bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parent Education Beyond Learning: An Ethnographic Exploration of a Multi‐family Program for Families in Post‐divorce Conflict
Authors: Bertelsen Bård
Published: August 2021

The paper builds on ethnographic, qualitative research that explores the ‘No Kids in the Middle’ program for high‐conflict divorce families, as practiced in the Agder region of South Norway. Parent education programs targeting parents in divorce are generally found to be ‘effective’ in the sense that parents learn about the pitfalls of conflict and become socialised into less negative patterns of co‐parenting. However, a narrow understanding of the potential of such programs as vehicles for the transfer of knowledge fails to attend to the relational sides of both education and therapy, and the existential sides of parenthood. Drawing on Gert Biesta’s articulation of education as a process working along three dimensions of purpose, the paper approaches the ‘No Kids in the Middle’ program as an educational practice. It aims to explore whether the educational ambitions of the ‘No Kids in the Middle’ program should be understood primarily in the general terms of qualification (i.e., parents acquiring knowledge and skills) and socialisation (i.e., parents gaining a specific orientation toward a set of norms and values), or if there were practices or elements that seemed directed at subjectification or bringing the ‘I’ of each parent into play. Analysing field notes from participant observation in a ‘No Kids in the Middle’ multi‐family group and interviews with parents, therapists, judges, and child welfare caseworkers, the paper concludes that programs like ‘No Kids in the Middle’ provide a broad spectrum of educational opportunities. While some of these might be intended to instruct along pre‐defined normative paths toward understanding and behaviour, such practices can also be seen as addressing parents in a different, more existential, way. In the particular local practice studied, the dimension of subjectification was perhaps most clearly in play in the informal settings surrounding the program itself.
Borax‐catalyzed valorization of waste rubber and polyethylene using pyrolysis and copyrolysis reactions
Authors: Hussain Zahid , Khan Ajmal , Naz Muhammad Yasin , Jan Mohammad Rasul , Khan Khalid Mohammed , Perveen Shahnaz , Ullah Sami , Shukrullah Shazia
Published: August 2021

Borax catalyst was used to pyrolyze and copyrolyze the waste polyethylene and tire tube rubber into combustible oil and gas. The borax catalyst not only acted as a solid base but also offered empty orbitals to cleavage the bonds of polymeric feedstock and secondary cracking reactions. The pyrolysis reactions were carried out in a custom‐made steel reactor placed in a top load furnace equipped with digital temperature controller. Both polymeric wastes were pyrolyzed separately and by combining in different ratios with and without using borax catalyst. The effect of reaction temperature and time on quality and quantity of liquid and gaseous products was investigated in the range of 200°C to 600°C and 15–75 min, respectively. In noncatalytic pyrolysis, the pure and copyrolyzed polyethylene with rubber yielded maximum oil at 500°C and 600°C, respectively. In borax‐catalyzed pyrolysis, the pure polyethylene and copyrolyzed with rubber yielded maximum oil at 400°C and 500°C, respectively. Notable difference in product fractions of conventionally pyrolyzed and borax‐catalyzed pyrolysis was evident at all process temperatures. The chemical nature of oil was checked using GC–MS, while gaseous product was analyzed using glass vessel traps containing different chemical reagents. The combustibility of gaseous product was also checked using a miniature Bunsen burner.
Electrospun polyamide/graphene oxide nanofibers as fillers for polyethylene: Preparation and characterization
Authors: Bateni Fatemeh , Hashemi Motlagh Ghodratollah
Published: August 2021

The morphology, crystallinity, and mechanical properties of polyethylene (PE) composites containing 0, 3.5, 7, 10.5, and 14 wt% polyamide 6 (PA6) and graphene oxide (GO)/PA6 electrospun mats were investigated. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide angle X‐ray diffraction analysis results showed the formation ofɣcrystals in PA6 nanofibers where it increased with the addition of GO nanoplates. The crystallinity of PA6 mats was smaller than that of PA6 granule, but increased with the addition of GO. GO nanoplates at 2.5 wt% introduced a second higher melting peak 237°C for PA6 nanofiber. The DSC results showed that the crystallinity behavior of PE was affected by the presence of the nanofibers and GO nanoplates due to their nucleation effect. The mats enhanced the elastic modulus and yield strength of PE by 121 and 33%, respectively. Although ductility was dropped, the yield phenomenon of PE was preserved with the addition of the nanofibers. The nanofiber bridging mechanism was observed in the composites after failure in tensile test. The PE/PA6 nanocomposites can be used in PE applications with improved mechanical/barrier/conductivity properties such as tanks, containers, pipes, ropes, packaging, greenhouse films, and so on specially for those, which color change, or antistatic properties are important.
1,5‐Benzoxazepines as a unique and potent scaffold for activity drugs: A review
Authors: Stefaniak Monika , Olszewska Beata
Published: August 2021

Benzoxazepines constitute a huge number of organic compounds widely described in the literature. Many of them are distinguished by their biological properties. Among them, our attention was drawn to 1,5‐benzoxazepine derivatives due to their interesting pharmacological properties. As is reported in the literature, these compounds are not only good building blocks in organic synthesis but also have interesting biological and pharmacological properties. This article is the first review publication to describe the synthesis methods and unique properties of 1,5‐benzoxazepines. Literature reports widely describe the biological properties of 1,5‐benzoxazepine, like anticancer, antibacterial, or antifungal activities. 1,5‐Benzoxazepine derivatives can also interact with G‐protein‐coupled receptors and could be incorporated into new potential drugs, among others, in treating neuronal disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
Economic assessment of the conversion of bleached eucalyptus Kraft pulp into cellulose nanocrystals in a stand‐alone facility via acid and enzymatic hydrolysis
Authors: Rosales‐Calderon Oscar , Pereira Bárbara , Arantes Valdeir
Published: August 2021

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have become valued bionanomaterials with enormous potential to bring fundamental changes and benefits to society. We evaluated the techno‐economic viability of using sulfuric acid and enzymatic hydrolysis technologies to produce CNCs from bleached eucalyptus Kraft pulp (BEKP) in stand‐alone facilities. Experiments were performed on the enzymatic and acid hydrolysis of BEKP and the separation and isolation of the generated CNCs. The results obtained were used to determine reaction yields and compositions through the process stages and to build mass balances for the production of CNCs via acid and enzymatic hydrolysis. We used the process data that were generated to simulate and scale up process models of the production of CNCs using Aspen Plus. Techno‐economic analyses of the simulated processes were performed using Aspen Process Economic Analyzer to generate capital and operating cost estimates. At an estimated minimum selling price (MSP) of $10 031/dry tonne of CNCs, the production of CNCs via acid hydrolysis can be technically and economically competitive. Further research and process optimization efforts should focus on low‐cost technologies that minimize water use and on sulfuric acid recovery technologies that lead to lower production costs. The production of CNCs via enzymatic hydrolysis requires a low capital investment. However, due to its low reaction yield, a reflection of the still early stage of process development, the production cost of the enzymatic CNCs, with an MSP of $65 740 dry tonne of CNCs t–1, is too high to be commercially attractive. Nonetheless, the low capital cost of producing CNCs by using enzymatic hydrolysis indicates that the process may be profitable if the enzymatic hydrolysis yield is drastically improved. Research efforts towards developing an enzyme cocktail designed and optimized specifically for CNCs production and the introduction of an efficient and low‐cost pretreatment stage prior to enzymatic hydrolysis to increase the accessibility of enzymes to cellulose may improve the hydrolysis yield. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Online bioinformatics teaching practice: Comparison of popular docking programs using SARS‐CoV‐2 spike RBD–ACE2 complex as a benchmark
Authors: Fan Wenxuan , Mencius Jun , Du Wenjing , Fan Huangyunxian , Zhu Hongjin , Wei Dongzhi , Zhou Mian , Quan Shu
Published: August 2021

In this information era, there is an urgent need for tighter integration of bioinformatics and experimental biology. The enormous amount of data generated by biological experiments calls for extensive computational analysis. Many bioinformatics textbooks at present mainly focus on theories, which hinders the vigorous development of scientific research. As a result, most students are simply familiar with the bioinformatics theories but lack the opportunity to put them into practice. Here, we present our bioinformatics docking project conducted during the self‐isolation period of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Five students used the RBD–ACE2 complex as a benchmark to conduct a systematic comparison of several open‐source online molecular docking programs. The virus surface spike protein mediates the entry of the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus into human cells by binding to its receptor, angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), through its receptor‐binding domain (RBD). Through docking and comparing predicted structures to the crystal structure, students gained the opportunity to practice different bioinformatics tools independently and conduct research collaboratively. It opens a window for students to reach out to the state‐of‐the‐art bioinformatics techniques and to keep up with the research trends. The online workshop has also proven to be an innovative method for bioinformatics teaching. We hope our work can inspire other educators to develop strategies to expose undergraduate students to modern bioinformatics and turn every temporary difficulty into a possible learning opportunity.
MiR‐26a‐5p alleviates cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction via targeting ADAM17
Authors: Shi Hongtao , Li Hao , Zhang Fan , Xue Honghong , Zhang Yanan , Han Qinghua
Published: August 2021

Cardiac hypertrophy has been a high prevalence rate throughout the world. It has posed a big threat to public health due to limited therapeutic approaches. Previous studies showed that pathological cardiac hypertrophy was associated with autophagy, microRNAs (miRNA), and other signaling pathways, while the molecular mechanisms remain incompletely characterized. In this study, we used thoracic aortic constriction (TAC)‐induced mice and angiotensin‐II (Ang‐II)‐induced H9C2 cell line as cardiac hypertrophy model to investigate the role of miR‐26a‐5p in cardiac hypertrophy. We found that miR‐26a‐5p was downregulated in cardiac hypertrophy mice. Overexpression of miR‐26a‐5p by type 9 recombinant adeno‐associated virus (rAAV9) reversed the heart hypertrophic manifestations. The phenotypes were also promoted by miR‐26a‐5p inhibitor in Ang‐II‐induced H9C2 cells. Through miRNA profile analysis and dual‐luciferase reporter assay, ADAM17 was identified as a direct target of miR‐26a‐5p. Restored expression of ADAM17 disrupted the effect of miR‐26a‐5p on cardiac hypertrophy. To sum up, these results indicated that miR‐26a‐5p played an inhibitory role in cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction via targeting ADAM17. The miR‐26a‐5p‐ADAM17‐cardiac hypertrophy axis provided special insight and a new molecular mechanism for a better understanding of cardiac hypertrophy disease, as well as the diagnostic and therapeutic practice.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement and chronic kidney disease: Close friends or sworn enemies?
Authors: Tarantini Giuseppe , Cardaioli Francesco
Published: August 2021

Key Points

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been associated with a lower incidence of post‐procedural acute renal failure than surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Nonetheless, kidney injury still remains a relatively frequent complication after TAVR, leading to worse outcomes.

The early outcomes after trans‐femoral TAVR, in patients with or without chronic kidney disease (CKD) are similar.

At long‐term follow‐up, patients with advanced CKD trend to higher mortality, stroke and vascular complications.
The actin‐binding protein Adseverin mediates neutrophil polarization and migration
Authors: Glogauer Judah , Sun Chunxiang , Wang Yongqiang , Glogauer Michael
Published: August 2021

Through the process of chemotactic migration, neutrophils are able to recruit to an inflammatory site and eliminate pathogens, thus playing a vital role in host defense. The process of neutrophil chemotaxis is mediated by dynamic actin reorganization and polymerization. Adseverin, an actin‐binding protein and member of the Gelsolin superfamily of proteins, has been hypothesized to regulate goal directed movement through the capping and severing of actin filaments, but has never been investigated in the context of neutrophil chemotaxis. Using an Adseverin knockout mouse model, we show that Adseverin plays a role in subcortical F‐actin assembly at the leading edge during chemotaxis through the generation of free barbed ends on existing actin filaments. In addition, in the absence of Adseverin, neutrophils show reduced speed of migration in vitro and in vivo. This study indicates that Adseverin is a regulator of actin filament generation during neutrophil chemotaxis.
A cost‐efficient resemblance detection scheme for post‐deduplication delta compression in backup systems
Authors: Wang Chunzhi , Fu Yanlin , Yan Junyi , Wu Xinyun , Zhang Yucheng , Xia Huiling , Yuan Ye
Published: August 2021

Delta compression, which is efficient in removing repeated string among similar chunks, can be used as a complement to data deduplication in backup storage for extra space savings. The process of detecting similar candidates to use as the base for delta compression is called resemblance detection. Several indexes are required for resemblance detection. Maintaining them in RAM would limit the system scalability and increase system cost. Storing them on the disk suffers from low throughput due to poor random I/O performance of the disk. In this article, we present the history‐aware resemblance detection (HARD), a cost‐efficient resemblance detection approach that captures most of the similar chunks with a limited memory footprint. HARD is based on the observation that, for chunks in a backup, most of their similar chunks can be found in the most recent backups. HARD thus only indexes super‐features in the most recent backups for resemblance detection to reduce the memory footprint of resemblance indexes while captures most of the potential similar chunks for delta compression. Experimental results based on three real‐world datasets show that HARD achieves higher compression than the state‐of‐the‐art approach.
Highly Selective, CRISPR/Cas9‐Mediated Isolation of Genes and Genomic Loci from Complex Genomes by TAR Cloning in Yeast
Authors: Kouprina Natalay , Kim Jung‐Hyun , Larionov Vladimir
Published: August 2021

Here we describe an updated TAR cloning protocol for the selective and efficient isolation of any genomic fragment or gene of interest up to 280 kb in size from genomic DNA. The method exploits the special recombination machinery of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. TAR cloning is based on the high level of in vivo recombination that occurs between a specific genomic DNA fragment of interest and targeting sequences (hooks) in a TAR vector that are homologous to the 5′ and 3′ ends of the targeted region. Upon co‐transformation into yeast, this results in the isolation of the chromosomal region of interest as a circular YAC molecule, which then propagates and segregates in yeast cells and can be selected for. In the updated TAR cloning protocol described here, the fraction of region‐positive clones typically obtained is increased from 1% up to 35% by pre‐treatment of the genomic DNA with specifically designed CRISPR/Cas9 endonucleases that create double‐strand breaks (DSBs) bracketing the target genomic DNA sequence, thereby making the ends of the chromosomal region of interest highly recombinogenic. In addition, a new TAR vector was constructed that contains YAC and BAC cassettes, permitting direct transfer of a TAR‐cloned DNA from yeast to bacterial cells. Once the TAR vector with the hooks is constructed and genomic DNA is prepared, the entire procedure takes 3 weeks to complete. The updated TAR protocol does not require significant yeast experience or extensively time‐consuming yeast work because screening only about a dozen yeast transformants is typically enough to find a clone with the region of interest. TAR cloning of chromosomal fragments, individual genes, or gene families can be used for functional, structural, and population studies, for comparative genomics, and for long‐range haplotyping, and has potential for gene therapy. Published 2021. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Preparation of CRISPR/Cas9‐treated genomic DNA for TAR cloning

Basic Protocol 2: Isolation of a gene or genomic locus by TAR cloning

Basic Protocol 3: Transfer of TAR/YAC/BAC isolates from yeast to E. coli
Theoretical Insights on Au‐based Bimetallic Alloy Electrocatalysts for Nitrogen Reduction Reaction with High Selectivity and Activity
Authors: Shi Jun‐Lin , Xiang Shi‐Qin , Su Dai‐Jian , Liu Xiaohong , Zhang Wei , Zhao Liu‐Bin
Published: August 2021

Electrochemical reduction of nitrogen to produce ammonia at moderate conditions in aqueous solutions holds great prospect but also faces huge challenges. Considering the high selectivity of Au‐based materials to inhibit competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and high activity of transition metals such as Fe and Mo toward the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), it was proposed that Au‐based alloy materials could act as efficient catalysts for N2 fixation based on density functional theory simulations. Only on Mo3Au(111) surface the adsorption of N2 is stronger than H atom. Thermodynamics combined with kinetics studies were performed to investigate the influence of composition and ratio of Au‐based alloys on NRR and HER. The binding energy and reorganization energy affected performance for the initial N2 activation and hydrogenation process. By considering the free‐energy diagram, the computed potential‐determining step was either the first or the fifth hydrogenation step on metal catalysts. The optimum catalytic activity could be achieved by adjusting atomic proportion in alloys to make all intermediate species exhibit moderate adsorption. Free‐energy diagrams of N2 hydrogenation via Langmuir‐Hinshelwood mechanism and hydrogen evolution via Tafel mechanism were compared to reveal that the Mo3Au surface showed satisfactory catalytic performance by simultaneously promoting NRR and suppressing HER. Theoretical simulations demonstrated that Au‐Mo alloy materials could be applied as high‐performance electrocatalysts for NRR.
Multiobjective fuzzy knowledge‐based bacterial foraging optimization for congestion control in clustered wireless sensor networks
Authors: Moharamkhani Elaheh , Zadmehr Behrouz , Memarian Saeideh , Saber Mohammad Javad , Shokouhifar Mohammad
Published: August 2021

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) include a number of wireless sensor nodes distributed in a geographical area. Due to the intrinsic and functional nature of WSNs, these networks face many challenges such as limited energy resources of sensor nodes and the routing congestions. Clustering is the most common routing approach to control congestion and achieve energy efficiency in WSNs, which ultimately prolongs the network lifetime. In the cluster‐based routing protocols, optimal selection of cluster heads (CHs) is an NP‐hard problem, and consequently, heuristic and metaheuristic algorithms can be employed to obtain a near‐optimal solution. In this paper, a fuzzy knowledge‐based metaheuristic model based on multiobjective fuzzy inference system (moFIS) and bacterial foraging optimization (BFO), named moFIS‐BFO, is proposed as an efficient routing protocol for clustered WSNs. In the moFIS‐BFO model, the moFIS is utilized to calculate the chance of each node for becoming a CH based on different criteria including degree difference, residual energy, total distance to neighbors, and distance to the base station. Taking into account the calculated chances of nodes, the BFO is employed to select proper CHs at every round. To control the queue in cluster headings, a priority ranking method is used to control congestions and avoid packet wastages. Simulation results demonstrate the superiority of the moFIS‐BFO protocol against the existing techniques to control congestion and prolong the network lifetime.
Seasonal variation in sexual readiness in a facultatively sexual freshwater cnidarian with diapausing eggs
Authors: Tökölyi Jácint , Gergely Réka , Miklós Máté
Published: August 2021

Facultative sexuality combines clonal propagation with sexual reproduction within a single life cycle. Clonal propagation enables quick population growth and the occupancy of favorable habitats. Sex, on the contrary, results in the production of offspring that are more likely to survive adverse conditions (such as the resting eggs of many freshwater invertebrates). In seasonal environments, the timing of sex is often triggered by environmental cues signaling the onset of winter (e.g., temperature drop or changes in photoperiod). Organisms switching to sex to produce resting eggs under these conditions face a trade‐off: Responding too early to an environmental cue increases the chances of missing out in clonal propagation, while having a delayed response to deteriorating conditions entails the risk of parental mortality before sexual reproduction could be completed. To mitigate these risks, increased sensitivity toward environmental cues with the onset of the winter might be an adaptive strategy. To test this hypothesis, we investigated sexual propensity and time to gonadogenesis in clonal strains derived from spring‐ and autumn‐collected polyps ofHydra oligactis, a facultatively sexual freshwater cnidarian where sex only occurs prior to the onset of winter. We show that autumn‐collected individuals and their asexual offspring have a higher propensity for sex and require less time for gonad development compared with strains established from spring‐collected individuals that were kept under similar conditions in the laboratory. To see whether the above results can be explained by phenotypic plasticity in sexual readiness, we exposed cold‐adapted laboratory strains to different lengths of warm periods. We found that sexual propensity increases with warm exposure. Our results suggest that reciprocal cold and warm periods are required for sex induction inH. oligactis, which would ensure proper timing of sex in this species. Increased sensitivity to environmental deterioration might help maximize fitness in environments that have both a predictable (seasonal) and an unpredictable component.
Clonotypic architecture of a Gag‐specific CD8+ T‐cell response in chronic human HIV‐2 infection
Authors: Moysi Eirini , Darko Samuel , Gea‐Mallorquí Ester , Petrovas Constantinos , Almeida Jorge R. , Wolinsky David , Peng Yanchun , Jaye Assan , Stewart‐Jones Guillaume , Douek Daniel C. , Koup Richard A. , Dong Tao , Rowland‐Jones Sarah
Published: August 2021

The dynamics of T‐cell receptor (TCR)selection in chronic HIV‐1 infection, and its association with clinical outcome, is well documented for an array of MHC‐peptide complexes and disease stages. However, the factors that may contribute to the selection and expansion of CD8+ T‐cells in chronic HIV‐2 infection, especially at the clonal level remain unclear. To address this question, we undertook a detailed molecular characterization of the clonotypic architecture of an HLA‐B*3501 restricted Gag‐specific CD8+ T‐cell response in donors chronically infected with HIV‐2 using a combination of flow cytometry, tetramer‐specific CD8+ TCR clonotyping, and in vitro assays. We show that the response to the NY9 epitope is hierarchical and narrow in terms of T‐cell receptor‐alpha (TCRA) and ‐beta (TCRB) gene usage yet clonotypically diverse. Furthermore, clonotypic dominance in shared origin CTL clones was associated with a greater magnitude of cytokine production and antigen sensitivity at limiting antigen dilution as well as enhanced cross‐reactivity for known HIV‐2 variants. Hence, our data suggest that effector mobilization and expansion in human chronic HIV‐2 infection may be linked to the qualitative features of specific CD8+ T‐cell clonotypes, which could have implications for viral control and disease outcome.
Assessment of cellular and molecular metrics for dose selection in an in vivo comet assay: A case study with MDI
Authors: Ji Zhiying , Koehler Matthew W. , Scott Andrew B. , LeBaron Matthew J.
Published: August 2021

The in vivo comet assay can evaluate the genotoxic potential of a chemical in theoretically any tissue that can be processed to a single cell suspension. This flexibility enables evaluation of point‐of‐contact tissues using a relevant route of test material administration; however, assessing cytotoxicity is essential for the interpretation of comet results. Histopathological evaluation is routinely utilized to assess cytotoxicity, but temporal‐ and cell‐specific considerations may compromise applicability to the comet assay. In the present study, 1,1′‐methylenebis(4‐isocyanatobenzene) (4,4'‐MDI) was administered to rats for 6 h by nose‐only inhalation, and the comet assay was conducted to evaluate genotoxicity in the site‐of‐contact tissue (bronchoalveolar lavage cells) and distal tissues (liver and glandular stomach). Given the reactive nature of MDI, cellular and molecular metrics at the site‐of‐contact‐ including inflammation, macrophage activation, apoptosis/necrosis, and oxidative stress‐ were used to set appropriate exposure concentrations, in addition to the standard systemic measures of toxicity. In the range‐finding study, a concentration of 4 mg/m3 was considered the maximum noninflammatory concentration; hence target concentrations of 2, 5, and 11 mg/m3 were selected for the comet study. In the lung lavage, MDI exposure substantially increased total protein and β‐glucuronidase, along with cellular apoptosis. Although MDI did not increase the comet assay response (% tail DNA) in any of the tissues examined, the positive control (ethyl methanesulfonate, EMS) significantly increased % tail DNA in all tissues. In total, these data indicate that appropriate cellular and molecular measurements may facilitate dose selection to discern cellular status in the comet assay.
Aneurysmal bone cyst with an unusual clinical presentation and a novel VDR‐USP6 fusion
Authors: Papke David J. , Bredella Miriam A. , Lozano‐Calderon Santiago , Oliveira Andre M. , Lennerz Jochen , Nielsen G. Petur
Published: August 2021

Aneurysmal bone cyst is a benign bone neoplasm that most commonly arises from the metaphyses of long bones in the first and second decades of life. Here, we describe a case of an aneurysmal bone cyst that occurred in the distal tibial diaphysis of a 72‐year‐old female that was concerning for malignancy on imaging, demonstrating cortical breakthrough and soft tissue extension. Histologically, the tumor showed the characteristic morphologic features of aneurysmal bone cyst. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was positive for USP6 rearrangement, and RNA sequencing revealed a USP6 gene fusion with VDR, a novel partner that encodes the vitamin D receptor and that has not been implicated previously in human neoplasia. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges presented by aneurysmal bone cyst in elderly adults, and it expands the genetic spectrum of USP6 rearrangements.
TV exposure and food consumption patterns–evidence from Indonesia
Authors: Oberlander Lisa
Published: August 2021

Using cross‐sectional survey data from Indonesia from 2007 and 2014, this study estimates the effect of the number of available television channels during childhood on food consumption later in life with a focus on unhealthy food items. To address endogeneity of television signal strength, I exploit exogenous variations in television signal quality due to random diffractions caused by topography within a small area. Using an instrumental variables approach the results suggest that exposure to television during youth of the household head has a positive effect on household‐level snack and soft drink expenditures. At the individual level I document more frequent consumption of soft drinks. Additional analysis suggests that households shift their consumption basket at the expense of vegetables and staples. Finally, heterogeneous effects analysis imply that results are driven by young individuals who are younger than 24 years old.
Diastolic hypertension is associated with proteinuria in pediatric patients
Authors: Myette Robert L. , Burger Dylan , Geier Pavel , Feber Janusz
Published: August 2021

Background and Aims

Blood pressure lability has been observed in certain cohorts of pediatric patients with variable degrees of proteinuria; however, the impact of proteinuria on blood pressure is not fully elucidated. The objective of our study was to analyze blood pressure and heart rate in pediatric patients with proteinuria.

Methods

We performed a retrospective chart review of patients (age 1‐18) diagnosed with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome, with varying degrees of proteinuria. Blood pressure and heart rate data were analyzed in relation to anthropometric and biochemical parameters. A total of 72 urine sample analyses, along with associated blood pressure measurements, were obtained from the charts of 33 children (males = 25).

Results

Diastolic blood pressure Z‐scores were significantly higher in proteinuric patients (urine protein/creatinine >0.02 g/mmol) compared to non‐proteinuric patients (P = .006; Cohen‐d 0.97 [0.41; 1.53]). Systolic blood pressure was also significantly higher in proteinuric patients (P = .04), but with a less significant effect size (Cohen‐d 0.54 [−0.002; 1.08]). Proteinuria (>0.02 g/mmol) was the most significant predictor of diastolic (β = .79, P = .04), but not systolic blood pressure elevation on multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

We observed a disproportionate increase in diastolic blood pressure vs systolic blood pressure in patients with proteinuria.
Significance of thermal radiation and thermo‐physical properties on the modeling of sodium droplet explosion with different reaction rates
Authors: Kolawole Sunday Adegbie , Boluwaji Dennis Obideyi
Published: August 2021

The temperature of explosive substances (i.e., coolants) in the nuclear industries are necessary to ensure safety. The present study is focused on the analysis of the significance of thermal radiation and variable thermo‐physical properties on thermal stability characteristics of sodium droplet use as a coolant in the design of nuclear facilities. It is pertinent to note that the inclusion of heat loss by convection and heat generated by the reaction is based on Newton's law of cooling and Arrhenius kinetic equation, respectively, with the P‐1 approximation radiative heat loss model. The emerging mathematical model is a highly nonlinear ordinary differential equation. The model is solved using the classical fourth‐order Runge‐Kutta scheme. Consequently, the analysis of the results of the present study reveals the quantitative impacts of the thermal radiative model and variable thermo‐physical properties on the temperature of the sodium droplet. The results reveal that the combined inclusion of variable thermophysical properties and thermal radiation significantly reduces the droplet temperature. The temperature of the coolant increases with an increase in the reactants' numerical exponent and thermal radiation reduces the temperature of the sodium droplet at the initial temperature with the reverse effect at free stream temperature.
Asymmetric Autocatalysis as a Link Between Crystal Chirality and Highly Enantioenriched Organic Compounds
Authors: Soai Kenso , Matsumoto Arimasa , Kawasaki Tsuneomi
Published: August 2021

The origin of biological homochirality has attracted much attention. Pyrimidyl alkanols exhibit asymmetric autocatalysis with significant amplification of enantiomeric excess in the reaction between pyrimidine‐5‐carbaldehyde and diisopropyl zinc (the Soai reaction). Chiral inorganic crystals such as quartz, cinnabar and sodium chlorate act as chiral triggers of asymmetric autocatalysis to afford highly enantioenriched pyrimidyl alkanol, with the absolute configurations corresponding to those of the chiral crystals. Chiral organic crystals composed of achiral organic compounds such as cytosine, adenine dinitrate, and γ‐glycine act as the chiral triggers of the Soai reaction to afford pyrimidyl alkanol with high ee that corresponds to the absolute configuration of the chiral trigger. This review describes that chiral minerals and chiral organic crystals act as the chiral triggers of the Soai reaction and that these chiral crystals are correlated to near‐enantiopure chiral organic compounds.
Classification ofelectroencephalogramrecords related to cursor movements with a hybrid method based on deep learning
Authors: Türk Ömer
Published: August 2021

In brain computer interface (BCI), many transformation methods are used when processing electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. Thus, the EEG can be represented in different domains. However, designing an EEG‐based BCI system without any transformation technique is a challenge. For this purpose, in this study, a BCI model is proposed without any transformation. The classification of cursor down and cursor up movements using the EEG signals received from the brain is aimed at in the proposed model. The EEG patterns were classified using two methods. Firstly, EEG signals were classified by classic convolutional neural network (CNN). Secondly, proposed hybrid structure obtained the EEG features, which were classified by k‐NN and SVM, using CNN. Classification with CNN architecture gave a result of 68.15% while the hybrid method using k‐NN and SVM classifiers yielded 97.55% and 97.61% respectively. The hybrid proposed method were more successful than the studies in the literature.
Influence of foot traffic, irrigation, nitrogen fertilization, and weather factors on tissue N content in creeping bentgrass ‘Focus’
Authors: Zhou Qiyu , Soldat Douglas J.
Published: August 2021

Tissue nitrogen content is an important indicator of N removal in clippings from putting greens. To help managers determine the average tissue N content, a better understanding of factors controlling turfgrass tissue N content is needed. This study aimed to quantify how different N application rates, foot traffic intensities, soil volumetric water content (VWC), and weather factors influence the tissue N content of creeping bentgrass ‘Focus’ (Agrostis stolonifera L.). Field experiments on combined effects of foot traffic and nitrogen fertilizer on tissue N content were performed on two greens with 0.6 and 0.9% soil organic matter (SOM) in 2018, where N fertilizer was applied at 0, 10, or 20 kg N ha−1 every 2 wk, and foot traffic intensity was maintained at three rates: 0, 1,800, and 3,600 rounds wk−1 from 16 May to 28 August. A field experiment on the combined effects of VWC and traffic on tissue N content was conducted on the 0.9% SOM green in 2019, with the VWCs maintained at low (12–15%), medium (17–22%), and high (25–29%) levels by hand‐watering, with the assistance of time domain reflectometry; foot traffic intensities were 0, 700, and 1,400 rounds wk−1 from 31 May to 4 October. The tissue N content ranged from 2.5 to 5.0% (average: 3.9%). The N fertilizer rate was the main factor controlling the tissue N content, but foot traffic and VWC had no impact. Temperature, relative humidity, and evapotranspiration on the tissue N content also had minimal or nonexistent impacts.
Clinical review and role of clinical pharmacists in obesity management: An opinion of the endocrine and metabolism practice and research network of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy
Authors: Clements Jennifer N. , Albanese Nicole P. , D'Souza Jennifer J. , Misher Anne , Reece Sara (Mandy) , Trujillo Jennifer , Whitley Heather P.
Published: August 2021

The objective of this practice and research network opinion paper was to identify literature for pharmacist‐led services with obesity management, summarize clinical evidence for this disease state, and describe the role of a clinical pharmacist among patients who are overweight or have obesity. Clinical pharmacists play a critical role in the safe and effective management of obesity in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. In an outpatient setting, the role of the clinical pharmacist includes a comprehensive patient interview to design an individualized therapeutic plan involving nonpharmacological interventions with or without pharmacological interventions or surgical options. A clinical pharmacist conducts a risk‐benefit analysis for pharmacological interventions. Furthermore, the potential of medications to contribute to weight gain or prevent weight loss can be reviewed by a clinical pharmacist when managing comorbid conditions. In an inpatient setting, a clinical pharmacist conducts medication reconciliation, determines appropriate supplements for nutritional deficiencies, and provides medication management for people with obesity who may or may not be undergoing bariatric surgery. In addition, a clinical pharmacist can provide thorough patient education with monitoring for transitions from hospital to the outpatient setting and subsequent follow‐up visits.
Individual consumption in collective households: Identification using repeated observations with an application to PROGRESA
Authors: Sokullu Senay , Valente Christine
Published: August 2021

Individual consumption is typically not observed for individuals living with others. Identification of individual resource shares from household expenditure data requires assumptions on preferences that are often difficult to justify. We show that individual resource shares can be identified from repeated observations under the intuitive assumption that individual preferences over a subset of goods are stable over time. Using this method to estimate the effect of PROGRESA on the intrahousehold distribution of household expenditure, and hence on individual consumption, we find unequal gains, with children's individual consumption increasing by 27.8%, fathers' consumption by 17.8%, and mothers' consumption by 5.8%.
Performance evaluation of three automated quantitative immunoassays and their correlation with a surrogate virus neutralization test in coronavirus disease 19 patients and pre‐pandemic controls
Authors: Jung Kiwook , Shin Sue , Nam Minjeong , Hong Yun Ji , Roh Eun Youn , Park Kyoung Un , Song Eun Young
Published: August 2021

Background

SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic is currently ongoing, meanwhile vaccinations are rapidly underway in some countries. The quantitative immunoassays detecting antibodies against spike antigen of SARS‐CoV‐2 have been developed based on the findings that they have a better correlation with the neutralizing antibody.

Methods

The performances of the Abbott Architect SARS‐CoV‐2 IgG II Quant, DiaSorin LIAISON SARS‐CoV‐2 TrimericS IgG, and Roche Elecsys anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 S were evaluated on 173 sera from 126 SARS‐CoV‐2 patients and 151 pre‐pandemic sera. Their correlations with GenScript cPass SARS‐CoV‐2 Neutralization Antibody Detection Kit were also analyzed on 173 sera from 126 SARS‐CoV‐2 patients.

Results

Architect SARS‐CoV‐2 IgG II Quant and Elecsys anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 S showed the highest overall sensitivity (96.0%), followed by LIAISON SARS‐CoV‐2 TrimericS IgG (93.6%). The specificities of Elecsys anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 S and LIAISON SARS‐CoV‐2 TrimericS IgG were 100.0%, followed by Architect SARS‐CoV‐2 IgG II Quant (99.3%). Regarding the correlation with cPass neutralization antibody assay, LIAISON SARS‐CoV‐2 TrimericS IgG showed the best correlation (Spearman rho = 0.88), followed by Architect SARS‐CoV‐2 IgG II Quant and Elecsys anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 S (all rho = 0.87).

Conclusions

The three automated quantitative immunoassays showed good diagnostic performance and strong correlations with neutralization antibodies. These assays will be useful in diagnostic assistance, evaluating the response to vaccination, and the assessment of herd immunity in the future.
Visceral fat‐specific regulation of plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 in aged septic mice
Authors: Bruno Maria E. C. , Mukherjee Sujata , Stromberg Arnold J. , Saito Hiroshi , Starr Marlene E.
Published: August 2021

Elevated plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI‐1) are documented in patients with sepsis and levels positively correlate with disease severity and mortality. Our previous work demonstrated that visceral adipose tissues (VAT) are a major source of PAI‐1, especially in the aged (murine endotoxemia), that circulating PAI‐1 protein levels match the trajectory of PAI‐1 transcript levels in VAT (clinical sepsis), and that PAI‐1 in both VAT and plasma are positively associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) in septic patients. In the current study utilizing preclinical sepsis models, PAI‐1 tissue distribution was examined and cellular sources, as well as mechanisms mediating PAI‐1 induction in VAT, were identified. In aged mice with sepsis, PAI‐1 gene expression was significantly higher in VAT than in other major organs. VAT PAI‐1 gene expression correlated with PAI‐1 protein levels in both VAT and plasma. Moreover, VAT and plasma levels of PAI‐1 were positively associated with AKI markers, modeling our previous clinical data. Using explant cultures of VAT, we determined that PAI‐1 is secreted robustly in response to recombinant transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) treatment; however, neutralization was effective only for TNFα indicating that TGFβ is not an endogenous modulator of PAI‐1. Within VAT, TNFα was localized to neutrophils and macrophages. PAI‐1 protein levels were fourfold higher in stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cells compared with mature adipocytes, and among SVF cells, both immune and nonimmune compartments expressed PAI‐1 in a similar fashion. PAI‐1 was localized predominantly to macrophages within the immune compartment and preadipocytes and endothelial cells within the nonimmune compartment. Collectively, these results indicate that induction and secretion of PAI‐1 from VAT is facilitated by a complex interaction among immune and nonimmune cells. As circulating PAI‐1 contributes to AKI in sepsis, understanding PAI‐1 regulation in VAT could yield novel strategies for reducing systemic consequences of PAI‐1 overproduction.
A study of molybdena catalysts in ethanol oxidation. Part 2. Alumina‐supported and silica‐doped alumina‐supported MoO3
Authors: Pampararo Giovanni , Garbarino Gabriella , Ardoino Niccolò , Riani Paola , Busca Guido
Published: August 2021

BACKGROUND

γ‐Al2O3 and silica‐doped aluminas are largely used supports for industrial catalysts. The addition of silica to alumina modifies its acid–base properties, also affecting its dispersion ability of supported species. In this paper, investigations on the silica doping effect in alumina‐supported MoO3 catalysts, developed for the oxidative dehydrogenation process of ethanol to acetaldehyde, are reported.

RESULTS

MoO3 (1÷12% wtMoO3/wtsupport) supported over pure γ‐Al2O3, SiO2 (1 and 5 wt.%) doped γ‐Al2O3 were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation. Catalysts were studied and extensively characterized structurally, morphologically, and chemically. All samples were tested in ethanol oxidative dehydrogenation in Temperature Programmed Surface Reaction conditions. Best performing catalysts were also tested in steady‐state and time‐on‐stream experiments. At 573 K, the best acetaldehyde yield (60% in steady state conditions) was found on 12 wt.% MoO3 over 1 wt.% SiO2 on alumina. The slight deactivation after 8 h on stream (10% activity loss) is attributed to a limited MoO3 loss by volatilization.

CONCLUSION

The investigated catalysts are active and allow quite a high yield to acetaldehyde. The addition of silica to alumina increases both the conversion of ethanol and the selectivity to acetaldehyde, and reduces MoO3 volatilization, due to the higher activity of monomeric molybdates with respect to polymeric ones. The high acidity of the catalysts limits oxydehydrogenation yield, catalyzing competitive reaction to ethylene. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Corticosterone mediates a growth‐survival tradeoff for an amphibian exposed to increased salinity
Authors: Tornabene Brian J. , Hossack Blake R. , Crespi Erica J. , Breuner Creagh W.
Published: August 2021

Life‐history tradeoffs are common across taxa, but growth‐survival tradeoffs—usually enhancing survival at a cost to growth—are less frequently investigated. Increased salinity (NaCl) is a prevalent anthropogenic disturbance that may cause a growth‐survival tradeoff for larval amphibians. Although physiological mechanisms mediating tradeoffs are seldom investigated, hormones are prime candidates. Corticosterone (CORT) is a steroid hormone that independently influences survival and growth and may provide mechanistic insight into growth‐survival tradeoffs. We conducted a 24‐day experiment to test effects of salinity (<32–4000 mg/L) on growth, development, survival, CORT responses, and tradeoffs among traits of larval Northern Leopard Frogs (Rana pipiens). We also experimentally suppressed CORT signaling to determine whether CORT signaling mediates effects of salinity and a growth‐survival tradeoff. Increased salinity reduced survival, growth, and development. Suppressing CORT signaling in conjunction with salinity reduced survival further but also attenuated the negative effects of salinity on growth, development, and water content. CORT of control larvae increased or was stable with growth and development but decreased with growth and development for those exposed to salinity. Therefore, salinity dysregulated CORT physiology. Across all treatments, larvae that survived had higher CORT than larvae that died. By manipulating CORT signaling, we provide strong evidence that CORT physiology mediates the outcome of a growth‐survival tradeoff and enhances survival. To our knowledge, this is the first study to concomitantly measure tradeoffs between growth and survival and experimentally link these changes to CORT physiology. Identifying mechanistic links between stressors and fitness‐related outcomes is critical to enhance our understanding of tradeoffs.