount modified SiC nanoparticles on the as‐cast ZA27alloy is investigated. The results indicate that the original coarse and developed dendrites are refined gradually and turn into fine and uniform equiaxed crystals and spherical structures. The primary α(Al) phases, eutectoid(α + η) phases, and ε(CuZn4) phases are also refined. The planar disregistry calculations between 6H‐SiC and α(Al) show that 6H‐SiC is an effective heterogeneous nucleus substrate for α(Al). The refined mechanism of modified SiC nanoparticles on ZA27 alloy is also discussed. When the addition is 0.5%, the tensile strength is increased by 6.5% and elongation is increased by 12.7%. The yield strength of SiC nanoparticles reinforced ZA27 is discussed quantitatively to reveal the strengthening mechanisms.
Mass spectrometric study and modeling of the thermodynamic properties of SrO–Al2O3 melts at high temperatures
Authors: Stolyarova Valentina L. , Vorozhtcov Viktor A. , Lopatin Sergey I. , Selyutin Artem A. , Shugurov Sergey M. , Shilov Andrey L. , Stolyarov Vasiliy A. , Almjashev Vyacheslav I.
Published: December 2022

Rationale

The SrO–Al2O3 system holds promise as a base for a wide spectrum of advanced materials, which may be synthesized or applied at high temperatures. Therefore, studying vaporization and high‐temperature thermodynamic properties of this system is of great practical importance.

Methods

Samples of the SrO–Al2O3 system were obtained by solid‐state synthesis and identified by X‐ray fluorescence analysis, X‐ray phase analysis, scanning electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis, simultaneous thermal analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. The thermodynamic properties of the SrO–Al2O3 system were studied by the Knudsen effusion mass spectrometric (KEMS) method and were fitted by the Redlich–Kister and Wilson polynomials. The thermodynamic values obtained were also optimized within the generalized lattice theory of associated solutions (GLTAS).

Results

The vapor composition, temperature, and concentration dependences of the partial vapor pressures over the samples under study as well as the SrO activities in melts of the SrO–Al2O3 system were determined by the KEMS method. Usage of the Redlich–Kister and Wilson polynomials allowed calculation of the excess Gibbs energies, enthalpies of mixing, and excess entropies in the concentration range 0–33 mol% of SrO at temperatures of 2450 and 2550 K.

Conclusions

Significant negative deviations from the ideality were observed in the melts of the SrO–Al2O3 system at 2450, 2550, and 2650 K. The Wilson polynomial was found to be the optimal approach to describe the thermodynamic properties in the system studied. Optimization of the experimental data using the GLTAS approach allowed the characteristic features of the thermodynamic description of the SrO–Al2O3 system to be elucidated and explained.
Mitochondrial function of human embryo: Decline in their quality with maternal aging
Authors: Hashimoto Shu , Morimoto Yoshiharu
Published: December 2022

Background

Female fertility declines with age, due to increased chromosomal aneuploidy and possible reduced mitochondrial function in the embryo.

Methods

This review outlines how mitochondrial function in human embryos, as predicted from oxygen consumption rate (OCR) measurements, changes in preimplantation stage, and what factors, particularly maternal age, affect mitochondrial function in embryos.

Main findings

The structure of the mitochondrial inner membrane and its respiratory function developed with embryo development, while the copy number of mitochondrial DNA per specimen was transiently reduced compared with that of the oocyte. The undifferentiated state of the inner cell mass cells appears to be associated with a low OCR. In contrast, the copy number of mitochondrial DNA increased in trophoblast cells and mitochondrial aerobic metabolism increased.

The OCRs at morulae stage decreased with maternal age, but there was no relationship between maternal age and the copy number of mitochondrial DNA at any stages. The higher oxygen spent at the morula stage; the shorter time was needed for development to the mid‐stage blastocyst.

Conclusions

The mitochondrial respiratory function of human embryos developed along with embryonic growth. Mitochondrial function at morula stage declined with their maternal age and reduced mitochondrial function decreased the rate of development from morula to blastocyst.
Upper Elementary Teachers' Knowledge of Reading Comprehension, Classroom Practice, and Student's Performance in Reading Comprehension
Authors: Hudson Alida K.
Published: December 2022

While the conceptual link between teachers' knowledge of reading‐related concepts and student reading outcomes is widely acknowledged in the field, few studies have empirically examined this correlation regarding student reading comprehension. Thus, the present study investigated the association between upper elementary teachers' (N = 103) knowledge of reading comprehension, classroom instruction, and students (N = 1871) reading comprehension scores. Using a series of Hierarchical Linear Models to control for the nested nature of the data, findings revealed a significant interaction between teacher knowledge and classroom instruction. Specifically, students provided with good to excellent instruction by teachers with high knowledge (i.e., 1 standard deviation [SD] above the mean) tended to score statistically significantly higher on measures of reading comprehension than students provided the same quality of instruction by teachers with low knowledge levels (1 SD below the mean), controlling for students' grade level and the percentage of schoolwide students participating in the free and reduced‐price school lunch program. These observed statistically significant associations were small to moderate in magnitude. These findings help validate theoretical accounts alluding to the critical role teachers' knowledge plays in moderating student reading outcomes.
The role of permaculture in the integration of indigenous and modern agricultural knowledge: Evidence from Konso, Ethiopia
Authors: Gashute Tariku Sagoya , Hale Tefera Kagnalew
Published: December 2022

The modern and indigenous agricultural knowledge have own strength and deficiencies. The modern agriculture with its technological advents has the capability for boosting production. However, it has environmentally hostile externalities. On the other hand, IK of agriculture is nature friendly and organic in its production. However, it is slow to meet the growing need for food because of demographic stress and emerging preferences. Therefore, both sides need innovative responses to capitalize on their strength and avoid limitations. One of the alternatives is to integrate the two systems. Based on this rationale, this study explored the integrative role of permaculture in bridging indigenous and modern agricultural knowledge. Purposive sampling was applied for the selection of the research area and participants. The research approach followed was qualitative. Interview, FGD and observation were used for data collection. Thematic and narrative analysis was used for data analysis. The finding of the study indicated that farmers in the study area were receptive of some of the knowledge from modern agriculture such as improved seeds and some methods such as pest control. But at the same time they are suspicious about some sides such as the impact of fertilizers, the effectiveness of some improved seed, and concerned about the disappearance of important local seeds. Though it was not deeply implemented those who have the exposure were positive about permaculture, for its philosophy is consistent with their IK. Therefore, if properly implemented permaculture can play important bridging role in the integration of indigenous and modern farming.
β‐amino carbonyl derivatives: Synthesis, Molecular Docking, ADMET, Molecular Dynamic and Herbicidal studies.
Authors: Bhandari Suneeta , Agrwal Akansha , Kasana Virendra , Tandon Shishir , Boulaamane Yassir , Maurady Amal
Published: December 2022

In the current report, 3D structures of the enzyme Lathyrus aphaca Ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase (LArbcL) was modeled using homology modeling. The structures of the synthesized β‐amino carbonyl derivatives were made by means of “Chem Draw ultra‐12.0”, ADMET prediction were conducted to compute physicochemical properties. Pharmacokinetics studies and the molecular docking study of the synthesized compounds were performed against Lathyrus aphaca Ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase. Docking experiments verified a significant Docking Score values between 6.2 to 7.3 kcal mol−1. The highest‐ranking complexes obtained from docking results were subjected to 100 ns Molecular Dynamics simulations using Gromacs program to investigate the constancy of the docked “protein–ligand complexes” as well as the oscillation and conformational variations that occur during protein–ligand interaction. The synthesized derivatives were screened for pre‐emergence and post‐emergence herbicidal activity adjacent to weed species named Lathyrus aphaca with concentrations of “0.005 M, 0.01 M and 0.02 M”, and the activity was compared with Butachlor and penoxulum which are standard herbicide. Every single synthesized compounds show good to moderate activity.
Electrochemical investigation of freshwater biofilm on FTO surface: Oxide film perspective
Authors: Sridharan Dharmarajan , Karthikeyan Chandrasekaran , Maruthamuthu Sundaram , Palaniswamy Narayanan
Published: December 2022

The contemporary field of bacterial biofilm electrophysiology is a greater importance to understanding the interfaces of active biofilm/material. The electrophysiology of freshwater active biofilm was studied using Fluorine‐doped tin oxide (FTO) electrodes. The open circuit potential and microscopic studies were revealed the attachment of biofilm on the FTO surface. The shift of potential to noble direction up to +402 mV vs SCE was observed on the FTO after 240 h exposure of freshwater. The open‐circuit potential (OCP) was revealed the attachment of biofilm on the FTO surface. Cyclic Voltammetry studies were employed to analyze the redox behavior of biofilm on FTO with different time intervals. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were also used to analyze the electrochemical communications between FTO and biofilm interfaces. The present work was investigated to explain electrochemical interfaces between n‐type oxide film and electro active bacterial biofilm.
Rapid Synthesis of 1‐Aryl‐3, 3‐dimethyltriazenes by Using In Situ Generated Aryldiazonium Tetrafluoroborate Salts with “DMF‐DMA” under Ambient Conditions
Authors: Akkineni Rajesh , Markandeya Sarma V. , Prasad Avvari N. , Yamajala Bhaskar , B Venkateswara Rao , Chaudhari Shankar , Kumar Deepak , Gadge Sandip T. , Bhanage Bhalchandra M.
Published: December 2022

An efficient and rapid method of synthesizing 1–3,3‐dimethyl triazenes has been developed. This method involves utilizing in situ generated aryldiazonium tetrafluoroborate salts using substituted aryl amines with “DMF‐DMA” (N,N‐Dimethylformamide‐dimethyl acetal) at room temperature. This reaction achieved good to excellent yields (68–95 %) under ambient conditions with a significantly faster rate. The proposed reaction was screened with various withdrawing, donating, and neutral groups containing aryldiazonium salts, and obtained products were confirmed by 1H, 13C NMR and mass spectroscopy techniques.
Unnatural Lysines with Reduced Sidechain N‐Basicity: Synthesis of N‐trifluoroethyl Substituted Lysine and Homologs
Authors: Jameson Brian , Glaser Rainer
Published: December 2022

The syntheses are reported of Nϵ‐(2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl)‐D, L‐lysine (tFK) and Nζ‐(2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl)‐D, L‐homolysine (tFK+1) from amino alcohols HO−(CH2)n−NH2. The syntheses involve reductive amination, Appel bromination, and the stereoselective bond formation between Cα of the amino acid and the fluorinated alkyl chain in the Schöllkopf bislactim amino acid synthesis. The methyl esters of the fluorinated amino acids are the relevant substrates for oligopeptide synthesis. With the R‐Schöllkopf reagent, we stereoselectively generated methyl Nϵ‐boc‐Nϵ‐(2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl)‐L‐lysinate and methyl Nζ‐boc‐Nζ‐(2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl)‐L‐homolysinate. Products and intermediates were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, COSY, HSQC, and LCMS. A variety of N‐functionality may be introduced by reacting hemiacetals with different appendages. This fluorine modification reduces the sidechain N‐basicity by combined ‐I effect of the three fluorines. This effect increases the [amine]/[ammonium ion] ratio of the sidechain amine in lysine to facilitate carbamylation at lower pH conditions.