bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Information practices of administrators for controlling information in an online community of new mothers in rural America
Authors: Potnis Devendra , Halladay Macy
Published: August 2022

Rarely does any empirical investigation show how administrators routinely control information in online communities and alleviate misinformation, hate speech, and information overload supported by profit‐driven algorithms. Thematic analysis of in‐depth phone interviews with members and administrators of a “Vaginal Birth After Cesarean” (VBAC) group with over 500 new mothers on Facebook shows that the administrators make 19 choices for recurring, authoritative but evolving 19 information‐related activities when (a) forming the VBAC group over Facebook for local new mothers, (b) actively recruiting women who had a VBAC or have related competencies, (c) removing doctors and solicitors from the group, (d) setting up and revising guidelines for interactions in the group, (e) maintaining the focus of the group, (f) initiating distinct threads of conversations on the group, (g) tagging experts during conversations in the group, and (h) correcting misinformation. Thirty‐eight information practices of the administrators indicate their nine gatekeeping roles, seven of these roles help administrators alleviate misinformation, hate speech, and information overload. Findings also show that the management of members and their interactions is a prerequisite to controlling information in online communities. Prescriptions to social networking companies and guidelines for administrators of online communities are discussed at the end.
Chromium Oxide‐modified Mesoporous Zirconium Dioxide: Efficient Heterogeneous Catalyst for the Synthesis of 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural
Authors: Wang Xiaojun , Lu Ni , Fu Yuanyi , Lu Chang , Guan Meili , Wang Kunhua , Yu Hao
Published: August 2022

A highly efficient carbohydrate conversion to 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (5‐HMF) is a promising method to achieve green and sustainable development. However, most currently reported strategies are energy consuming, and the 5‐HMF yield is relatively lower in the aqueous phase. Herein, a facile method is reported to obtain effective Cr/ZrO2catalysts with high acidity and their catalytic performances were investigated for catalyzing fructose to 5‐HMF at different temperatures and times. With the catalysis of 15 % Cr/ZrO2catalyst, the highest fructose conversion of 98 %, 5‐HMF yield of 48.8 %, and 5‐HMF selectivity of 49.8 % are achieved in green solvent with good recyclability. The possible reaction process of the improved catalysis performance is attributed to the highly crystalline and strong acidity of the Cr/ZrO2catalyst. The Lewis acid sites could increase the overall rate of fructose conversion by promoting side reactions and might suppress fructose to glucose isomerization. In addition, Cr leakage during the reaction might act as the Bronsted acids to catalyze the fructose dehydration to 5‐HMF. The reported method of introducing chromium oxides into ZrO2catalyst will open a new avenue to promote the practical application of biomass and sustainable development in the future.
A Novel EDOT/F Co‐doped PMIA Nanofiber Membrane as Separator for High‐Performance Lithium‐Sulfur Battery
Authors: Xiang Hengying , Liu Xia , Deng Nanping , Cheng Bowen , Kang Weimin
Published: August 2022

In this study, a novel fluorine‐containing emulsion and 3, 4‐ethylene dioxyethiophene (EDOT) co‐doped poly‐m‐phenyleneisophthalamide (PMIA) nanofiber membrane (EDOT/F‐PMIA), as the separator of lithium‐sulfur battery, was tactfully prepared via electrospinning. The multi‐scale EDOT/F‐PMIA nanofiber membrane can be served as the matrix to fabricate gel polymer electrolyte (GPE). Furthermore, under the influence of fluorine‐containing emulsion and EDOT, the PMIA‐based GPE possessed excellent thermostability, eminent mechanical property and well‐distributed lithium‐ions flux. Especially, the pore size of the nanofiber membrane decreased after adding the fluorine‐containing emulsion and EDOT. And the element S and O in EDOT with lone pair electrons were capable of binding with the lithium polysulfides, which was conducive to inhibiting the “shuttle effect” of lithium polysulfides by combining the physical confinement and chemical binding. Therefore, the lithium‐sulfur battery assembled with the EDOT/F‐PMIA separator exhibited excellent electrochemical performance, which delivered a high initial capacity of 851.9 mAh g−1 and maintained a discharge capacity of 641.1 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles with a capacity retention rate of 75.2% at 0.5 C.
Spheroid culture for chondrocytes triggers the initial stage of endochondral ossification
Authors: Kim Jeonghyun , Tomida Kosei , Matsumoto Takeo , Adachi Taiji
Published: August 2022

Endochondral ossification is the process of bone formation derived from growing cartilage duringskeletal development. In previous studies, we provoked the osteocyte differentiation of osteoblast precursor cells under a three‐dimensional (3D) culture model. To recapitulate the endochondral ossification, the present study utilized the self‐organized scaffold‐free spheroid model reconstructed by pre‐chondrocyte cells. Within 2‐day cultivation in the absence of the chemically induced chondrogenesis supplements, the chondrocyte marker was greatly expressed in the inner region of the spheroid, whereas the hypertrophic chondrocyte marker was strongly detected in the surface region of the spheroid. Notably, we found out that the gene expression levels of osteocyte markers were also greatly upregulated compared to the conventional 2D monolayer. Moreover, after long‐term cultivation for 28 days, it induced morphological changes in the spheroid, such as cellular hypertrophy and death. In this study, in order to recapitulate the initial stage of the endochondral ossification, we highlighted the potentials of the 3D culture method to drive the hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation of the pre‐chondrocyte cells.
Comparing the associations between host and tumor factors with survival outcomes with anti‐PD‐1 immunotherapy in metastatic melanoma
Authors: Koczka Kim , Rigo Rodrigo , Batuyong Eugene , Cook Sara , Asad Mohammad , Vallerand Isabelle , Suo Aleksi , Wang Edwin , Cheng Tina
Published: August 2022

Background

Anti‐programmed death‐1 (PD‐1) immunotherapy has drastically improved survival for metastatic melanoma; however, 50% of patients have progression within 6 months despite treatment. In this study, we investigated host, and tumor factors for metastatic melanoma patients treated with anti‐PD‐1 immunotherapy.

Methods

Patients treated with the anti‐PD‐1 immunotherapy between 2014 and 2017 were identified in Alberta, Canada. All patients had Stage IV melanoma. Patient characteristics, investigations, treatment, and clinical outcomes were obtained from electronic medical records.

Results

We identified 174 patients treated with anti‐PD‐1 immunotherapy. At 37.1 months median follow‐up time 135 (77.6%) individuals had died and 150 (86.2%) had progressed. An elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) had a response rate of 21.0% versus 41.0% for those with a normal LDH (p = 0.017). Host factors associated with worse median progression‐free survival (mPFS) and median overall survival (mOS) included liver metastases, >3 sites of disease, elevated LDH, thrombocytosis, neutrophilia, anemia, lymphocytopenia, and an elevated neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio. Primary ulcerated tumors had a worse mOS of 11.8 versus 19.3 months (p = 0.042). We identified four prognostic subgroups in advanced melanoma patients treated with anti‐PD‐1 therapy. (1) Normal LDH with <3 visceral sites, (2) normal LDH with ≥3 visceral sites, (3) LDH 1‐2x upper limit of normal (ULN), (4) LDH ≥2x ULN. The mPFS each group was 14.0, 6.5, 3.3, and 1.9 months, while the mOS for each group was 33.3, 15.7, 7.9, and 3.4 months.

Conclusion

Our study reports that host factors measuring the general immune function, markers of systemic inflammation, and tumor burden and location are the most prognostic for survival.
Clinical evaluation of urine laminin‐γ2 monomer as a potent biomarker for non‐muscle invasive bladder cancer
Authors: Karashima Takashi , Umemoto Susumu , Kishida Takeshi , Osaka Kimito , Nakagawa Masatoshi , Yoshida Eisaku , Yoshimura Toru , Sakaguchi Masahiko , Nishimoto Hiroyuki , Tai Mami , Inoue Keiji , Seiki Motoharu , Koshikawa Naohiko , Shuin Taro
Published: August 2022

Background

To evaluate whether urine laminin‐γ2 monomer (Ln‐γ2m) offers a useful biomarker for patients with non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

Methods

Participants comprised 297 patients, including 111 patients with NMIBC, 136 patients with benign genitourinary disease (BD) and 50 healthy donors (HD). Urine Ln‐γ2m was prospectively measured and accuracy was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were determined and area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated for urine Ln‐γ2m, and compared to those of traditional urine tumor markers such as nuclear matrix protein 22 (NMP22), bladder tumor antigen (BTA) and cytology. The net benefits of combining urine markers were analyzed by decision curve analysis.

Results

Mean urine Ln‐γ2m was significantly higher in NMIBC than in BD or HD. The AUC for urine Ln‐γ2m was significantly higher than those for urine NMP22, BTA or cytology when comparing NMIBC with HD. In patients with low‐grade NMIBC, the AUC for urine Ln‐γ2m was higher than the AUCs for NMP22, BTA or cytology. A net benefit of combined examination using urine Ln‐γ2m/uCRN with NMP22 was demonstrated.

Conclusion

These results suggest urine Ln‐γ2m as a potentially useful biomarker for NMIBC, particularly in cases of low‐grade cancer.
Involucrasin C, Anti‐Inflammatory 2,3‐Dihydro‐1H‐Indene Derivative from Chinese Dai Ethnic Medicine Shuteria involucrata
Authors: Li Xiao‐Hong , Huang Feng , Zhang Bin‐Ruo , Tan Wen‐Hong , Khan Afsar , Zhi‐Hong Zhou , Liu Lu , Yang Zhu‐Ya
Published: August 2022

(±)‐Involucrasin C (1), a pair of new 2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐indene enantiomers, along with an enantiomeric analog (2), were isolated from Shuteria involucrata. Their structures were established by the basis of comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis and X‐ray crystallographic diffraction. Both 1 and 2 significantly inhibited the secretion of pro‐inflammatory cytokines IL‐6, TNF‐α, and IL‐1β, suggesting that these two natural 2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐indene derivatives may be active components of S. involucrata and may block inflammation in the initial stage.
Comprehensive Quality Evaluation of the Root Bark of Morus alba L. Based on High‐Performance Liquid Chromatography Fingerprinting and Chemometric Analyses
Authors: Zhao Xiaoran , Qiu Ziying , Ma Zicheng , Liu Yanan , Ren Xiaoliang , Yu Xiaohua , Sun Lili , Wang Meng
Published: August 2022

The quality of the root bark of Morus alba L. (SBP) herbs currently circulating in the market is variable. In order to ensure clinical effectiveness, a high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprinting method combined with chemical pattern recognition should be established to control the quality of SBP herbs. The differences of 23 batches of SBP were analyzed by exploratory cluster analysis based on shared fingerprint peak data, and the results indicated that the processing method to remove the cork layer from SBP materials is an important influencing factor on SBP quality. Principal component analysis indicated that SBP samples with the cork layer removed can be clearly distinguished from samples without cork layer removal. The potential chemical markers (kuwanon G, morusin and oxyresveratrol) were screened by partial least squares discriminant analysis. Finally, the contents of the main components were determined, indicating that the processing method of SBP materials can affect content of bioactive ingredients and that cork layer removal leads to a more uniform chemometric profile. The HPLC‐based chemometrics approach described here will support the development of quality standards in SBP products.
Elucidating the Sectioning Fragmentation Mechanism in Silica‐Supported Olefin Polymerization Catalysts with Laboratory‐Based X‐Ray and Electron Microscopy
Authors: Werny Maximilian J. , Müller Dominik , Hendriksen Coen , Chan Robert , Friederichs Nicolaas H. , Fella Christian , Meirer Florian , Weckhuysen Bert M.
Published: August 2022

Strict morphological control over growing polymer particles is an indispensable requirement in many catalytic olefin polymerization processes. In catalysts with mechanically stronger supports, e. g., polymerization‐grade silicas, the emergence of extensive cracks via the sectioning fragmentation mechanism requires severe stress build‐up in the polymerizing catalyst particle. Here, we report on three factors that influence the degree of sectioning in silica‐supported olefin polymerization catalysts. Laboratory‐based X‐ray nano‐computed tomography (nanoCT) and focused ion beam‐scanning electron microscopy (FIB‐SEM) were employed to study catalyst particle morphology and crack propagation in two showcase catalyst systems, i.e., a zirconocene‐based catalyst (i.e., Zr/MAO/SiO2, with Zr=2,2’‐biphenylene‐bis‐2‐indenyl zirconium dichloride and MAO=methylaluminoxane) and a Ziegler‐Natta catalyst (i.e., TiCl4/MgCl2/SiO2), during slurry‐phase ethylene polymerization. The absence of extensive macropores in some of the catalysts’ larger constituent silica granulates, a sufficient accessibility of the catalyst particle interior at reaction onset, and a high initial polymerization rate were found to favor the occurrence of the sectioning pathway at different length scales. While sectioning is beneficial for reducing diffusion limitations, its appearance in mechanically stronger catalyst supports can indicate a suboptimal support structure or unfavourable reaction conditions.
Highly N‐doped carbon with low graphitic‐N content as anode material for enhanced initial Coulombic efficiency of lithium‐ion batteries
Authors: Tang Yihua , Chen Jingjing , Mao Zhiyong , Roth Christina , Wang Dajian
Published: August 2022

N‐doped carbons as one of the most prominent anode materials to replace standard graphite exhibit outstanding Li+ storage performance. However, N‐doped carbon anodes still suffer from low N‐doping levels and low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE). In this study, high N‐doped and low graphitic‐N carbons (LGNCs) with enhanced ICE were synthesized by taking advantage of a denitrification strategy for graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4). In brief, more than 14.5 at% of N from g‐C3N4 (55.1 at% N) was retained by reacting graphitic‐N with lithium, which was subsequently removed. As graphitic‐N is largely responsible for the irreversible capacity, the anode's performance was significantly increased. Compared to general N‐doped carbons with high graphitic‐N proportion (>50%) and low N content (<15 at%), LGNCs delivered a low proportion of 10.8%–17.2% within the high N‐doping content of 14.5–42.7 at%, leading to an enhanced specific capacity of 1499.9 mAh g−1 at an ICE of 93.7% for the optimal sample of LGNC (4:1). This study provides a facile strategy to control the N content and speciation, achieving both high Li+ storage capacity and high ICE, and thus promoting research and application of N‐doped carbon materials.
FogiRecruiter: A fog‐enabled selection mechanism of crowdsourcing for disaster management
Authors: Samanta Riya , Ghosh Soumya K.
Published: August 2022

In the Internet of Things framework, crowdsourcing (CS) has played a significant role. A sufficient number of participants carrying sensors or IoT devices are necessary to obtain maximum coverage within a given budget for CS a task. Cloud computing is used for centralized processing, storage, and large‐scale data analysis. The delay associated with transferring data to cloud servers creates a time‐consuming decision‐making process. Fog computing is responsible for this capability. As a result, FogiRecruiter, a novel framework, is offered to efficiently choose participants for data collection from the vital environment while staying within a budget. We also utilize fuzzy logic to pick the best fog nodes for relaying data to them and then to faraway cloud servers. Realizing emergency communication, despite the fact that a direct connection to the cloud is inconvenient. Simulations and prototype testing are used to show the efficacy of the proposed approach.
Towards publishing directed social network data with k‐degree anonymization
Authors: Hong Lin Sin , Xiao Ruliang
Published: August 2022

Anonymization is a practical solution for preserving user's identity privacy before data publishing. There are various anonymity techniques can be applied to maintain data utility of micro‐data and social networks, however these methods lead to a high runtime or low anonymous graph utility. In this article, an efficient, utility‐preserving approach has been proposed to reduce anonymization runtime as well as the amount of information loss incurred by graph anonymization. We craft our anonymization algorithm by combining greedy partition‐based aggregating with multi‐dimensional sorting as main heuristic tools. The proposed algorithm generates a partial order of the vertices so that the vertex at top rank and another vertex at bottom rank can never be aggregated in the same group, the runtime is reduced. Greedy partition‐based aggregating is employed to create ‐anonymous clusters which minimizing information loss. Experimental results on real‐world datasets show the proposed method has good performance and is superior to the existing methods.
Research on the application of artificial intelligence in computer network technology in the era of big data
Authors: Xu Zhenyu
Published: August 2022

In order to improve the security and reliability of computer network, especially the three aspects of fault network diagnosis overall model, computer network link fault detection and computer network congestion prediction, we propose a fuzzy neural network identification and prediction model. In addition, we use rough artificial neural network (RANN) network link mixture to manage all subnets in the network for unified remote allocation network, so as to improve the quality and robustness of the network. The results show that the RANN learning and recognition algorithm we introduced achieves the best performance with 85.12% reduction in total time and 86.82% reduction in the number of steps. In addition, the average error rate of RANN is reduced by 45.94% compared with Lagrangian neural storage algorithm. The iteration number of fuzzy neural network (FNN) neural network prediction model based on incremental rule extraction algorithm is reduced by 28.93%, and the packet loss rate of network peak shaving module controlled by FNN prediction model is reduced to 0.272%, which is 87.69% lower than that of random early detection algorithm. This is expected to provide better performance for the orderly control of network failure, data flow and network data transmission with higher load in the future, and further improve the security and reliability of computer networks.
Deuteron‐Decoupled Singlet NMR in Low Magnetic Fields: Application to the Hyperpolarization of Succinic Acid**
Authors: Dagys Laurynas , Bengs Christian , Moustafa Gamal A. I. , Levitt Malcolm H.
Published: August 2022

The reaction of unsaturated substrates with hydrogen gas enriched in the para spin isomer leads to products with a high degree of nuclear singlet spin order. This leads to greatly enhanced NMR signals, with important potential applications such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of metabolic processes. Although parahydrogen‐induced polarization has the advantage of being cheap, compact, and mobile, especially when performed in ultralow magnetic fields, efficiency is lost when more than a few protons are involved. This strongly restricts the range of compatible substances. We show that these difficulties may be overcome by a combination of deuteration with the application of a sinusoidally modulated longitudinal field as a well as a transverse rotating magnetic field. We demonstrate a six‐fold enhancement in the 13C hyperpolarization of [1‐13C, 2,3‐d2]‐succinic acid, as compared with standard hyperpolarization methods, applied in the same ultralow field regime.
Cloning and Sequencing Eukaryotic Small RNAs
Authors: Crocker Olivia J. , Trigg Natalie A. , Conine Colin C.
Published: August 2022

Small RNAs are ubiquitous regulators of gene expression that participate in nearly all aspects of physiology in a wide range of organisms. There are many different classes of eukaryotic small RNAs that play regulatory roles at every level of gene expression, including transcription, RNA stability, and translation. While eukaryotic small RNAs display diverse functions across and within classes, they are generally grouped functionally based on the machinery required for their biogenesis, the effector proteins they associate with, and their molecular characteristics. The development of techniques to clone and sequence small RNAs has been critical for their identification, yet the ligation‐dependent addition of RNA adapters and the use of reverse transcriptase to generate cDNA in traditional library preparation protocols can be unsuitable to detect certain small RNA subtypes. In particular, 3′ or 5′ chemical modifications that are characteristic of specific types of small RNAs can impede the ligation‐dependent addition of RNA adapters, while internal RNA modifications can interfere with accurate reverse transcription. The inability to clone certain small RNA subtypes with traditional protocols results in an inaccurate assessment of small RNA abundance and diversity, where some RNAs appear over‐represented and others are not detected. This overview aims to guide users on how to design small RNA cloning workflows in eukaryotes to more accurately capture specific small RNAs of interest. Hence, we discuss the molecular biology underlying the identification and quantitation of small RNAs, explore the limitations of commonly used protocols, and detail the alternative approaches that can be used to enrich specific small RNA classes. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Intravital Microscopy to Visualize Murine Small Intestinal Intraepithelial Lymphocyte Migration
Authors: Fischer Matthew , Edelblum Karen L.
Published: August 2022

Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) are critical sentinels involved in host defense and maintenance of the intestinal mucosal barrier. IELs expressing the γδ T‐cell receptor provide continuous surveillance of the villous epithelium by migrating along the basement membrane and into the lateral intercellular space between adjacent enterocytes. Intravital imaging has furthered our understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which IELs navigate the epithelial compartment and interact with neighboring enterocytes at steady state and in response to infectious or inflammatory stimuli. Further, evaluating IEL migratory behavior can provide additional insight into the nature and extent of cellular interactions within the intestinal mucosa. Three protocols describe methodology to visualize small intestinal IEL motility in real time using fluorescent reporter–transgenic mice and/or fluorophore‐conjugated primary antibodies and spinning‐disk confocal microscopy. Using Imaris image analysis software, a fourth protocol provides a framework to analyze IEL migration and quantify lymphocyte/epithelial interactions. Together, these protocols for intravital imaging and subsequent analyses provide the basis for elucidating the spatiotemporal dynamics of mucosal immune cells and interactions with neighboring enterocytes under physiological or pathophysiological conditions. © 2022 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Mouse preparation and laparotomy

Support Protocol: Antibody labeling of cell surface markers

Basic Protocol 2: Image acquisition by spinning‐disk confocal microscopy

Basic Protocol 3: 4D analysis of images
Cytology as a rapid tool in diagnosing tuberculosis of the parotid gland: A case series with a review of the literature
Authors: Kamal Nidhi , Aden Durre , Sufian Zaheer , Singh Mukul
Published: August 2022

Tubercular infection of the parotid gland often confuses clinicians, it being a rare entity even in an endemic area. Its similarity in presentation with that of parotid neoplasms, nonspecific symptoms, low incidence and non‐contributory radiological findings often leads to its misdiagnosis as parotid neoplasm, which in the due course results in parotidectomy. Therefore, FNAC of parotid swelling is helpful to avoid unnecessary surgery and patient discomfort. We report four cases of FNAC of parotid swelling with suspicion of neoplasm/inflammatory lesion and were diagnosed as tuberculosis of the parotid gland. They were advised antitubercular drugs for 6 months and followed up. These case are reported not just to highlight that parotid is a rare site for tuberculosis, but also to ascertain that FNAC can be an easy and fast diagnostic modality for confirmation of tubercular parotitis rather than going through the long way of resection and confirmation on histopathology.
Influence of different data cleaning solutions of point‐occurrence records on downstream macroecological diversity models
Authors: Führding‐Potschkat Petra , Kreft Holger , Ickert‐Bond Stefanie M.
Published: August 2022

Digital point‐occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and other data providers enable a wide range of research in macroecology and biogeography. However, data errors may hamper immediate use. Manual data cleaning is time‐consuming and often unfeasible, given that the databases may contain thousands or millions of records. Automated data cleaning pipelines are therefore of high importance. Taking North American Ephedra as a model, we examined how different data cleaning pipelines (using, e.g., the GBIF web application, and four different R packages) affect downstream species distribution models (SDMs). We also assessed how data differed from expert data. From 13,889 North American Ephedra observations in GBIF, the pipelines removed 31.7% to 62.7% false positives, invalid coordinates, and duplicates, leading to datasets between 9484 (GBIF application) and 5196 records (manual‐guided filtering). The expert data consisted of 704 records, comparable to data from field studies. Although differences in the absolute numbers of records were relatively large, species richness models based on stacked SDMs (S‐SDM) from pipeline and expert data were strongly correlated (mean Pearson's r across the pipelines: .9986, vs. the expert data: .9173). Our results suggest that all R package‐based pipelines reliably identified invalid coordinates. In contrast, the GBIF‐filtered data still contained both spatial and taxonomic errors. Major drawbacks emerge from the fact that no pipeline fully discovered misidentified specimens without the assistance of taxonomic expert knowledge. We conclude that application‐filtered GBIF data will still need additional review to achieve higher spatial data quality. Achieving high‐quality taxonomic data will require extra effort, probably by thoroughly analyzing the data for misidentified taxa, supported by experts.
Application development and practice model for radiation education
Authors: Tokumoto Ieyasu , Hirozumi Toyokazu , Sakai Masaru , Nishiwaki Junko , Kato Chihiro , Watanabe Kunio , Mizoguchi Masaru , Ishikawa Yohei
Published: August 2022

Since the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japanese soil scientists have tackled soil contamination problems due to radioactive cesium. For the radiation education based on the research results and outreach activities, we published a comic book and developed a digital application using iOS Xcode for Apple iPhone and tablet devices. This allows students to quickly understand why clay soil absorbed cesium and how to remove contaminated soil using educational mini‐games. Through radiation education seminars and a conference, our application was evaluated and revised by school teachers.
Decongestion improving right heart function ameliorates prognosis after an acute heart failure episode
Authors: Hullin Roger , Tzimas Georgios , Barras Nicolas , Abdurashidova Tamila , Soborun Nisha , Aur Stefania , Regamey Julien , Hugelshofer Sarah , Lu Henri , Crisinel Vanessa , Daux Aurelien , Vinet Elise , Mekoa‐Mbarga Sandra Joelle‐Regina , Kirsch Matthias , Müller Olivier , Hugli Olivier , Monney Pierre
Published: August 2022

Background

The prognostic role of decongestion‐related change of cardiac morphology and in particular right heart function has not been investigated comprehensively in AHF patients.

Methods and results

This prospective observational single‐centre study included consecutive patients hospitalized for treatment of AHF with reduced, mildly‐reduced or preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography at admission and discharge assessed decongestion‐related change of cardiac function and morphology. The combined endpoint of 1 year all‐cause mortality and cardiovascular rehospitalization explored the prognostic importance of decongestion‐related change. The 176 study participants were 83 years old [74–87] and 54% were men. Fifty one (29%) had rLVEF, 65 (37%) mrLVEF, and 60 (34%) pLVEF. The proportion of de novo or worsening chronic HF was not different between LVEF groups. HF aetiology and cardiovascular risk factors were equally distributed across all groups except for a higher BMI in the pLVEF group. Decongestion equally reduced body weight, heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, tricuspid regurgitation gradient, and inferior vena cava diameter across all groups (P < 0.004 for all). Decongestion‐related increase in TAPSE independent of the LVEF was associated with improvement of right‐ventricular‐pulmonary artery coupling and a lower incidence of the combined outcome in the Cox proportional hazard risk analysis (unadjusted HR 0.50 95% CI 0.33–0.78, P = 0.002; adjusted HR 0.46 95% CI: 0.33–0.78, P = 0.001).

Conclusions

Decongestion‐related increase in TAPSE and recovery of RV/pulmonary artery coupling was observed across all LVEF groups and associated with a risk reduction for the combined endpoint highlighting the important prognostic role of right heart recovery after an AHF episode.
A comparative experimental and theoretical study on the structural and optical properties of ZnO synthesized at room temperature using an ultrasonication technique
Authors: Malik Khurshaid Ahmad , Malik Javied Hamid , Assadullah Insaaf , Bhat Aadil Ahmad , Tomar Radha
Published: August 2022

In the present article we report a comparative experimental and theoretical study on the structural and optical properties of ZnO. First principle calculations were carried out using density functional theory (DFT) to study the electronic structure of ZnO. The direct‐type band gap was found in the ZnO's typical estimated energy band structure in the Brillouin zone path G‐G or in the middle of the Γ k‐point grid. To develop UV/ZnO/O2/H2O2 system for photodegradation of organic contaminants in an aqueous system, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures were synthesized using an ultrasonication process at ambient temperature. To test the photocatalytic activity of synthesized nanostructures, we used phenol red (PR) dye as a test substrate. We found that ZnO nanostructures photo‐degraded PR dye at a rate of over 90% under ultraviolet light irradiation, converting photonic energy into chemical energy (photocatalytic energy conversion) that can be used for water purification. To explore the structural, optical, morphological, and compositional characteristics of synthesized ZnO nanostructures, various techniques including powder X‐ray diffraction, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, UV‐visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy were used.
Evaluation of smoke gas toxicity and smoke density of bus interior materials
Authors: Sandinge Anna , Fredriksson Henrik , Blomqvist Per
Published: August 2022

Materials used for interior parts in buses are today fire classified according to UNECE Regulation 118, evaluating the horizontal and vertical burning rates and the melting behaviour. However, in recent accidents, the smoke has been identified as the critical parameter for deaths. An evaluation has been made of six materials used as interior parts in busses and is presented in this paper. Fire testing was conducted according to UNECE R 118 and smoke production including smoke gas toxicity was further evaluated with the smoke chamber test, EN ISO 5659‐2 and EN 17084. All six tested materials fulfilled the requirements of UNECE R 118; however, most materials showed fire properties which are not desirable, such as dark smoke and melting of large burning pieces. The tests with the smoke chamber showed that all materials gave a very high smoke production, in fact a smoke density value of the highest possible for the equipment to measure. This occurred only after a few minutes of test time. Thus, it can be concluded that this high smoke production will, in case of fire in a bus, reduce the visibility, and limit the ability of the passengers to safely evacuate. In addition, several toxic gases were detected in the smoke, both irritants and suffocating gases.
Palynological study of the family Lythraceae J.St.‐Hil. in Iran; with special emphasis on the genera Ammannia, Lythrum, and Rotala
Authors: Mahmoodi Rana , Faghir Marzieh Beygom , Parsapanah Soheyla
Published: August 2022

The present study investigates the pollen morphology of 12 species belonging to the genera Ammannia, Lythrum, and Rotala of the family Lythraceae in Iran using light microscope and scanning electron microscope. The pollen grains are oblate, suboblate, oblate spheroidal, spheroidal, prolate spheroidal, subprolate and prolate, tricolporate with three or six alternating pseudocolpi (heteroaperturate), striate or rugulate exine sculpturing, microverrucate to microbaculate and microechinate colpus membrane, microverrucate to microbaculate, and psilate pseudocolpi membrane sculpturing types. The results revealed that these characters are taxonomically informative and can be used to identify the three studied genera and their species. We used multivariate analysis to understand the importance of pollen morphological data in determining genera and species relationships. Our findings revealed that the pollen qualitative traits have significant role in determining the generic delimitation.
Global Swimways for the conservation of migratory freshwater fishes
Authors: Worthington Thomas A , van Soesbergen Arnout , Berkhuysen Arjan , Brink Kerry , Royte Joshua , Thieme Michele , Wanningen Herman , Darwall William
Published: August 2022

Anthropogenic activities have severely degraded the ecological integrity of global freshwater systems. Migratory freshwater fishes are especially threatened by the cumulative effects of multiple stressors and fragmentation, particularly those that impede access to critical habitats. To stimulate the conservation and protection of these species, we propose a “Global Swimways” program to identify rivers that support the migration routes of biologically and/or socioeconomically important freshwater fishes. We test the utility of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List data to support the identification of Global Swimways and present case study regions containing rivers with either high species richness (west‐central Africa and Southeast Asia), high numbers of threatened species (Eastern Europe and Central Asia), or multiple endemic species (the Rift Valley lakes in East Africa). We hope the Global Swimways program will provide metrics that can be used to identify rivers requiring increased protection or restoration, track trends, and stimulate the greater inclusion of migratory freshwater fishes in global policy mechanisms.

Front Ecol Environ 2022;
Understanding shedders: Which socio‐demographic, health and wellbeing characteristics best inform appropriate health promotion action in men's sheds and a ‘Shed for Life’?
Authors: McGrath Aisling , Murphy Niamh , Egan Tom , Ormond Gillian , Richardson Noel
Published: August 2022

Issue Addressed

Men's sheds (‘Sheds’) have been identified as inherently health promoting and as potential settings to engage ‘hard‐to‐reach’ men in more structured health promotion initiatives. However, little is known about the socio‐demographic or health and wellbeing characteristics of Shed members (‘Shedders’) on which such initiatives might be based. This study captures a baseline cross‐sectional analysis of Shedders (n = 384) who participated in ‘Sheds for Life’, a health promotion initiative tailored to Sheds.

Methods

Objective health measures (body composition, blood pressure, blood lipids) captured via health screening as well as socio‐demographic and health and wellbeing measures (physical activity, subjective wellbeing, mental health, social capital, cooking and diet) via questionnaires were assessed. Descriptive statistics were generated and differences between groups were determined via parametric and non‐parametric testing. Bivariate analysis was used to determine associations and regression analysis then estimated various predictors on mental wellbeing, life satisfaction and loneliness.

Results

Participants were mostly over 65 years (77.3%), retired (88.6%) with limited educational attainment (77%). The majority were in the ‘at‐risk’ categories for objective health measures, with most being referred to their GP following health screening (79.6%). Older Shedders were also more likely to meet physical activity guidelines. Mental wellbeing was positively correlated with life satisfaction and increased social capital and these were also positively correlated with physical activity (P < .05).

Conclusions

Findings highlight the potential of Sheds in reaching a ‘hard‐to‐reach’ and ‘at‐risk’ cohort of men. Despite a high prevalence of ‘at‐risk’ objective health measures, participants report their health in positive terms. Future health promotion initiatives should capitalise on the inherent health‐promoting properties of Sheds.

So What?

Findings raise important implications for prioritising and designing health promotion initiatives in Shed settings.
Association between hemoglobin A1c, Vitamin C, and microbiome in diabetic foot ulcers and intact skin: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Tong Khanh Phuong S. , Green Stefan J. , Ortiz Jacquelyn , Wu Stephanie C.
Published: August 2022

Background and Aims

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) add billions of dollars to the direct annual costs associated with diabetes. Despite various treatments, many DFUs do not heal and become infected. Both skin‐associated microbial communities and glycemic control are believed to be important in nonhealing DFUs. Recent studies have linked serum Vitamin C levels with glycemic control and DFUs. This cross‐sectional study assessed skin microbiome in DFUs, intact diabetic skin, and nondiabetic skin to identify correlations between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), Vitamin C, and microbial community structure. Correlations between Vitamin C, HbA1c, wound size, and ulcer duration were also determined.

Methods

Participants had their DFUs or intact skin culture swabbed. HbA1c was obtained via point‐of‐care fingerstick testing and serum Vitamin C was obtained via venipuncture. All participants completed a dietary questionnaire. Participants with ulcers were stratified into the controlled (≤8.0%) or uncontrolled (>8.0%) HbA1c group. Analysis of microbial communities was performed via 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene amplicon sequencing and bacterial load was measured by the domain‐level quantitative polymerase chain reaction of the 16S rRNA gene.

Results

Forty‐two patients were recruited over 6 months. Bacteria from the genera Staphylococcus and Stenotrophomonas were present in all samples and often dominant, but a shift towards anaerobic pathogenic taxa was observed in ulcers. No global significant differences were observed for HbA1c and Vitamin C levels in the microbial community structure (R < 0.013/p > 0.375). Bacterial loads were 4–5 orders of magnitude higher in ulcers than in intact skin samples. Bacterial load was not significantly higher in the uncontrolled HbA1c group (p = 0.67). Larger wound sizes (p = 0.46) were observed in the uncontrolled HbA1c group compared to the control. Lower Vitamin C levels (p = 0.002) were observed in the uncontrolled HbA1c group compared to nondiabetic controls.

Conclusion

Understanding the link between Vitamin C and HbA1c and DFU microbiome may aid in new therapies.
Stock Market Efficiency in Asia: Evidence from the Narayan–Liu–Westerlund's GARCH‐based unit root test
Authors: Yaya OlaOluwa S. , Adekoya Oluwasegun B. , Vo Xuan Vinh , Al‐Faryan Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh
Published: August 2022

Stock market integration with efficiency is important in finance. This study therefore analyses the stock market efficiency in Vietnam and other Asian countries by using the recently developed Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH)‐based unit root test of Narayan et al. to examine the stock market efficiency of Vietnam and other 18 Asian countries, using daily prices. Particularly, we examine weather stock market prices in these countries reflects all available information. The model flexibly accounts for heteroskedasticity and two structural breaks, the presence of which can lead to inaccurate results if neglected. Our results disclose the stock markets of 14 countries as inefficient following the rejection of the unit root null hypothesis. However, the stock markets of China, Hong Kong, Japan, and the Korea Republic are adjudged efficient. We further extend the model to accommodate a maximum of five breaks to check the robustness of our results to higher breaks. We observe that the results are largely consistent except for Lebanon and Singapore. For completeness, we compare the results with those of conventional GARCH models that do not account for structural breaks and discover differing results for some countries. Hence, the role of structural breaks is not negligible in assessing market efficiency. Future studies should also incorporate heteroskedasticity and structural breaks in their modelling framework to obtain accurate results.
Screening of in vitro and in silico effect of Fluorophenylthiourea compounds on glucose 6‐phosphate dehydrogenase and 6‐phosphogluconate dehydrogenase enzymes
Authors: Yıldız Muhammed Lütfü , Demir Yeliz , Küfrevioğlu Ömer Irfan
Published: August 2022

Inhibition studies of enzymes in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) have recently emerged as a promising technique for pharmacological intervention in several illnesses. Glucose 6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and 6‐phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) are the most important enzymes of the PPP. For this purpose, in the current study, we examined the effect of some fluorophenylthiourea on G6PD and 6PGD enzyme activity. These compounds exhibited moderate inhibitory activity against G6PD and 6PGD with KI values ranging from 21.60 ± 8.42 to 39.70 ± 11.26 μM, and 15.82 ± 1.54 to 29.97 ± 5.72 μM, respectively. 2,6‐difluorophenylthiourea displayed the most potent inhibitory effect for G6PD, and 2‐fluorophenylthiourea demonstrated the most substantial inhibitory effect for 6PGD. Furthermore, the molecular docking analyses of the fluorophenylthioureas, competitive inhibitors, were performed to understand the binding interactions at the enzymes' binding site.
On the generation of high‐resolution probabilistic design events capturing the joint occurrence of rainfall and storm surge in coastal basins
Authors: Kim Hanbeen , Villarini Gabriele , Jane Robert , Wahl Thomas , Misra Shubhra , Michalek Alexander
Published: August 2022

Coastal areas are subject to the joint risk associated with rainfall‐driven flooding and storm surge hazards. To capture this dependency and the compound nature of these hazards, bivariate modelling represents a straightforward and easy‐to‐implement approach that relies on observational records. Most existing applications focus on a single tide gauge–rain gauge/streamgauge combination, limiting the applicability of bivariate modelling to develop high‐resolution space–time design events that can be used to quantify the dynamic, that is, varying in space and time, compound flood hazard in coastal basins. Moreover, there is a need to recognize that not all extreme events always come from a single population, but can reflect a mixture of different generating mechanisms. Therefore, this paper describes an empirical approach to develop design storms with high‐resolution in space and time (i.e., ~5 km and hourly) for different joint annual exceedance probabilities. We also stratify extreme rainfall and storm surge events depending on whether they were caused by tropical cyclones (TCs) or not. We find that there are significant differences between the TC and non‐TC populations, with very different dependence structures that are missed if we treat all the events as coming from a single population. While we apply this methodology to one basin near Houston, Texas, our approach is general enough to make it applicable for any coastal basin exposed to compounding flood hazards from storm surge and rainfall‐induced flooding.
Flap versus flapless alveolar ridge preservation: A clinical and histological single‐blinded, randomized controlled trial
Authors: Siu Trever L. , Dukka Himabindu , Saleh Muhammad H. A. , Tattan Mustafa , Dib Ziad , Ravidà Andrea , Greenwell Henry , Wang Hom‐Lay , Araujo Mauricio G.
Published: August 2022

Background

The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to compare a flapless technique of alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) to a flap technique to determine if preserving the periosteal blood supply would limit loss of crestal ridge width and height.

Methods

Twenty‐four patients were randomly assigned to receive ARP using either a flapless or flap technique. Sockets were grafted with demineralized bone matrix and mineralized particulate allograft then covered with a barrier in both groups. Re‐entry was performed at 4 months to obtain samples for histological analysis and subsequent implant placement.

Results

Ridge width of the flapless group at the crest decreased from 8.3 ± 1.3 mm to 7.0 ± 1.9 mm for a mean loss of 1.3 ± 0.9 mm (p < 0.05), whereas the flap group decreased from 8.5 ± 1.5 mm to 7.5 ± 1.5 mm for a mean loss of 1.0 ± 1.1 mm (p < 0.05). The mean midbuccal vertical change for the flap group was a loss of 0.9 ± 1.3 mm (p < 0.05) versus 0.5 ± 0.9 mm (p < 0.05) for the flapless group. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups. Histologically, flapless ARP revealed more vital mineralized tissue (44 ± 10%) compared to the flap group (p>0.05). In the flapless group, the occlusal soft tissue was significantly thicker than in the flap group at the 4‐month re‐entry (p< 0.05).

Conclusions

Crestal ridge width, height, and percentage of vital mineralized bone following treatment with a flapless ARP technique, was not significantly different from a flap technique.