bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cathinone und synthetische Cannabinoide
Authors: Preuss Ulrich W. , Schoett Katharina
Published: May 2022

NPS (neue psychoaktive Substanzen) sind eine Gruppe von Substanzen, die seit ca.
15 Jahren illegal und hauptsächlich über das Internet und die
sozialen Medien vertreiben werden. Es handelt es sich um eine sehr heterogene
Gruppe von Substanzen, die beim Konsum vielfältige psychotrope Wirkungen
auslösen. Cathinone und synthetische Cannabinoide sind die am
häufigsten konsumierten NPS. Ziel dieser Übersicht ist es,
anhand von aktuellen Kenntnissen und Fallbeispielen die Pharmakologie,
rechtlichen Aspekte und Risiken des Konsums von NPS übersichtsartig
darzustellen und Hinweise auf Therapiemöglichkeiten zu geben.
Adenom der ekkrinen Drüsen bei einer Katze
Authors: Lombardo Mara Sophie , Bärsch Christiane , Hewicker-Trautwein Marion , Puff Christina
Published: May 2022

Tumoröse Entartungen der ekkrinen Drüsen sind bei Hunden und Katzen sehr selten beschrieben. In den meisten Fällen handelt es sich um maligne Neoplasien, während nur Einzelfälle von ekkrinen Adenomen bekannt sind. Im vorliegenden Fall handelte es sich um eine 1 Jahr alte, weiblich-kastrierte Katze, die mit einer Umfangsvermehrung am Ballen der rechten Vordergliedmaße vorgestellt wurde. Diese wies einen Durchmesser von ca. 2 cm auf, der innerhalb der folgenden 2 Monate auf 4 cm zunahm. Die Umfangsvermehrung war zu letzterem Zeitpunkt ulzeriert. Nach chirurgischer Exzision erfolgten eine histologische sowie eine immunhistochemische Untersuchung. Die Umfangsvermehrung stellte sich lichtmikroskopisch als gut abgegrenzte, noduläre Masse dar, die einerseits aus in Läppchen angeordneten Zellen, die tubuläre und azinäre Strukturen bildeten, bestand und andererseits großflächige, chondroide Metaplasien aufwies. Bei den erstgenannten Zellen handelte es sich um iso- bis hochprismatische Zellen mit großen, runden bis ovalen Zellkernen, die relativ prominente Nukleoli besaßen. Es wurde bis zu einer Mitose pro Gesichtsfeld in der 400-fachen Vergrößerung in dieser Population festgestellt. Die neoplastischen Zellen exprimierten Panzytokeratin AE1/AE3, wohingegen Thyroid Transcription Factor 1 (TTF1) nicht detektiert wurde. Aufgrund der histologischen und immunhistochemischen Befunde wurde die Diagnose eines Adenoms der ekkrinen Drüsen gestellt.
Differences in Clinical Aspects Between Subacute Thyroiditis Associated with COVID-19 Vaccines and Classical Subacute Thyroiditis
Authors: Topaloğlu Ömercan , Tekin Sakin , Topaloğlu Seda Nur , Bayraktaroglu Taner
Published: May 2022

Subacute thyroiditis (SAT) developed after SARS-CoV-2 vaccines has been less studied. We aimed to compare classical SAT and SAT developed after SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the context of clinical aspects. Adults with SAT detected in 90 days of COVID-19 vaccination (CoronaVac or Pfizer/BioNTech) were grouped as Vac-SAT. Those with a history of SARS-CoV-2 or upper respiratory tract infection in 6 months before the vaccination, or vaccination with another antiviral vaccine after COVID-19 vaccination were excluded. Those with SAT detected before COVID-19 pandemic were grouped as Classical-SAT. Of total (n=85), female/male (54/31) ratio and age [43 (23–65)] were similar in Vac-SAT (n=23) and Classical-SAT (n=62). Duration between vaccine and SAT was 45 (7–90) days, and similar in CoronaVac-SAT (n=5) and BioNTech-SAT (n=18). SAT-duration was 28 (10–150) days, and higher in Vac-SAT than in Classical-SAT (p=0.023). SAT was developed after the 1st dose vaccine in minority in CoronaVac-SAT (n=2) and BioNTech-SAT (n=3) (p=0.263). Previous LT4 use, and TSH elevation after resolution were more frequent in Vac-SAT than in Classical-SAT (p=0.027 and p=0.041). We included a considerable number of patients with SAT occurred after COVID-19 vaccines. We cannot provide clear evidence regarding the association of COVID-19 vaccines with SAT. SAT associated with CoronaVac or BioNTech seems unlikely to be occurred after the 1st dose, and to have a longer duration, more likely to be associated with previous LT4 use and lead TSH elevation after resolution than Classical-SAT. TSH should be followed-up after the resolution of SAT detected after COVID-19 vaccination.
Visible-Light-Induced Organocatalyzed [2+1] Cyclization of Alkynes and (Trifluoroacetyl)silanes
Authors: Shen Xiao , Zhou Gang
Published: May 2022

The synthesis of common cyclopropenes has been widely studied, but the synthesis of cyclopropenols is a significant challenge. Here, we highlight our recent work on the synthesis of trifluoromethylated cyclopropenols through a [2+1] cycloaddition reaction between alkynes and (trifluoroacetyl)silanes under visible-light-induced organocatalysis. The novel amphiphilic donor–acceptor carbenes derived from (trifluoroacetyl)silanes can react effectively with both activated and nonactivated alkynes. A broad substrate scope and a good functional-group tolerance have been achieved. Moreover, the synthetic potential of this reaction was highlighted by a gram-scale reaction and the one-pot diastereoselective synthesis of trifluoromethylated cyclopropanols.
Calciphylaxis and Ulcerative Lesions of Bilateral Nipple–Areolar Complex Due to Alcoholic Liver Disease
Authors: Jha Anamika , Shrivastav Shreya , Kasyap Akhilesh K.
Published: May 2022

When faced with eczematous lesions involving the nipple–areolar complex (NAC), Paget's disease is assumed to be the diagnosis, anything else being considered a “Zebra” necessitating its exclusion on pathology. A middle-aged lady presented with synchronous asymmetrical ulceration of bilateral NAC with pleomorphic calcifications on mammography and simultaneous extensive vascular calcification in bilateral breasts that suggested systemic cause. Calciphylaxis is a rare diagnosis occurring usually due to underlying end-stage renal disease or hyperparathyroidism. There are very few case reports of calciphylaxis due to alcoholic liver disease and no cases to the best of our knowledge involving NAC. We report an extremely rare case of breast and NAC calciphylaxis due to alcoholic liver disease, highlighting need to consider benign etiology when bilateral involvement is present.
Role of Transcutaneous Perianal Ultrasonography in Evaluation of Perianal Fistulae with MRI Correlation
Authors: Singh Amandeep , Kaur Gurpreet , Singh Jai Inder , Singh Gauravdeep
Published: May 2022

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of transcutaneous perianal ultrasonography (TPUS) in patients with perianal fistula and to correlate the findings with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as gold standard.

Materials and Methods: This prospective study included patients who presented with suspicion of perianal fistula. After clinical examination, TPUS and MRI of perianal region were performed on each of them. Clockwise position of internal opening of the fistula was described. The entire length of the tract was evaluated up to the external opening. Also, any ramifications along the primary tract were described. Parks et al and St James's University Hospital MR Imaging Classification of Perianal Fistulas were used for classifying the fistulas.

Results: Out of total 37 patients, the most common age group of presenting individuals was 45 to 60 years with male to female ratio of 6.4:1. There was excellent agreement between TPUS and MRI for detecting primary fistulous tract with kappa correlation coefficient of 1. The kappa correlation coefficient for detecting secondary fistulous tracts and abscess on TPUS and MRI was 0.839 and 0.937 showing excellent agreement. Moderate agreement was seen with kappa correlation coefficient of 0.839 in the detection of internal opening on TPUS and MRI.

Conclusion: TPUS showed promising results in diagnosis and classification of perianal fistulae with MRI as gold standard. A wide availability, cost-effectiveness, and better tolerability of TPUS can make it an imaging modality of first choice for evaluating perianal fistulae.
Experimental study of entrained air-core structures induced by a pump intake vortex
Authors: Mondal Rahul Kumar , Kumar Parmod
Published: May 2022

The occurrence of the free surface vortex is inherent to numerous physical situations and may result in the entrainment of air which is detrimental for many engineering processes and devices. The present study experimentally elucidates the vortex formation and subsequent air entrainment patterns for pump intake-induced vortices. The vortex profiles are distinctly categorized based on their specific behaviors for high (H/d > 2.6) and low (H/d ≤ 2.6) submergence ratios. Regime maps are presented for high submergence water levels by the amalgamation of visual inspection of interface profile inside the tank and within the flow intakes. The entrained air entities have transformed from discrete bubbles to a continuous gaseous core by passing through the number of intermediate fluidic structures within the pipe upon the increase in the flow rate in the entrainment regime. The flow rate at the inception of air entrainment has increased with an increase in the height of the nominal free surface. The transient evolution of the vortex tip depicted different rates of its downward traversal depending upon the location of occurrence between the free surface and flow inlet. The use of an air separator system has resulted in the mitigation of the flow fluctuations in the entrainment regime.
Numerical analysis of effect of Reynolds number on interaction of density-stratified fluid with a vortex ring
Authors: Cao Lile , Takamure Kotaro , Uchiyama Tomomi
Published: May 2022

In this study, the effect of Reynolds number (Re) on the mixing process of a two-layer density-stratified fluid, caused by the interaction between a vortex ring and the density interface, was numerically investigated using an improved vortex-in-cell method. The density-stratified fluid consisted of water (upper layer) and an aqueous sodium chloride solution (lower layer). Re of the simulated vortex ring was varied from 644 to 1932. We numerically investigated the behavior of the vortex ring and density-stratified fluid, and compared the same with that from a previously conducted experimental study from the literature. The vortex structure generated during the interaction was visualized in three dimensions. Furthermore, the mixing process was evaluated in terms of the stirring index, gradient of concentration, and stirring efficiency. The mixing behavior of the vortex ring was a function of the interaction pattern. For example, for a large Re, with the penetrative pattern, the stirring efficiency reached a constant value that was smaller than that from the partially penetrative pattern. The results showed that a strong stirring caused by an increase in Re of the vortex ring would not always lead to effective mixing.
Direct numerical simulation of film boiling on a horizontal periodic surface in three dimensions using front tracking
Authors: Khorram A. , Mortazavi S.
Published: May 2022

This study investigates film boiling on a horizontal periodic surface in three dimensions through direct numerical simulations. To solve the momentum and energy equations in both phases, a finite difference/front tracking method is used that accounts for inertia, viscosity, and interface deformation. The mathematical formulation and numerical method are presented. One of the challenging aspects of the front tracking method is breakup and coalescence of bubbles. Previous works continued the simulations up to the breakup and release of the bubble. We use an innovative topology changing algorithm to overcome this challenge. So, simulations are carried out over sufficiently long times to capture several bubble release cycles and to evaluate the quasi steady-state Nusselt number Nu¯. Effect of the Grashof and Jacob numbers on the interface dynamics, heat transfer, and fluid flow is studied. By increasing the Grashof number, buoyancy suppresses the viscous effect, so the average size of departing bubbles decreases, and the average Nusselt number increases. Wall superheat has direct influence on the Jacob number. At relatively low superheats, the bubbles are released periodically from the vapor film, but as the wall superheat increases, permanent vapor jets are formed and become thicker. However, the bubble size and the average Nusselt number decrease. The effect of unit cell size is investigated. It is observed that Nu¯ does not change much with unit cell size. To examine the effect of initial perturbation, single mode and multimode cases were simulated. The initial perturbation has no significant effect on the Nu¯. The density ratio was studied, and it is observed that the stationary steady state condition is reached at a shorter time.
Valve-mediated flow control in salp-like locomotion
Authors: Bi Xiaobo , Tang Hui , Zhu Qiang
Published: May 2022

By using an axisymmetric model, we numerically investigate the underlying fluid dynamics of a salp-like swimmer consisting of a deformable shell, a front valve, and a back valve. Through coordinated shell inflation/deflation and valve opening/closing, uni-directional flow is created inside the body and in the wake, which provides thrust for forward motion. Our results prove that this method is capable of sustained locomotion. The uni-directional internal flow successfully reduces energy loss due to dissipation inside the body. Moreover, due to hydrodynamic interactions among different body parts (i.e., the shell and the two valves), the energy expenditure of one part may be recovered by others. In addition to its benefit to energy efficiency, this phenomenon also implies that the valves may be passively activated by harvesting energy spent by the shell, so that the mechanical design can be simplified. Parametric studies have been conducted to determine the effect of the stroke ratio. Furthermore, the locomotion performance of the salp-like system has been compared with that of a squid-like system in which the refilling flow and the jet are in opposite directions.
Glass ages in material time
Authors: Middleton Christine
Published: May 2022

The long-standing assumption that the same relaxation processes underlie linear and nonlinear aging is now backed up by experiments.
A lunar micrometeorite preserves the solar system’s early history
Authors: Lopatka Alex
Published: May 2022

Geochemical analyses confirm that a 200 μm speck of lunar soil likely originated somewhere other than the Moon.
Germany’s green transition regains momentum
Authors: Feder Toni
Published: May 2022

The country aims to be climate neutral by 2045.
The secret world in the gaps between brain cells
Authors: Nicholson Charles
Published: May 2022

Innovations in diffusion analysis and imaging techniques have gradually revealed the ubiquity and importance of extracellular space.
Pesticides and formulations.
Authors: Dhang Partho , Koehler Philip , Pereira Roberto , Dye, II Daniel D.
Published: May 2022

This chapter provides key questions (and answers) on pesticides and formulations used in urban pest management. There are thousands of pesticide products that can be selected for use, and there are also many types of pesticide formulations to choose from. Insecticide mode of action is very important for understanding how an insecticide works to kill an insect pest and how to rotate insecticides, so insect resistance is avoided. Some of the important groups of insecticides and their modes of action are mentioned.
Integrated pest management.
Authors: Dhang Partho , Koehler Philip , Pereira Roberto , Dye II Daniel D.
Published: May 2022

This chapter focuses on the integration and application of various monitoring and intervention methods to keep check on pest populations (integrated pest management; IPM), which usually involves a combination of numerous methods, such as non-chemical tools, barriers, education and correct pesticide use. The benefits associated with the use of IPM in urban pest control are also discussed.
The stability threshold and Diophantine approximation
Authors: He Yan , Ru Min
Published: May 2022

The purpose of this paper is to use the filtration that appeared in Ru and Vojta [Amer. J. Math. 142 (2020), pp. 957-991] to extend the result of Blum-Jonsson [Adv. Math. 365 (2020), p. 57], as well as to explore some connections between the notion of the

K
K

-stability and Diophantine approximation, especially the

β
\beta

-constant and the Ru-Vojta’s theorem.
Change in effectiveness of mammography screening with decreasing breast cancer mortality: a population-based study
Authors: Christiansen Søren R , Autier Philippe , Støvring Henrik
Published: May 2022

Background

Reductions in breast cancer mortality observed over the last three decades are partly due to improved patient management, which may erode the benefit-harm balance of mammography screening.

Methods

We estimated the numbers of women needed to invite (NNI) to prevent one breast cancer death within 10 years. Four scenarios of screening effectiveness (5–20% mortality reduction) were applied on 10,580 breast cancer deaths among Norwegian women aged 50–75 years from 1986 to 2016. We used three scenarios of overdiagnosis (10–40% excess breast cancers during screening period) for estimating ratios of numbers of overdiagnosed breast cancers for each breast cancer death prevented.

Results

Under the base case scenario of 20% breast cancer mortality reduction and 20% overdiagnosis, the NNI rose from 731 (95% CI: 644–830) women in 1996 to 1364 (95% CI: 1181–1577) women in 2016, while the number of women with overdiagnosed cancer for each breast cancer death prevented rose from 3.2 in 1996 to 5.4 in 2016. For a mortality reduction of 8.7%, the ratio of overdiagnosed breast cancers per breast cancer death prevented rose from 7.4 in 1996 to 14.0 in 2016. For a mortality reduction of 5%, the ratio rose from 12.8 in 1996 to 25.2 in 2016.

Conclusions

Due to increasingly potent therapeutic modalities, the benefit in terms of reduced breast cancer mortality declines while the harms, including overdiagnosis, are unaffected. Future improvements in breast cancer patient management will further deteriorate the benefit–harm ratio of screening.
Effectiveness of 7-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Against Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in Medically At-Risk Children in Australia: A Record Linkage Study
Authors: Kabir Alamgir , Newall Anthony T , Randall Deborah , Moore Hannah C , Jayasinghe Sanjay , Fathima Parveen , Liu Bette , McIntyre Peter , Gidding Heather F
Published: May 2022

Background

Children with chronic medical conditions are at higher risk of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), but little is known about the effectiveness of the primary course of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in these children.

Methods

A cohort born in 2001–2004 from two Australian states and identified as medically at-risk (MAR) of IPD either using ICD-coded hospitalizations (with conditions of interest identified by 6 months of age) or linked perinatal data (for prematurity) were followed to age 5 years for notified IPD by serotype. We categorized fully vaccinated children as either receiving PCV dose 3 by <12 months of age or ≥1 PCV dose at ≥12 months of age. Cox proportional hazard modeling was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs), adjusted for confounders, and vaccine effectiveness (VE) was estimated as (1-HR) × 100.

Results

A total of 9220 children with MAR conditions had 53 episodes of IPD (43 vaccine-type); 4457 (48.3%) were unvaccinated and 4246 (46.1%) were fully vaccinated, with 1371 (32.3%) receiving dose 3 by 12 months and 2875 (67.7%) having ≥1 dose at ≥12 months. Estimated VE in fully vaccinated children was 85.9% (95% CI: 33.9–97.0) against vaccine-type IPD and 71.5% (95% CI: 26.6–88.9) against all-cause IPD.

Conclusion

This is the first population-based study evaluating the effectiveness of PCV in children with MAR conditions using record linkage. Our study provides evidence that the VE for vaccine-type and all-cause IPD in MAR children in Australia is high and not statistically different from previously reported estimates for the general population. This method can be replicated in other countries to evaluate VE in MAR children.
Radio spectra of protostellar jets: Thermal and non-thermal emission
Authors: Mohan Sreelekshmi , Vig S , Mandal S
Published: May 2022

Protostellar jets and outflows are pointers of star-formation and serve as important sources of momentum and energy transfer to the interstellar medium. Radio emission from ionized jets have been detected towards a number of protostellar objects. In few cases, negative spectral indices and polarized emission have also been observed suggesting the presence of synchrotron emission from relativistic electrons. In this work, we develop a numerical model that incorporates both thermal free–free and non-thermal synchrotron emission mechanisms in the jet geometry. The flux densities include contribution from an inner thermal jet, and a combination of emission from thermal and non-thermal distributions along the edges and extremities, where the jet interacts with the interstellar medium. We also include the effect of varying ionization fraction laterally across the jet. An investigation of radio emission and spectra along the jet shows the dependence of the emission process and optical depth along the line of sight. We explore the effect of various parameters on the turnover frequencies and the radio spectral indices (between 10 MHz and 300 GHz) associated with them.
New constraints on anisotropic expansion from supernovae Type Ia
Authors: Rahman W , Trotta R , Boruah S S , Hudson M J , van Dyk D A
Published: May 2022

We re-examine the contentious question of constraints on anisotropic expansion from Type Ia supernovae (SNIa) in the light of a novel determination of peculiar velocities, which are crucial to test isotropy with SNe out to distances ⪝200h-1 Mpc. We re-analyse the Joint Light-Curve Analysis (JLA) Supernovae (SNe) data, improving on previous treatments of peculiar velocity corrections and their uncertainties (both statistical and systematic) by adopting state-of-the-art flow models constrained independently via the 2M++ galaxy redshift compilation. We also introduce a novel procedure to account for colour-based selection effects, and adjust the redshift of low-z SNe self-consistently in the light of our improved peculiar velocity model. We adopt the Bayesian hierarchical model BAHAMAS to constrain a dipole in the distance modulus in the context of the Lambda cold dark matter (ΛCDM) model and the deceleration parameter in a phenomenological Cosmographic expansion. We do not find any evidence for anisotropic expansion, and place a tight upper bound on the amplitude of a dipole, |Dμ| < 5.93 × 10−4 (95 per cent credible interval) in a ΛCDM setting, and $|D_{q_0}| \lt 6.29 \times 10^{-2}$ in the Cosmographic expansion approach. Using Bayesian model comparison, we obtain posterior odds in excess of 900:1 (640:1) against a constant-in-redshift dipole for ΛCDM (the Cosmographic expansion). In the isotropic case, an accelerating universe is favoured with odds of ∼1100:1 with respect to a decelerating one.
The Quest for Orthologs orthology benchmark service in 2022
Authors: Nevers Yannis , Jones Tamsin E M , Jyothi Dushyanth , Yates Bethan , Ferret Meritxell , Portell-Silva Laura , Codo Laia , Cosentino Salvatore , Marcet-Houben Marina , Vlasova Anna , Poidevin Laetitia , Kress Arnaud , Hickman Mark , Persson Emma , Piližota Ivana , Guijarro-Clarke Cristina ,   the OpenEBench team the Quest for Orthologs Consortium, Altenhoff Adrian , Bruford Elspeth A , Cosentino Salvatore , Dessimoz Christophe , Ebersberger Ingo , Emms David M , Gabaldón Toni , Glover Natasha , Guijarro-Clarke Cristina , Hickman Mark , Hu Yanhui , Iwasaki Wataru , Jones Tamsin E M , Jyothi Dushyanth , Kress Arnaud , Lecompte Odile , Linard Benjamin , Marcet-Houben Marina , Martin Maria J , Nevers Yannis , Persson Emma , Piližota Ivana , Poidevin Laetitia , Roos David S , Sonhammer Erik , Thomas Paul D , Thybert David , Vandepoele Klaas , Vlasova Anna , Yates Bethan , Capella-Gutierrez Salvador , Codó Laia , Ferret Meritxell , Gonzalez-Uriarte Asier , Garrayo-Ventas Javier , Portell-Silva Laura , Repchevsky Dmitry , Sundesha Vicky , Iwasaki Wataru , Lecompte Odile , Sonnhammer Erik , Roos David S , Gabaldón Toni , Thybert David , Thomas Paul D , Hu Yanhui , Emms David M , Bruford Elspeth , Capella-Gutierrez Salvador , Martin Maria J , Dessimoz Christophe , Altenhoff Adrian
Published: May 2022

The Orthology Benchmark Service (https://orthology.benchmarkservice.org) is the gold standard for orthology inference evaluation, supported and maintained by the Quest for Orthologs consortium. It is an essential resource to compare existing and new methods of orthology inference (the bedrock for many comparative genomics and phylogenetic analysis) over a standard dataset and through common procedures. The Quest for Orthologs Consortium is dedicated to maintaining the resource up to date, through regular updates of the Reference Proteomes and increasingly accessible data through the OpenEBench platform. For this update, we have added a new benchmark based on curated orthology assertion from the Vertebrate Gene Nomenclature Committee, and provided an example meta-analysis of the public predictions present on the platform.
GenePlexus: a web-server for gene discovery using network-based machine learning
Authors: Mancuso Christopher A , Bills Patrick S , Krum Douglas , Newsted Jacob , Liu Renming , Krishnan Arjun
Published: May 2022

Biomedical researchers take advantage of high-throughput, high-coverage technologies to routinely generate sets of genes of interest across a wide range of biological conditions. Although these technologies have directly shed light on the molecular underpinnings of various biological processes and diseases, the list of genes from any individual experiment is often noisy and incomplete. Additionally, interpreting these lists of genes can be challenging in terms of how they are related to each other and to other genes in the genome. In this work, we present GenePlexus (https://www.geneplexus.net/), a web-server that allows a researcher to utilize a powerful, network-based machine learning method to gain insights into their gene set of interest and additional functionally similar genes. Once a user uploads their own set of human genes and chooses between a number of different human network representations, GenePlexus provides predictions of how associated every gene in the network is to the input set. The web-server also provides interpretability through network visualization and comparison to other machine learning models trained on thousands of known process/pathway and disease gene sets. GenePlexus is free and open to all users without the need for registration.
A Sense of Being Needed: A Phenomenological Analysis of Hospital-Based Rehabilitation Professionals’ Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: van Oorsouw Roel , Oerlemans Anke , Klooster Emily , van den Berg Manon , Kalf Johanna , Vermeulen Hester , Graff Maud , van den Wees Philip , Koenders Niek
Published: May 2022

Objective

The purpose of this study was to explore lived experiences of rehabilitation professionals working in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the ethical issues and moral distress that these professionals might have encountered.

Methods

An interpretative phenomenological study was performed. First-person experiences of rehabilitation professionals (dieticians, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language therapists) were collected with semi-structured interviews and analyzed with interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Results

The data of 39 hospital-based rehabilitation professionals revealed 4 themes: a disease with great impact, personal health and safety, staying human in chaotic times, and solidarity and changing roles. Participant experiences show that the virus and COVID-19 measures had a significant impact on the in-hospital working environment due to the massive downscaling of regular care, due to infection prevention measures, and due to unknown risks to rehabilitation professionals’ personal health. At the same time, participants experienced a certain freedom, which made room for authentic motives, connection, and solidarity. Participants felt welcomed and appreciated at the COVID-19 wards and intensive care units and were proud that they were able to fulfill their roles. The findings reflect a wide range of situations that were morally complex and led to moral distress.

Conclusion

To diminish the long-lasting negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and moral distress, employers should empathize with the experiences of hospital-based rehabilitation professionals and create conditions for ethical reflection. Our data show that hospital-based rehabilitation professionals value professional autonomy. Creating room for professional autonomy helps them feel needed, connected, and energized. However, the needs of hospital-based rehabilitation professionals may conflict with organizational rules and structures.

Impact

Hospital-based rehabilitation professionals were involved in situations they considered morally undesirable, and they inevitably faced moral distress during the COVID-19 crisis. This study offers rationale and guidance to employers regarding how to reduce the long-term negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rehabilitation professionals.
Mice lacking triglyceride synthesis enzymes in adipose tissue are resistant to diet-induced obesity
Authors: Chitraju Chandramohan , Fischer Alexander W. , Ambaw Yohannes A. , Wang Kun , Yuan Bo , Hui Sheng , Walther Tobias C. , Farese Robert V.
Published: May 2022

Triglycerides (TG) in adipocytes provide the major stores of metabolic energy in the body. Optimal amounts of TG stores are desirable as insufficient capacity to store TG, as in lipodystrophy, or exceeding the capacity for storage, as in obesity, results in metabolic disease. We hypothesized that mice lacking TG storage in adipocytes would result in excess TG storage in cell types other than adipocytes and severe lipotoxicity accompanied by metabolic disease. To test this hypothesis, we selectively deleted both TG-synthesis enzymes, DGAT1 and DGAT2, in adipocytes (ADGAT DKO mice). As expected with depleted energy stores, ADGAT DKO mice did not tolerate fasting well and, with prolonged fasting, entered torpor. However, ADGAT DKO mice were unexpectedly otherwise metabolically healthy and did not accumulate TGs ectopically or develop associated metabolic perturbations, even when fed a high-fat diet. The favorable metabolic phenotype resulted from activation of energy expenditure, in part via BAT activation and beiging of white adipose tissue. Thus, the ADGAT DKO mice provide a fascinating new model to study the coupling of metabolic energy storage to energy expenditure.
M2-polarized macrophages control LSC fate by enhancing stemness, homing, immune evasion and metabolic reprogramming
Authors: Weinhäuser Isabel , Pereira-Martins Diego A. , Almeida Luciana Y. , Hilberink Jacobien R. , Ortiz Cesar , Silveira Douglas R.A. , Quek Lynn , Araujo Cleide L. , Bianco Thiago M , Lucena-Araujo Antonio , Mota Jose Mauricio , Visser Nienke , Hogeling Shanna M. , Diepstra Arjan , Ammatuna Emanuele , Huls Gerwin , Rego Eduardo M. , Schuringa Jan Jacob
Published: May 2022

While it is increasingly becoming clear that cancers are a symbiosis of diverse cell types and tumor clones, the tumor microenvironment (TME) in acute myeloid leukemias (AML) remains poorly understood. Here, we uncover the functional and prognostic relevance of an M2-polarized macrophage compartment. Intra bone marrow co-injection of M2d-macrophages together with leukemic blasts that fail to engraft on their own now induce fatal leukemia in mice. Even a short-term two-day in vitro exposure to M2d macrophages can “train” leukemic blasts after which cells are protected against phagocytosis, display increased mitochondrial metabolism and improved in vivo homing, resulting in full-blown leukemia. Single-cell RNAseq analysis of AML associated macrophages revealed metabolic-related pathways such as Fatty Acid Oxidation and NAD+ generation as therapeutical targetable vulnerabilities. Our study provides insight into the mechanisms by which the immune landscape contributes to aggressive leukemia development and provides alternatives for effective targeting strategies.
How the response to service incidents change customer–firm relationships
Authors: Simões Coelho Pedro , Rita Paulo , Ramos Ricardo F.
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This paper analyzes previously unmeasured effects of a response to a service incident called “benevolent” within the customer –firm relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was administered to telecommunication customers in a Western European country, and the model was estimated using partial least squares (PLS).

Findings

This study shows that the customer–firm relationship is surprisingly affected by the response to expected incidents that the customer interprets as acts of benevolence or opportunism. This research also shows that the firm's incident response interpreted as benevolence or opportunism has an effect that merely positive or negative events do not. Acts of benevolence response towards an incident positively affect customer–firm relationship quality, and expectations of such acts may lead to an upward spiral in customer commitment.

Originality/value

While benevolence trust has been proposed and studied before, the response to incidents interpreted as benevolent or opportunistic and their consequences have been under-studied, hence exhibiting a research gap.
Reducing inequality through institutional action: towards a process framework for student transition and support
Authors: Almeida Shamika , Ranabahu Nadeera , Verma Reetu
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Much of the existing literature note how students' academic difficulties result from their background and lack of cultural capital. This paper aims to focus on internal structural inequality where people with particular backgrounds are disadvantaged within an institution.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a case study approach to understand how an in-built faculty programme, Business for Success (B4S), mitigates institutional inequalities.

Findings

The study’s findings demonstrate that students need services to get accustomed to university, settle in and transition to professional work. Student services are both dependent (such as bridging courses, peer mentoring and internships) and independent (such as ongoing communication, resource loans) on the stage of their studies.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to theory and practice by developing a process framework that policymakers could use to design holistic support programmes and improve students' transition to university, learning and professional work.
The intraspecific relationship between wood density, vessel diameter and other traits across environmental gradients
Authors: Fajardo Alex , Piper Frida I. , García‐Cervigón Ana I.
Published: May 2022

Wood density (WD), a key trait in the trait‐based approach of plant ecology, represents a carbon investment trait that varies across species and reflects a trade‐off between metabolism and longevity. Across species, WD has been found to vary with phylogeny, moisture, temperature and xylem anatomy (e.g. vessel diameter). However, we know little about WD variation at the intraspecific level. Here, we examined how ecologically important functional traits vary in relation to WD in three generalist, exceptionally wide‐niche breadth tree species from southern Chile, making use of broad precipitation and temperature gradients.

We collected branches from Embothrium coccineum and Nothofagus antarctica across a wide W–E precipitation gradient (2,500–600 mm of annual precipitation) and from N. pumilio across an elevational gradient (from low to treeline elevation). For each individual, we determined WD, several xylem anatomical features, for example, mean vessel diameter (MVD), hydraulic diameter (Dh), hydraulic conductivity (Kt), mean vessel area (MVA), vessel size distribution (MVA/VD) and other traits including concentrations of non‐structural carbohydrates (NSCs), secondary growth, leaf traits, water‐use efficiency (iWUE) and growth rate (AI). We quantified the correlation between WD and other traits and evaluated whether WD‐trait relationships differed across species using linear mixed‐effects models.

We found consistent and significant negative relationships between WD and several xylem anatomy traits, including Dh, Kt, MVA and MVD. Contrary to our expectations, WD was not related to leaf traits, NSCs, iWUE and AI. Wood density had a significantly negative relationship to MVA/VD (and to a lesser extent, MVD) for both E. coccineum and N. antarctica (the precipitation gradient), while these relationships were positive for N. pumilio (the temperature gradient).

Few of the WD and other trait relationships examined at the intraspecific level in this study paralleled those found across species. At the intraspecific level, WD proved to be much more related to xylem anatomical traits than to other traits. Importantly, in some cases, WD‐xylem anatomical trait relationships showed opposite trends depending on the environmental gradient. We must be cautious when using interspecific studies as the basis for inferring trait‐based responses to environmental change across other organisation levels.

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Comparison of portable and benchtop electrochemical instruments for detection of inorganic and organic gunshot residues in authentic shooter samples
Authors: Dalzell Kourtney A. , Ott Colby E. , Trejos Tatiana , Arroyo Luis E.
Published: May 2022

Analysis of gunshot residue currently lacks effective screening methods that can be implemented in real time at the crime scene. Historically, SEM‐EDS has been the standard for analysis; however, advances in technology have brought portable instrumentation to the forefront of forensic science disciplines, including the screening of GSR. This study proposes electrochemical methods with disposable screen‐printed carbon electrodes for GSR screening at the laboratory and points of care due to their rapid, cost‐efficient, and compact platform. GSR residues were extracted from typical aluminum/carbon adhesive collection stubs and analyzed via square‐wave anodic stripping voltammetry. Benchtop and portable electrochemical instruments were compared for the assessment and classification of authentic shooter samples by monitoring a panel of inorganic and organic GSR elements and compounds including lead, antimony, copper, 2,4‐dinitrotoluene, diphenylamine, nitroglycerin, and ethyl centralite. The evaluation included the assessment of figures of merit and performance measures from quality controls, nonshooter, and shooter data sets. Samples collected from the hands of 200 background individuals (nonshooters), and shooters who fired leaded ammunition (100) and lead‐free ammunition (50) were analyzed by the benchtop and portable systems with accuracies of 95.7% and 96.5%, respectively. The findings indicate that electrochemical methods are fast, sensitive, and specific for the identification of inorganic and organic gunshot residues. The portable potentiostat provided results comparable with the benchtop system, serving as a proof‐of‐concept to transition this methodology to crime scenes for a practical and inexpensive GSR screening that could reduce backlogs, improve investigative leads, and increase the impact of gunshot residues in forensic science.
Effect of microcrystalline cellulose under different hydrolysis durations on the stability of thyme oil emulsion
Authors: Niu Fuge , Zhang Bin , Du Yixuan , Hu Demei , Ma Shuang , Feng Zhi‐juan , Zhang Yating , Pan Weichun
Published: May 2022

The thyme oil emulsion was prepared using a novel type of nanocellulose obtained under different hydrolysis durations. The effect of different cellulose structures on interfacial adsorption properties of emulsion and loading efficiency of thyme oil were analyzed. The results showed that the cellulose particles became more homogeneous and hydrophilic after hydrolysis duration for 10 h. The loading efficiency of thyme oil for all emulsions reached about 80%. The retention rate of thyme oil decreased during the storage period, and rising temperatures will exacerbate the loss of thyme oil. Compared to Hd2, emulsions stabilized by Hd10 exhibited better stability and higher retention at all storage conditions. Cellulose emulsion can increase the dispersion and improve the stability of thyme oil. A smaller cellulose particle could make the emulsion become more stable. The experimental results confirmed that cellulose can be used as a stabilizer to encapsulate and transport hydrophobic active ingredient.

Practical Application

The study results demonstrated that the emulsion transport system was developed using cellulose nanoparticles prepared by hydrolysis. The system can be used to load hydrophobic active substances (active peptides, curcumin, β‐carotene, essential oils, etc.). It can protect the active substance from environmental damage, enhance water solubility and stability, and improve the bioavailability of the active substance.
Previously unreported variant collateral supply in an acute stroke patient with anomalous common and internal carotid artery anatomy undergoing mechanical thrombectomy
Authors: McLaughlin Aden , Phillips Timothy
Published: May 2022

Agenesis of the common carotid and internal carotid arteries are rare entities. Approximately 100 cases of internal carotid artery (ICA) agenesis are reported in the literature, and even fewer cases of common carotid agenesis. The collateral supply in such cases is well described and typically follows one of only a small number of variations. Lie classically described six major pathways of collateral supply in ICA agenesis (Congenital Anomalies of the Carotid Arteries. Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, 1968; 35). Vasovic et al. in a comprehensive review of all published cases of common carotid agenesis have similarly described the typical variations in collateral supply seen in this setting. Neither described the anatomy presented here.
Synthetic microbial consortia with programmable ecological interactions
Authors: Li Shuyao , Xiao Jing , Sun Tianzheng , Yu Fangjian , Zhang Kaihang , Feng Yuantao , Xu Chenchao , Wang Baojun , Cheng Lei
Published: May 2022

Central to the composition, structure and function of any microbial community is the complex species interaction web. But understanding the overwhelming complexity of ecological interaction webs has been challenging, owing at least partly to the lack of efficient tools for disentangling species interactions in natural or artificial microbial communities.

In this study, we developed a microbial experimental system which allows for rapidly generating microbial consortia with programmable ecological interactions. We engineered the model organism Escherichia coli to construct metabolism‐ and quorum sensing‐based modules. The two engineered modules were used to create synthetic microbial consortia of synergy, competition and exploitation.

We showed that each of synthetic microbial consortia displayed the unique mode of population dynamics under certain initial inoculation conditions. We also demonstrated that the transitions between exploitation and the types of competition or synergy based on the same paired strains were plausible by tuning the two engineered modules. We lastly derived mathematical models to quantitatively capture the experimentally observed population dynamics of these synthetic microbial consortia.

This approach offers a fresh angle to engineering microbial systems for experimentally testing ecological questions with a much greater control and manipulation.
Repellent and toxic effects of Salvia rosmarinus oil against Liriomyza sativae
Authors: Niu Dongsheng , Liu Zhaoxia , Shen Lingling , Zhou Huiling , You Minsheng , Isman Murray , You Shijun
Published: May 2022

The vegetable leafminer (VLM) Liriomyza sativae Blanchard is a troublesome pest of vegetable and ornamental plants worldwide. Resistance development and environmental pollution from the overuse of chemical insecticides have driven interest in alternative control strategies for this pest. Secondary metabolites derived from aromatic nonhost plants are recognised components of the plant defence system against herbivores. The essential oils derived from aromatic plants not only repel insects but also have toxic effects against various insect pests, yet little is known about their effects against leafminers. The major constituents of the essential oil extracted from rosemary leaves by hydrodistillation were identified by GC–MS. The behavioural responses of VLM adults to the rosemary essential oil (REO) were explored with Y‐tube olfactometer experiments, and the oviposition and feeding deterrent effects of REO against adults were studied using no‐choice cage tests. Dipping methods were used to determine the toxicity of REO and Matrine (a commercial botanical pesticide) against VLM eggs, larvae and pupae, while glass‐vial bioassays were used for adults. The identified major constituents of the cineoliferum chemotype of REO were 1,8‐cineole (23.53%), pinene (23.45%), (S)‐(−)‐verbenone (12.84%) and borneol (7.47%). REO repelled leafminer adults. Sublethal concentrations of REO deterred oviposition and feeding by adults. Adults were more susceptible than other developmental stages to toxicity of REO and Matrine. Female adults were more sensitive than males, based on EC50 values at 24 and 48 hr after treatment. Rosemary essential oil is a behaviour‐modifying stimulus potentially useful in a “push‐pull” strategy for L. sativae control, and as an alternative to synthetic chemical insecticides due to its low toxicity and high efficacy in the control of VLM.
A systematic review of the effectiveness and safety of droperidol for pediatric agitation in acute care settings
Authors: Ramsden Shannon C. , Pergjika Alba , Janssen Aron C. , Mudahar Sukhraj , Fawcett Andrea , Walkup John T. , Hoffmann Jennifer A.
Published: May 2022

Objective

Agitation in children in acute care settings poses significant patient and staff safety concerns. While behavioral approaches are central to reducing agitation and oral medications are preferred, parenteral medications are used when necessary to promote safety. The goal of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of an ultra‐short‐acting parenteral medication, droperidol, for the management of acute, severe agitation in children in acute care settings.

Methods

A systematic review of randomized controlled trials, observational studies, and case series/reports examined the effectiveness and safety of parenteral droperidol for management of acute agitation in patients ≤21 years old in acute care settings. Effectiveness outcomes included time to sedation and need for a subsequent dose of medication. Safety outcomes were adverse effects such as QTc prolongation, hypotension, respiratory depression, and dystonic reactions.

Results

A total of 431 unique articles were identified. Six articles met inclusion criteria: two in the prehospital setting, one in the emergency department, and three in the inpatient hospital setting. The articles included a prospective observational study, three retrospective observational studies, and two case reports. The largest study reported a median time to sedation of 14 min (interquartile range 10–20 min); other studies reported a time to sedation of 15 min or less. Across studies, 8%–22% of patients required a second dose of medication for ongoing agitation. The most frequent adverse effects were dystonic reactions and transient hypotension. One patient had QTc prolongation and another developed respiratory depression, but both had significant comorbidities that may have contributed. The risk of bias in included studies ranged from moderate to critical.

Conclusions

Existing data on droperidol for management of acute agitation in children suggest that droperidol is both effective and safe for acute, severe agitation in children. Data are limited by study designs that may introduce bias.