bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Engineering Thermoresponsive Emulsions with Branched Copolymer Surfactants
Authors: da Silva Marcelo Alves , Rajbanshi Abhishek , Opoku‐Achampong Daniel , Mahmoudi Najet , Porcar Lionel , Gutfreund Philipp , Tummino Andrea , Maestro Armando , Dreiss Cecile A. , Cook Michael T.
Published: August 2022

This study describes thermo‐rheological properties of branched copolymer surfactants (BCSs) stabilizing oil‐in‐water emulsions to generate materials exhibiting temperature‐dependent gelation with the ability to solubilize a broad range of molecules. Four poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐ran‐poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) (poly(NIPAM‐ran‐PEGMA)) BCSs with varying molecular weight (Mn), 4.7; 7.0; 7.8 and 9.0 kg mol−1, are investigated via oscillatory shear rheology, small angle neutron scattering (SANS), and neutron reflectivity (NR). Rheological thermoscans show that emulsions stabilized by the BCS with the lowest Mn (4.7 kg mol−1) are thermo‐thinning, while with the other BCSs the emulsions display a thermo‐thickening behavior. Emulsions stabilized with the BCS with Mn = 7.8 kg mol−1 form gels within a precise temperature window depending on BCS concentration. Small angle neutron scattering data analysis suggests that the BCS is present in two forms in equilibrium, small aggregates dispersed in the bulk water and an adsorbed polymeric layer at the oil/water interface. Changes in dimensions of these structures with temperature correlate with the macroscopic thermo‐thinning/thermo‐thickening behavior observed. Neutron reflectivity is conducted at the oil/water interface to allow further elucidation of BCS behavior in these systems.
Accurate total‐body Ki parametric imaging with shortened dynamic 18F‐FDG PET scan durations via effective data processing
Authors: Chen Zixiang , Cheng Zhaoping , Duan Yanhua , Zhang Qiyang , Zhang Na , Gu Fengyun , Wang Ying , Zhou Yun , Wang Haining , Liang Dong , Zheng Hairong , Hu Zhanli
Published: August 2022

Background

Total‐body dynamic positron emission tomography (dPET) imaging using 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose (18F‐FDG) has received widespread attention in clinical oncology. However, the conventionally required scan duration of approximately 1 h seriously limits the application and promotion of this imaging technique. In this study, we investigated the possibility and feasibility of shortening the total‐body dynamic scan duration to 30 min post‐injection (PI) with the help of a novel Patlak data processing algorithm for accurate Ki estimations of tumor lesions.

Methods

Total‐body dPET images acquired by uEXPLORER (United Imaging Healthcare Inc.) using 18F‐FDG of 15 patients with different tumor types were analyzed in this study. Dynamic images were reconstructed into 25 frames with a specific temporal dividing protocol for the scan data acquired 1 h PI. Patlak analysis‐based Ki parametric imaging was conducted based on the imaging data corresponding to the first 30 min PI, during which a Patlak data processing method based on cubic Hermite interpolation was applied. The resultant Ki images acquired by 30 min dynamic PET data and the standard 1 h Ki images were compared in terms of visual imaging effect, region signal‐to‐noise ratio, and Ki estimation accuracy to evaluate the performance of the proposed Ki imaging method with a shortened scan duration.

Results

With the help of Patlak data processing, acceptable Ki parametric images were obtained from dynamic PET data acquired with a scan duration of 30 min PI. Compared with Ki images obtained from unprocessed Patlak data, the resulting images from the proposed method performed better in terms of noise reduction. Moreover, Bland–Altman plot and Pearson correlation coefficient analysis showed that that 30 min Ki images obtained from the processed Patlak data had higher accuracy for tumor lesions.

Conclusion

Satisfactory Ki parametric images with high tumor accuracy can be acquired from dynamic imaging data corresponding to the first 30 min PI. Patlak data processing can help achieve higher Ki imaging quality and higher accuracy regarding tumor lesion Ki values. Clinically, it is possible to shorten the dynamic scan duration of 18F‐FDG PET to 30 min to acquire an accurate tumor Ki and further effective tumor detection with uEXPLORER scanners.
Associations between urate levels and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional score with edaravone treatment: Post hoc analysis of studies MCI186‐16, MCI186‐17, and MCI186‐19
Authors: Takahashi Fumihiro , Kano Osamu , Nagano Yoshito , Yoneoka Takatomo , Nelson Sally , Ushirogawa Yoshiteru
Published: August 2022

Introduction/aims

Edaravone in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was analyzed in two phase 3 studies (MCI186‐16 and MCI186‐19). Those trials enrolled patients with Japanese ALS severity grades 1 and 2 (less severe ALS), but many patients progressed to grades 3 and 4 during the double‐blind treatment period. The placebo patients who initiated edaravone treatment in the open‐label periods provided an opportunity to assess the effects of edaravone in more severe ALS. This study also assessed the association between ALS Functional Rating Scale‐Revised (ALSFRS‐R) slope and biomarker changes after open‐label edaravone initiation.

Methods

Change in ALSFRS‐R slope in placebo patients before and after initiating edaravone treatment was assessed using the random coefficient model. The association of ALSFRS‐R change and blood marker changes was explored by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method of machine learning.

Results

Twenty‐four percent of patients (35/146) in the placebo‐edaravone group showed ≥25% slowing of decline in the ALSFRS‐R slope. Within the 25% slower‐decline group, 60% (21/35) had Japanese ALS severity grades 3 or 4 at the start of edaravone treatment. The LASSO model identified serum urate as associated with the percentage change in ALSFRS‐R slope. The rate of decrease in urate was smaller in the 25% slower‐decline group than in the non‐25% slower‐decline group during edaravone treatment.

Discussion

This post hoc analysis indicated that ALS patients, including those with advanced ALS severity grades, may receive benefit in the group of patients whose urate levels are stable during the course of the edaravone treatment.
A cross‐sectional study of nursing students' eHealth literacy and COVID‐19 preventive behaviours
Authors: Kim Kyoung‐A , Hyun Myung Sun , De Gagne Jennie C. , Ahn Jeong‐Ah
Published: August 2022

Aim

This study explored nursing students' eHealth literacy, lifestyle behaviours and COVID‐19‐related preventive behaviours and associated factors.

Design

A cross‐sectional comparative correlational study.

Methods

Nursing students (n = 358) from a metropolitan area of South Korea were recruited for an online survey. The online questionnaire included: The eHealth Literacy Scale, the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile‐II and the COVID‐19‐related preventive behaviour scale.

Results

COVID‐19‐related preventive behaviours correlated positively with satisfaction with one's major, time spent seeking health information online, eHealth literacy and lifestyle behaviours. Significant factors affecting COVID‐19‐related preventive behaviours were the following: being female (β = 0.194, p < .001), time spent seeking health information online (β = 0.114, p = .002), eHealth literacy (β = 0.167, p = .001) and lifestyle behaviours (β = 0.266, p < .001).

Conclusions

Findings highlight the need to strengthen searching behaviours to access accurate health information online and reinforce eHealth literacy and health‐promoting lifestyle behaviours to improve COVID‐19 preventive behaviours among nursing students.
Measuring a Patient's understanding of their prognosis: An exploratory analysis
Authors: Rosenfeld Barry , Walsh Leah E. , Zhu Danqi , Cham Heining , Polacek Laura C. , Duva Melissa M. , Applebaum Allison J.
Published: August 2022

Objective

In patients with cancer across the illness trajectory, treatment decisions are often influenced by one's perception of their prognosis (i.e., curability of disease, life expectancy, quality of life). However, research on how patients understand their prognosis (i.e., prognostic understanding) has been limited by simplistic measurement tools that fail to capture the complexity of the construct. This study describes the initial development of a measure of prognostic understanding: the Prognostic Understanding Perceptions Scale (PUPS) for use in patients with advanced cancer.

Method

An initial pool of 16 candidate items were developed through semi‐structured interviews with 15 experts (oncology, psycho‐oncology and palliative care professionals) and 30 advanced cancer patients. We investigated the dimensionality, internal item structure, item difficulty and item discrimination of the item pool using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT) analyses. Convergent and divergent validity were based on correlations between PUPS, terminal illness acknowledgement, and self‐report measures of depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and death acceptance.

Results

The final measure was comprised of nine items encompassing three factors (perceived curability, illness trajectory, treatment options), yielding strong psychometric properties.

Conclusion

These results provide preliminarily support for PUPS as a multifaceted measure of prognostic understanding developed for use in patients with advanced cancer. Preliminary findings also highlight the potential utility of the PUPS for clinical settings, as a means of enhancing communication between patients and physicians.
The analysis of thecircRNAsin the progress of acquired resistance to Cetuximab
Authors: Yin Liping , Jing Changwen , Guo Yesong
Published: August 2022

We established a Cetuximab‐resistant cell lines by high‐dose pulse method and searched for differentially expressed circular RNAs by RNA sequencing. Hundreds of circRNAs were altered between sensitive and resistant cells. Next, we chose six notably differential circRNAs and conducted quantitative real‐time PCR by specific primers. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis revealed that differentially expressed circular RNAs are enriched in some tumor‐related pathways, such as tumor transcription regulation, metabolism, PI3K‐Akt, mTOR, and other signaling pathways. Our results explored differentially expressed circular RNAs associated with Cetuximab to find new targets for Cetuximab resistance therapy.
Predicting molecular properties of α‐synuclein using force fields for intrinsically disordered proteins
Authors: Pedersen Kasper B. , Flores‐Canales Jose C. , Schiøtt Birgit
Published: August 2022

Independent force field validation is an essential practice to keep track of developments and for performing meaningful Molecular Dynamics simulations. In this work, atomistic force fields for intrinsically disordered proteins (IDP) are tested by simulating the archetypical IDP α‐synuclein in solution for 2.5 μs. Four combinations of protein and water force fields were tested: ff19SB/OPC, ff19SB/TIP4P‐D, ff03CMAP/TIP4P‐D, and a99SB‐disp/TIP4P‐disp, with four independent repeat simulations for each combination. We compare our simulations to the results of a 73 μs simulation using the a99SB‐disp/TIP4P‐disp combination, provided by D. E. Shaw Research. From the trajectories, we predict a range of experimental observations of α‐synuclein and compare them to literature data. This includes protein radius of gyration and hydration, intramolecular distances, NMR chemical shifts, and 3J‐couplings. Both ff19SB/TIP4P‐D and a99SB‐disp/TIP4P‐disp produce extended conformational ensembles of α‐synuclein that agree well with experimental radius of gyration and intramolecular distances while a99SB‐disp/TIP4P‐disp reproduces a balanced α‐synuclein secondary structure content. It was found that ff19SB/OPC and ff03CMAP/TIP4P‐D produce overly compact conformational ensembles and show discrepancies in the secondary structure content compared to the experimental data.
Mediastinal melioidosis: A case series from far North Queensland
Authors: Gadsby Bree‐Anna , Oaten Andrew , Davies Phoebe , Simpson Graham , Vincent Stephen
Published: August 2022

Melioidosis is the clinical disease caused by the Gram‐negative bacillus Burkholderia pseudomallei and is endemic to Northern Australia and Southeast Asia. It is commonly referred to as the ‘great mimicker’ because of its wide range of clinical presentations, often making diagnosis challenging. Isolated mediastinal lymphadenopathy as the presenting feature of melioidosis is rare and can be indistinguishable from tuberculosis or malignancy. Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is the preferred technique for evaluating undifferentiated mediastinal lymphadenopathy but its role in the diagnosis of mediastinal melioidosis remains sparsely reported in the literature. In this case series, we present four cases of mediastinal melioidosis, and the role that EBUS guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) played in the diagnosis and management.
Monte‐Carlo‐based simulation study of ion‐implantation in gallium oxide devices
Authors: Kachhawa Pharyanshu , Chaturvedi Nidhi
Published: August 2022

A computational study is done to carry out ion implantation for isolation in gallium oxide based devices using SRIM‐2013 simulation tool. In this paper, deep acceptors for gallium oxide like Mg‐ and N‐based implantation results and damage physics are discussed. Displacement per atoms (DPA)‐based calculation is done to compare damage analysis for N and Mg ion implantation at 50 KeV beam energy. DPA calculations show that Mg generates more damages and vacancies to target gallium oxide with compared to N ion implantation. Furthermore, ion implantation doses are also calculated for isolation of 300 nm target depth of gallium oxide. Multiple energy ion‐ implantation for nitrogen (35/70/140 KeV) and for magnesium (50/100/165 KeV) in the gallium oxide target is simulated. Lighter ion nitrogen results into more ionization of gallium oxide compared to heavier magnesium ions for the same projected range. Simulation results show that a total energy of 142 KeV (57.96%) of nitrogen ion is lost during ionization process, whereas, for magnesium ion, the total energy loss is 89.49 KeV (28.41%) during ionization.
Poly (o‐anisidine) Encapsulated K2ZrO3 Nano‐core based Gelatin Nano Composites: Investigations of Optical, Thermal, Microcrystalline and Morphological Characteristics
Authors: Hanumaiah Anupama Bommalapura , AL‐Gunaid Murad Q. A. , Shivanna Shasikala Badaga , Theranya Ereppa Somesh , Kavya Rajanna , Hatna Siddaramaiah Basavarajaiah , Sangameshwara Madhukar Beejaganahalli
Published: August 2022

A series of Gelatin/poly‐o‐anisidine coated K2ZrO3 polymer nanocomposite were fabricated by varying the poly‐o‐anisidine (POA) coated K2ZrO3 viz 0, 1, 2, and 4 wt% using the solvent casting method. From High‐resolution transition electron microscopy (HRTEM) results it is cleared that the average size of the prepared nanoparticles and polymer coated nanoparticles are around 18–20 and 95–100 nm respectively, and the polymer coated nanoparticles are spherical in shape, and form a core shell. The phase purity and microcrystalline behavior of the prepared nano particles, POA coated nanoparticles and gelatin nanocomposites were analyzed by using X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Scanning electron microscope [SEM] and energy dispersive spectroscopy [EDX] were employed for the analysis of the surface morphology and the elemental composition of the prepared nanoparticles and nanocomposites. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to assess the physical interactions between the components in nanocomposites. The thermal stability and effect of polymer coated nanoparticles on glass transitions temperatures were studied by using Thermo‐gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) respectively. From UV–Visible spectroscopy studies it is clear that, with increase in POA coated K 2ZrO 3 nanoparticles concentration from 0 to 4 wt % in a gelatin matrix, the band gap energy (Eg) value drops from 4.13 to 2.16 eV, and the refractive index rises from 1.529 to 3.25.
Reaping what you SOW: Guidelines and strategies for writing scopes of work for statistical consulting
Authors: Peterson Ryan A. , Hochheimer Camille J. , Grunwald Gary K. , Johnson Rachel L. , Wood Cheyret , Sammel Mary D.
Published: August 2022

Statistical consulting has the potential to be remarkably rewarding or frustratingly fruitless. Attentive and careful execution of a statistical scoping process will yield top‐caliber research and collaborative partnerships. We provide guidelines and strategies for how to write effective statistical scopes of work (SOWs) and build this procedure into a statistical consulting workflow, using illustrative case studies along the way. Effective SOWs provide a solid foundation on which to build fruitful research partnerships, to avoid common pitfalls and to weather turbulent situations successfully.
A Numerical Model for Single‐Point Bearing Faults Analysis in Submersible Induction Motors
Authors: Guan Bokai , Di Chong , Ke Zhe , Bao Xiaohua
Published: August 2022

Submersible motors are widely used in industry, agriculture, and life. Despite their safety and efficiency, submersible motors suffer from a harsh working environment. Overheating and overload may cause seal damage to make sediment flood in, which will lead to bearing faults. Meanwhile, due to the particularity of the working environment of submersible motors, the traditional method of detecting bearing faults through vibration signals is challenging to implement. In this paper, a numerical model based on the eccentricity analysis method is proposed to simulate the bearing faults process of submersible induction motors so that electrical signals, including air gap flux density and exciting force, could be obtained to diagnose the bearing faults. The proposed approach is capable of approximately simulating the motion orbit of the rotor origin when a single point fault occurs. Then, the 2D Fourier decomposition method is used to analyze the influence of rotor deflection on air gap flux density and exciting electromagnetic force from order and frequency. Finally, the proposed model is tested and proved efficient by analyzing the emerging fault harmonic components. © 2022 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Smoke Chemistry
Authors: Alvarado Matthew J. , Barsanti Kelley C. , Chung Serena H. , Jaffe Daniel A. , Moore Charles T.
Published: August 2022

Smoke chemistry (i.e., chemical transformations taking place within smoke plumes) can alter the composition and toxicity of smoke on time scales from minutes to days. Air quality agencies need better information on and better models of smoke chemistry to more accurately characterize the contributions of smoke to ambient ozone and particulate matter, and to better predict good windows for prescribed burning. The ability of these agencies to quantify the contributions of wildland fires to air pollutants and the ability of forest and burn managers to both predict and mitigate these impacts are limited by how current models represent smoke chemistry. This limitation is interconnected with uncertainties in smoke emissions, plume dynamics, and long-range transport. Improving predictive models will require a combination of laboratory, field, and modeling studies focused on enhancing our knowledge of smoke chemistry, including when smoke interacts with anthropogenic emissions and enters indoors.
Holographic coarse-graining: correlators from the entanglement wedge and other reduced geometries
Authors: Güijosa Alberto , Olivas Yaithd D. , Pedraza Juan F.
Published: August 2022

Abstract

There is some tension between two well-known ideas in holography. On the one hand, subregion duality asserts that the reduced density matrix associated with a limited region of the boundary theory is dual to a correspondingly limited region in the bulk, known as the entanglement wedge. On the other hand, correlators that in the boundary theory can be computed solely with that density matrix are calculated in the bulk via the GKPW or BDHM prescriptions, which require input from beyond the entanglement wedge. We show that this tension is resolved by recognizing that the reduced state is only fully identified when the entanglement wedge is supplemented with a specific infrared boundary action, associated with an end-of-the-world brane. This action is obtained by coarse-graining through a variant of Wilsonian integration, a procedure that we call holographic rememorization, which can also be applied to define other reduced density or transition matrices, as well as more general reduced partition functions. We find an interesting connection with AdS/BCFT, and, in this context, we are led to a simple example of an equivalence between an ensemble of theories and a single theory, as discussed in recent studies of the black hole information problem.
Doubled space and extended supersymmetry
Authors: Blair Chris D. A. , Hulik Ondrej , Sevrin Alexander , Thompson Daniel C.
Published: August 2022

Abstract

The doubled formulation of the worldsheet provides a description of string theory in which T-duality is promoted to a manifest symmetry. Here we extend this approach to $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= (2, 2) superspace providing a doubled formulation for bi-Hermitian/generalised Kähler target spaces. The theory is described by a single function, a doubled-generalised Kähler potential, supplemented with a manifestly $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= (2, 2) constraint. Several examples serve to illustrate this construction, including a discussion of the $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= (2, 2) description of T-folds.
Associations between parental type 2 diabetes risk and offspring birthweight and placental weight: a survival analysis using the Walker cohort
Authors: Sánchez-Soriano Carlos , Pearson Ewan R. , Reynolds Rebecca M.
Published: August 2022

Aims/hypothesis

Low birthweight (BW) is associated with the development of type 2 diabetes. Genome-wide analyses have identified a strong genetic component to this association, with many BW-associated loci also involved in glucose metabolism. We hypothesised that offspring BW and placental weight (PW) are correlated with parental type 2 diabetes risk, reflecting the inheritance of diabetes risk alleles that also influence fetal growth.

Methods

The Walker cohort, a collection of birth records from Dundee, Scotland, from the 1950s and the 1960s was used to test this hypothesis by linking BW and PW measurements to parental health outcomes. Using data from SCI-Diabetes and the national death registry, we obtained health records for over 20,000 Walker parents. We performed Fine–Gray survival analyses of parental type 2 diabetes risk with competing risk of death, and Cox regression analyses of risk of death, independently in the maternal and paternal datasets, modelled by offspring BW and PW.

Results

We found significant associations between increased paternal type 2 diabetes risk and reduced offspring BW (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR] 0.92 [95% CI 0.87, 0.98]) and PW (SHR 0.87 [95% CI 0.81, 0.94]). The association of maternal type 2 diabetes risk with offspring BW or PW was not significant. Lower offspring BW was also associated with increased risk of death in both mothers (HR 0.91 [95% CI 0.89, 0.94]) and fathers (HR 0.95 [95% CI 0.92, 0.98]), and higher offspring PW was associated with increased maternal mortality risk (HR 1.08 [95% CI 1.04, 1.13]) when adjusted for BW.

Conclusions/interpretation

We identified associations between offspring BW and reduced paternal type 2 diabetes risk, most likely resulting from the independent effects of common type 2 diabetes susceptibility alleles on fetal growth, as described by the fetal insulin hypothesis. Moreover, we identified novel associations between offspring PW and reduced paternal type 2 diabetes risk, a relationship that might also be caused by the inheritance of diabetes predisposition variants. We found differing associations between offspring BW and PW and parental risk of death. These results provide novel epidemiological support for the use of offspring BW and PW as predictors for future risk of type 2 diabetes and death in mothers and fathers.

Graphical abstract
Comparison of postoperative outcomes of mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy and standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a meta-analysis
Authors: Wan Chuanping , Wang Daoqi , Xiang Jiajia , Yang Bin , Xu Jinming , Zhou Guiming , Zhou Yuan , Zhao Yuan , Zhong Jiao , Liu Jianhe
Published: August 2022

Our study was aimed to evaluate the postoperative outcomes of Mini Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (Mini-PCNL) and Standard Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (Standard-PCNL) to determine the optimum option for patients with renal calculi. For publications published between January 2010 and April 2021, a comprehensive search of the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases was done. The literatures were chosen based on the criteria for inclusion and exclusion. After the data were retrieved and the quality was assessed, the meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager Software (RevMan 5.4.1, Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford, UK). We selected 20 trials with a total of 4953 people out of 322 studies. There were 2567 patients treated with Mini-PCNL and 2386 patients treated with Standard-PCNL. Meta-analysis results showed no difference in stone-free rates (SFR, P = 0.93), fever (P = 0.83), and postoperative pain (VAS score) (P = 0.21) between Mini-PCNL and Standard-PCNL. Patients in the Mini-PCNL group experienced shorter hospital stay (P < 0.0001), less hemoglobin drop (P < 0.00001), less blood transfusion (P < 0.00001), higher postoperative tubeless (P = 0.0002), and fewer complications including bleeding (P = 0.01), perforation (P = 0.03), and leakage (P = 0.01). Compared with Standard-PCNL, operative time was longer in the Mini-PCNL group (P = 0.0005). Mini-PCNL had a shorter hospital stay, less hemoglobin drop, less blood transfusion, greater postoperative tubeless, fewer complications, and a longer operational time when compared to Standard-PCNL. SFR, fever, and postoperative pain were similar in both of them. Mini-PCNL may be a superior option for patients with proper size renal calculi.
Achieving child-centred care for children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions—a qualitative interview study
Authors: Coombes Lucy , Braybrook Debbie , Roach Anna , Scott Hannah , Harðardóttir Daney , Bristowe Katherine , Ellis-Smith Clare , Bluebond-Langner Myra , Fraser Lorna K. , Downing Julia , Farsides Bobbie , Murtagh Fliss E. M. , Harding Richard ,   on behalf of C-POS
Published: August 2022

This study aims to identify the symptoms, concerns, and care priorities of children with life-limiting conditions and their families. A semi-structured qualitative interview study was conducted, seeking perspectives from multiple stakeholders on symptoms, other concerns, and care priorities of children and young people with life limiting and life-threatening conditions and their families. Participants were recruited from six hospitals and three children’s hospices in the UK. Verbatim transcripts were analysed using framework analysis. A total of 106 participants were recruited: 26 children (5–17 years), 40 parents (of children 0–17 years), 13 siblings (5–17 years), 15 health and social care professionals, 12 commissioners. Participants described many inter-related symptoms, concerns, and care priorities impacting on all aspects of life. Burdensome symptoms included pain and seizures. Participants spoke of the emotional and social impacts of living with life-limiting conditions, such as being able to see friends, and accessing education and psychological support. Spiritual/existential concerns included the meaning of illness and planning for an uncertain future. Data revealed an overarching theme of pursuing ‘normality’, described as children’s desire to undertake usual childhood activities. Parents need support with practical aspects of care to help realise this desire for normality.

Conclusion: Children with life-limiting conditions and their families experience a wide range of inter-related symptoms, concerns, and care priorities. A holistic, child-centred approach to care is needed, allowing focus on pursuit of normal childhood activities. Improvements in accessibility, co-ordination, and availability of health services are required to achieve this.

What is Known:• Existing evidence regarding symptoms, concerns, and care priorities for children with life-limiting conditions is largely limited to proxy-reported data and those with a cancer diagnosis.• Child-centred care provision must be directed by children’s perspectives on their priorities for care.

What is New:• Social and educational activities are more important to children with life-limiting conditions than their medical concerns.• A holistic approach to care is required that extends beyond addressing medical needs, in order to support children with life-limiting conditions to focus on pursuit of normal childhood activities.
A person-centred intervention remotely targeting family caregivers’ support needs in the context of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation—a feasibility study
Authors: Kisch Annika M. , Bergkvist Karin , Adalsteinsdóttir Sólveig , Wendt Christel , Alvariza Anette , Winterling Jeanette
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an intensive curative treatment that increases family caregivers’ burden. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of remotely assessing and addressing family caregivers’ support needs in terms of demand and acceptability using the Carer Support Needs Assessment Tool Intervention (CSNAT-I) in the HSCT context.

Methods

CSNAT-I consists of an evidence-based tool and a five-stage person-centred process. The intervention was performed remotely by two designated nurses from two HSCT centres, one before HSCT and the second 6 weeks after (November 2020 to March 2021). To capture the experiences of using CSNAT-I, interviews were conducted with family caregivers and reflections were gathered from the designated nurses.

Results

Of 34 eligible family caregivers, 27 participated, 70% were partners and the rest children, siblings or other relatives. The main support needs were knowing what to expect in the future and dealing with your feelings and worries. The most frequent support actions according to CSNAT-I were psychological support and medical information. Four categories summarised family caregivers and designated nurses’ experiences: CSNAT-I was relevant and became an eye opener; nurses’ experiences were important for enabling trustful CSNAT-I conversations; CSNAT-I provided family caregivers with support and a sense of security; and CSNAT-I gave family caregivers insight and enabled change.

Conclusion

Both family caregivers and designated nurses experienced that using CSNAT-I in an HSCT context was feasible and had the potential to provide valuable support for most of the participating family caregivers.
Synthesis and biological evaluation of new 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives as potent antimicrobial agents
Authors: Kamel Monica G. , Sroor Farid M. , Othman Abdelmageed M. , Hassaneen Hamdi M. , Abdallah Tayseer A. , Saleh Fatma M. , Teleb Mohamed A. Mohamed
Published: August 2022

A series of 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives were designed and synthesized using N-(4-nitrophenyl)acetohydrazonoyl bromide and 1-[3,5-dimethyl-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl]ethan-1-one as starting materials. The treatment of 1-[3,5-dimethyl-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl]ethan-1-one with methyl hydrazinecarbodithioate or hydrazinecarbothioamide afforded 2-[1-[5-methyl-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl]ethylidene]hydrazine derivatives. The targeted 1,3,4-thiadiazolyl derivatives were prepared by the reaction of 2-[1-[5-methyl-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl]ethylidene]hydrazine derivatives with hydrazonoyl chloride derivatives. The reaction of N-(4-nitrophenyl)acetohydrazonoyl bromide with 2-[(methylthio)carbonthioyl]hydrazones in absolute ethanol in the presence of triethylamine afforded the corresponding 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives. The newly synthesized compounds were fully characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR, MS, and elemental analysis. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of the synthesized 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives were tested against E. coli, B. mycoides, and C. albicans. Four compounds outperformed the other produced compounds in terms of antimicrobial activity.

Graphical abstract
Welfare and sectoral productivity shifts in a small open economy with imported agricultural inputs: The case of Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: García-Cebro Juan Antonio , Quintela-Del-Río Alejandro , Varela-Santamaría Ramón
Published: August 2022

This paper studies the impact of sectoral productivity growth on welfare in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using the analytical framework of a DSGE model, the main finding is that, for the estimated values of structural parameters, the allocation of scarce resources to the tradable agricultural sector for boosting productivity leads to a greater increase in overall welfare than would be the case if they were allocated to the non-traded goods sector.
Coping with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic in the oldest-old population
Authors: Gerhards Sina Kathrin , Pabst Alexander , Röhr Susanne , Luppa Melanie , Riedel-Heller Steffi G.
Published: August 2022

The aim of the study is to investigate psychosocial factors that are associated with positive and negative coping with stress, as well as with worries about and perceived threat by COVID-19 to enable us to provide adequate support for oldest-old individuals. A paper–pencil-based survey assessed COVID-19 worries and perceived threat, depression, anxiety, somatization, social support, loneliness, resilience, positive and negative coping in a sample of n = 197 oldest-old individuals (78–100 years). Linear multivariate and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted. Individuals with high levels of resilience were more likely to feel self-efficient when coping with stress. High levels of depression, anxiety and loneliness were associated with feeling more helpless when coping with stress. However, oldest-old individuals who felt lonely also experienced situations where they felt competent in stress coping. Being male and experiencing high levels of social support was more likely associated with high levels of worries due to COVID-19. Increased age and higher levels of depression were associated with lower levels of perceived personal threat, whereas higher somatization scores were more likely associated with higher perceived personal threat. Findings suggest that mental health factors may shape the way oldest-old individuals cope with pandemic-related stress. Resilience might be an important factor to take into account when targeting an improvement in positive coping with stress. Oldest-old individuals who have higher levels of depression, anxiety and feel lonely may be supported by adapting their coping skill repertoire to reduce the feeling of helplessness when coping with stress.
Efficiency Investment and Curtailment Action
Authors: Matsumoto Shigeru , Sugeta Hajime
Published: August 2022

Households’ energy-saving activities are often categorized into efficiency investment and curtailment action, which previous studies have analyzed separately, even though households use both activity types simultaneously. In this study, we develop an energy-saving model based on a household production framework to show how these two activities are related. Our household production framework predicts that a household uses energy efficiency investment and curtailment action jointly and not alternatively. Specifically, a household that invests heavily in energy efficiency spends more time on curtailment action . Our empirical analysis uses micro-level data from the Survey on Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Households in Japan to examine the validity of this prediction in a real-world setting. We compare the intensities of curtailment actions by households that keep using old appliances beyond the appropriate replacement period with those by households that use appliances within an appropriate replacement cycle. Our empirical results reveal that the former households, which do not invest in energy efficiency adequately, are less engaged in curtailment actions than the latter households, which invest in energy efficiency adequately. Therefore, the empirical results support the theoretical prediction.
Antimicrobial, and Antibiofilm Activities of Silver Doped Hydroxyapatite: A Novel Bioceramic Material for Dental Filling
Authors: Elbasuney Sherif , El-Sayyad Gharieb S. , Radwan Sara M. , Correa-Duarte Miguel A.
Published: August 2022

Even though hydroxyapatite (HA) is the most common biocompatible material; it has limited antibacterial resistance. HA experiences a tailor-made structure depending on the desired applications. In this regard, silver (Ag) is of particular interest to inhibit wide spectrum of pathogenic bacteria and other microorganisms. Silver doped hydroxyapatite (Ag-HA) was developed via wet co-precipitation with subsequent hydrothermal processing to hinder the growth and multiplication of pathogenic microbes. Ag-HA demonstrated mono-dispersed nano-rods of 70 nm length and 7 nm diameters. Even though silver dopant induced stresses within the crystal lattice; Ag-HA maintained the crystallographic structure of HA with no change. Ag-HA nanocomposite demonstrated Ca/P value of 1.238 compared with 1.402 for virgin HA via XPS spectroscopy. The reduction of Ca/P value was correlated to the partial replacement of Ca+2 with Ag+1; Silver content was reported to be of 1 atomic %. Elemental mapping using EDAX confirmed uniform dispersion of silver ion within HA lattice. Antimicrobial results indicated that, Ag-HA nanocomposite demonstrated the most potent zone of inhibition (ZOI) against Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. Antibiofilm results indicated that Ag-HA nanocomposite at 10.0 µg/mL, experienced the highest percentage for S. aureus and C. albicans of 96.09%, and 77.77%, respectively. Ag-HA nanocomposite demonstrated an excellent disinfectant agent once it had excited by UV light. In growth curve assay, the OD600 value of Ag- HA were lower, showing the repression impact on the growth of S. aureus. It was observed that the quantity of cellular protein discharged from S. aureus is directly proportional to the concentration of Ag-HA, which proves the antibacterial characteristics of the Ag-HA nanocomposite, and explains the creation of holes in the bacterial membrane producing the oozing out of the proteins from the S. aureus cytoplasm. Ag-HA nanocomposite achieved the complete lysis of the bacterial cell and cell malformation, decreasing the total viable number, so the outstanding antimicrobial results encouraged the tooth filling biomedical applications.

Graphical Abstract
The ‘false hope’ argument in discussions on expanded access to investigational drugs: a critical assessment
Authors: Hordijk Marjolijn , Vermeulen Stefan F. , Bunnik Eline M.
Published: August 2022

When seriously ill patients reach the end of the standard treatment trajectory for their condition, they may qualify for the use of unapproved, investigational drugs regulated via expanded access programs. In medical-ethical discourse, it is often argued that expanded access to investigational drugs raises ‘false hope’ among patients and is therefore undesirable. We set out to investigate what is meant by the false hope argument in this discourse. In this paper, we identify and analyze five versions of the false hope argument which we call: (1) the limited chance at benefit argument, (2) the side effects outweighing benefits argument, (3) the opportunity costs argument, (4) the impossibility of making informed decisions argument, and (5) the difficulty of gaining access argument. We argue that the majority of these five versions do not provide normative ground for disqualifying patients’ hopes as false. Only when hope is rooted in a mistaken belief, for example, about the likelihood of benefits or chances on medical risks, or when hope is directed at something that cannot possibly be obtained, should it be considered false. If patients are adequately informed about their odds of obtaining medical benefit, however small, and about the risks associated with an investigational treatment, it is unjustified to consider patients’ hopes to be false, and hence, to deny them access to investigational drug based on that argument.
Chronic pain as a blind spot in the diagnosis of a depressed society. On the implications of the connection between depression and chronic pain for interpretations of contemporary society
Authors: Koesling Dominik , Bozzaro Claudia
Published: August 2022

One popular description of current society is that it is a depressed society and medical evidence about depression’s prevalence may well make such an estimation plausible. However, such normative-critical assessments surrounding depression have to date usually operated with a one-sided understanding of depression. This understanding widely neglects the various ways depression manifests as well as its comorbidities. This becomes evident at the latest when considering one of depression’s most prominent and well-known comorbidities: chronic pain. Against this background, we aim in this article to substantiate our leading claim that the phenomenal interconnection between depression and chronic pain must be acknowledged in the global diagnosis of a depressive society. Thus, we argue here for a complementation of the dominant interpretation of a depressed society. This would support the overcoming of oversimplified images and estimations about depression in current society and further, help to recognize chronic pain properly on the larger scale of assessments that address society as a whole.
Phytochemistry and pharmacology of sea buckthorn (Elaeagnus rhamnoides; syn. Hippophae rhamnoides): progress from 2010 to 2021
Authors: Żuchowski Jerzy
Published: August 2022

Sea buckthorn (Elaeagnus rhamnoides; syn. Hippophae rhamnoides) is a thorny shrub or a small tree belonging to the Elaeagnaceae family, native to Eurasia. Sea buckthorn fruit is rich in vitamins and minerals, oils from the seeds and fruit flesh find use in medicine and the cosmetic industry or as nutraceutical supplements. Fruit, leaves and other parts of buckthorn have been used in traditional medicine, especially in China, Tibet, Mongolia, and Central Asia countries, and are a rich source of many bioactive substances. Due to its health-promoting and medicinal properties, the plant has been extensively investigated for several decades, and its phytochemical composition and pharmacological properties are well characterized. The years 2010–2021 brought significant progress in phytochemical research on sea buckthorn. Dozens of new compounds, mainly phenolics, were isolated from this plant. Numerous pharmacological studies were also performed, investigating diverse aspects of the biological activity of different extracts and natural products from sea buckthorn. This review focuses on the progress in research on sea buckthorn specialized metabolites made in this period. Pharmacological studies on sea buckthorn are also discussed. In addition, biosynthetic pathways of the main groups of these compounds have been shortly described.

Graphical abstract
Quantifying the life-cycle health impacts of a cobalt-containing lithium-ion battery
Authors: Arvidsson Rickard , Chordia Mudit , Nordelöf Anders
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been criticized for contributing to negative social impacts along their life cycles, especially child labor and harsh working conditions during cobalt extraction. This study focuses on human health impacts — arguably the most fundamental of all social impacts. The aim is to quantify the potential life-cycle health impacts of an LIB cell of the type nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC 811) in terms of disability-adjusted life years (DALY), as well as to identify hotspots and ways to reduce the health impacts.

Methods

A cradle-to-gate attributional life-cycle assessment study is conducted with the functional unit of one LIB cell and human health as the sole endpoint considered. The studied LIB is produced in a large-scale “gigafactory” in Sweden, the cobalt sulfate for the cathode is produced in China, and the cobalt raw material is sourced from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Potential health impacts from both emissions and occupational accidents are quantified in terms of DALY, making this an impact pathway (or type II) study with regard to social impact assessment. Two scenarios for fatality rates in the artisanal cobalt mining in the DRC are considered: a high scenario at 2000 fatalities/year and a low scenario at 65 fatalities/year.

Results

Applying the high fatality rate, occupational accidents in the artisanal cobalt mining in the DRC contribute notably to the total life-cycle health impacts of the LIB cell (13%). However, emissions from production of nickel sulfate (used in the cathode) and of copper foil (the anode current collector) contribute even more (30% and 20%, respectively). These contributions are sensitive to the selected time horizon of the life-cycle assessment, with longer or shorter time horizons leading to considerably increased or decreased health impacts, respectively.

Conclusions

In order to reduce the health impacts of the studied LIB, it is recommended to (i) investigate the feasibility of replacing the copper foil with another material able to provide anode current collector functionality, (ii) reduce emissions from metal extraction (particularly nickel and copper), (iii) increase the recycled content of metals supplied to the LIB manufacturing, and (iv) improve the occupational standards in artisanal mining in the DRC, in particular by reducing fatal accidents.
Boundary Conditions Cause Different Generic Bifurcation Structures in Turing Systems
Authors: Woolley Thomas E.
Published: August 2022

Turing’s theory of morphogenesis is a generic mechanism to produce spatial patterning from near homogeneity. Although widely studied, we are still able to generate new results by returning to common dogmas. One such widely reported belief is that the Turing bifurcation occurs through a pitchfork bifurcation, which is true under zero-flux boundary conditions. However, under fixed boundary conditions, the Turing bifurcation becomes generically transcritical. We derive these algebraic results through weakly nonlinear analysis and apply them to the Schnakenberg kinetics. We observe that the combination of kinetics and boundary conditions produce their own uncommon boundary complexities that we explore numerically. Overall, this work demonstrates that it is not enough to only consider parameter perturbations in a sensitivity analysis of a specific application. Variations in boundary conditions should also be considered.