bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Devulcanization of ethylene‐propylene‐diene monomer rubber waste. Effect of diphenyl disulfide derivate as devulcanizing agent on vulcanization, and devulcanization process
Authors: Gschwind Larissa , Jordan Carmen‐Simona , Vennemann Norbert
Published: January 2022

A systematic study was performed to understand the effects of the devulcanizing agent dibenzamido diphenyl disulfide (DBD) on the vulcanization and devulcanization process of a sulfur‐cured ethylene‐propylene‐diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. The influence of DBD on vulcanization was investigated by mixing DBD with virgin rubber and curative system. The devulcanization of rubber waste was achieved with varying amounts of DBD ranging from 0.4 to 13.8 wt% and temperatures from 150 to 200°C. The quality of vulcanizates and devulcanizates was evaluated by rheometer tests, temperature scanning stress relaxation measurements, and analysis of mechanical properties. During vulcanization, DBD acts as an accelerator in the presence of sulfur. When accelerators are added, the scorch time increases, and the cure rate decreases. Thus, DBD acts as a retarder. In the presence of activators, DBD leads to a significant reduction of crosslink density. This results in composites with high elongation at break and poor compression set values. The efficiency of the devulcanization of rubber waste depends strongly on DBD concentration and temperature. The monosulfidic crosslinks are cleaved by low concentrations of DBD, while polysulfidic crosslinks require higher concentrations. These results show that DBD is effective as a devulcanizing agent and degrades the network below 200°C.
Fluorescent ABC‐Triblock Polymer Nanocarrier for Cisplatin Delivery to Cancer Cells
Authors: Kulkarni Bhagyashree , Malhotra Mehak , Jayakannan Manickam
Published: January 2022

Monitoring intracellular administration of non‐luminescent anticancer drugs like cisplatin is a very challenging task in cancer research. Perylenebisimide (PBI) chromophore tagged fluorescent ABC‐triblock polycaprolactone (PCL) nanoscaffold was engineered having carboxylic acid blocks for the chemical conjugation of cisplatin at the core and hydrophilic PEG blocks at the periphery. The amphiphilic ABC triblock Pt‐prodrug was self‐assembled into <200 nm nanoparticles and exhibited excellent shielding against drug detoxification by the glutathione (GSH) species in the cytosol. In vitro drug release studies confirmed that the Pt‐prodrug was stable at extracellular conditions and the PCL block exclusively underwent lysosomal‐enzymatic biodegradation at the intracellular level to release the cisplatin drug in the active‐form for accomplishing more than 90% cell growth inhibition. Confocal microscopic imaging of the red‐fluorescence signals from the perylene chromophores established the simultaneous monitoring and delivery aspects of the Pt‐prodrug, and the proof‐of‐concept was successfully demonstrated in breast and cervical cancer cell lines.
Hysteresis Nanoarchitectonics with Chiral Gel Fibers and Achiral Gold Nanospheres for Reversible Chiral Inversion
Authors: Xu Hui , Zhang Qi , Gan Jia‐An , Wang Zhuo , Chen Meng , Shan Yahan , Chen Shaoyu , Tong Fei , Qu Da‐Hui
Published: January 2022

Intelligent control over the handedness of circular dichroism (CD) is of special significance in self‐organized biological and artificial systems. Herein, we report a chiral organic molecule (R1) containing a disulfide unit self‐assembles into M‐type helical fibers gels, which undergoes chirality inversion by incorporating gold nanospheres due to the formation of Au−S bonds between R1 and gold nanospheres. Upon heating at 80 °C, the aggregation of gold nanospheres results in a disappearance of the Au−S bond, allowing the reversible switching back to M‐type helical fibers. The original chirality of M‐type fibers could also be retained by adding anisotropic gold nanorods. A series of characterization methods, involving CD, Raman, Infrared spectroscopy, electric microscopy, and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) measurements were used to investigate the mechanism of chiral evolutions. Our results provide a facile way of fabricating hysteresis nanoarchitectonics to achieve dynamic supramolecular chirality using inorganic metallic nanoparticles.
Localizing flares to understand stellar magnetic fields and space weather in exo‐systems
Authors: Ilin Ekaterina , Poppenhäger Katja , Alvarado‐Gómez Julián D.
Published: January 2022

Stars are uniform spheres, but only to first order. The way in which stellar rotation and magnetism break this symmetry places important observational constraints on stellar magnetic fields, and factors in the assessment of the impact of stellar activity on exoplanet atmospheres. The spatial distribution of flares on the solar surface is well known to be nonuniform, but elusive on other stars. We briefly review the techniques available to recover the loci of stellar flares, and highlight a new method that enables systematic flare localization directly from optical light curves. We provide an estimate of the number of flares we may be able to localize with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, and show that it is consistent with the results obtained from the first full sky scan of the mission. We suggest that nonuniform flare latitude distributions need to be taken into account in accurate assessments of exoplanet habitability.
A systematic review of geospatial representation of United States community water systems
Authors: McDonald Yolanda J. , Anderson Kayla M. , Caballero Mariah D. , Ding Ke Jack , Fisher Douglas H. , Morkel Caroline P. , Hill Elaine L.
Published: January 2022

This study presents a state‐level systematic review of geospatial representation of Community Water Systems (CWSs) in the United States. We conducted online searches and contacted government, water industry, and academic representatives to obtain these data. CWS geospatial data were characterized by vector type, methodological approaches, data sources, availability to the public, entities involved in creation and maintenance of data, and CWS map requirements by primacy agency. We found that 24 states and the District of Columbia had geospatial representation of CWS estimated service area boundary (ESAB) (i.e., polygons), which were harmonized to construct a geospatial database representative of available CWS ESABs. Our findings aim to prompt discussion among myriad stakeholders on the need to create, standardize, and maintain CWS ESABs to ensure water justice for all communities.
Long COVID: Accommodating a slippery fish
Authors: Lyerly Eric
Published: January 2022

Post‐COVID conditions, long COVID, long‐haul COVID, post‐acute COVID, chronic COVID — these names each refer to the long‐term effects of a COVID‐19 infection. The Centers for Disease Control describes long COVID as a “wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems” related to COVID‐19.
Protect students and staff from scams by providing proactive education, social media outreach
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: January 2022

Anecdotal evidence suggests that scams targeting college campuses, both among the community at large  and  college and university students and staff, are on the rise — potentially due to financial difficulties caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Did court rule in favor of coach's Title VII claim?
Authors: Lyerly Eric
Published: January 2022

An outside law firm investigated the head coach of the University of Minnesota Duluth's women's track  team after student‐athletes reported her for unwanted sexual comments and conduct.
Bioassay Directed Fractionation of Petroleum Ether Extract of Aerial Parts of Ceriops tagal: Isolation of Lupeol as the Nematicidal Agent against Cyst Nematode Heterodera zeae
Authors: Ahmad Ateeq , Siddiqui Pirzada J. A. , Fayyaz Shahina , Khan Kehkashan , Iqbal Erum Y. , Rasheed Munawwer , Muzafar Wajeeha , Faizi Shaheen
Published: January 2022

Plant parasitic cyst nematode Heterodera zeae is a pest, causing substantial economic losses in agriculture. Organic pesticides, based on plant products have emerged as eco‐benign nematicidal agents. Ceriops tagal is a well‐known marine medicinal plant which has not been evaluated against any nematode. Petroleum ether extract of the aerial parts of the plant (CTP), exhibited promising activity against infective stage larvae of H. zeae. On subjecting to classical solvent‐solvent separation, it afforded petroleum ether soluble (CTP‐S), methanol soluble (CTPMS‐1, CTPMS‐2) and insoluble (CTPM‐IN‐2) fractions, which exhibited activity against the cyst nematode within 24 h exposure. GC, GC/MS and HR‐ESI‐MS analyses of CTPMS‐1 and CTPMS‐2 fractions resulted in the identification of a number of compounds, including pentacyclic triterpenoids, lupeol (1), betunal (2), betulin (3), lupenone (4), betulonaldehyde (5), betulonic acid (7), methyl 3‐acetoxy‐27‐O‐(3,4‐dihydroxy‐E‐cinnamoyl)‐20(29)‐lupen‐28‐oate (8) and β‐amyrin, along with phenylpropanoid esters, fatty acids and their derivatives, benzamide, and indole derivatives. CTPM‐IN‐2 which mainly contained lupeol (1) exhibited maximum nematicidal activity, with 91 % and 93 % mortality of the larvae of H. zeae, after exposure for 72 h at the concentration of 0.5 % and 1 %, respectively. Its fractionation and purification through column chromatography resulted in the isolation and identification of four lupane‐type triterpenoids 1, 3, 4 and betulinic acid (6). One of its most abundant column fractions CC‐9‐18 (145 mg) which exhibited substantial activity, with 81 % mortality at the lowest concentration of 0.125 % after 48 h of incubation mainly contained lupeol. It seems lupeol, a wide spread bio‐privileged triterpenoid is the nematicidal principle of the plant as its authentic sample showed LC50 value of 0.061 after 72 h exposure. It is for the first time that nematicidal activity is reported for any part of C. tagal and that of lupeol against H. zeae. Pentacyclic triterpenoids 1–8 are biosynthetically related. Of the twenty‐four compounds isolated or identified in the present investigation only five constituents 1, 3, 6, 7 and palmitic acid have been isolated previously from C. tagal.
A Heterogenized Copper Phenanthroline System to Catalyze the Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: van der Ham Cornelis J. M. , Zwagerman Damy N. H. , Wu Longfei , Hofmann Jan P. , Hetterscheid Dennis G. H.
Published: January 2022

Upon the electrochemical reduction of an in situ generated 5‐diazo‐1,10‐phenanthroline ion, phenanthroline was covalently attached to a gold electrode. The grafted molecules act as a ligand when brought in contact with a copper‐containing electrolyte solution. As the ligands are limited in spatial movement, the exclusive formation of the active species with only one phenanthroline ligand coordinated was expected. The in situ generated complexes have been investigated for activity in the oxygen reduction reaction, for which an overpotential of 800 mV is observed. During catalysis, initially a thick copper layer is formed on top of an organic layer that is still present on the gold surface. Upon deterioration of the organic layer underneath the copper over time, the amount of copper on the electrode and thereby the electrocatalytic activity decreases.
Rhodium‐Catalyzed C−H Methylation and Alkylation Reactions by Carbene‐Transfer Reactions
Authors: Empel Claire , Jana Sripati , Langletz Tim , Koenigs Rene M.
Published: January 2022

In this combined computational and experimental study, the C−H functionalization of 2‐phenyl pyridine with diazoalkanes was investigated. Initial evaluation by computational methods allowed the evaluation of different metal catalysts and diazoalkanes and their compatibility in this C−H functionalization reaction. With these findings, suitable reaction conditions for the C−H methylation reactions were quickly identified by using highly reactive TMS diazomethane and C−H alkylation reactions with donor/acceptor diazoalkanes, which is applied to a broad scope on alkylation reactions of 2‐aryl pyridines with TMS diazomethane and donor/acceptor diazoalkane (51 examples, up to 98 % yield).
Survey regarding students’ confidence in their experimental capabilities
Authors: Rautenstrauch Hanne , Busker Maike
Published: January 2022

Experimentieren ist eine der zentralen Tätigkeiten im Chemieunterricht. Schüler:innen sollen im Rahmen ihrer Schulausbildung u. a. lernen, Hypothesen zu formulieren und Experimente zu entwickeln, mit denen aufgestellte Hypothesen überprüft werden können. Sie sollen Sicherheitsaspekte beim Experimentieren beachten und ihre Durchführungen, Beobachtungen und Auswertungen protokollieren können [1, 2]. Das Erwerben experimenteller Fähigkeiten ist somit eines der zentralen Bildungsziele im Chemieunterricht. Doch wie groß ist das Zutrauen der Schüler:innen in ihre eigenen experimentellen Fähigkeiten? Zeigen sich Unterschiede zwischen Schüler:innen unterschiedlicher Schularten und im Naturwissenschafts‐ bzw. Chemieunterricht? In diesem Beitrag wird eine Schüler:innenbefragung vorgestellt, welche sich mit den experimentellen Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen von Schüler:innen befasst und den gestellten Fragen nachgeht.
Final esthetic result of ceramic restorations cemented with different colors of cement
Authors: Gomes Catarina , Martins Francisco , Reis José Alexandre , Albacete‐Martinez Carlos Pérez , Maurício Paulo Durão
Published: January 2022

Objective

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the color changes of lithium disilicate ceramics when cemented with different brands of cement by varying the thickness of the ceramic.

Materials and Methods

Forty ceramic discs, shade A2, were fabricated with 0.5 and 0.8 mm thickness. Forty composite resin discs, shade A3, were also produced. The ceramic samples were cemented to the composite resin discs, with two colors of resin cement, Neutral and Warm. A spectrophotometer evaluation was made. Translucency and color change analysis was performed by calculating the ΔE. A two‐way analysis of variance test and multiple comparisons were performed using the Bonferroni method with a 95% confidence interval.

Results

There are statistically significant differences between the two ceramic thicknesses with different brands of cement (p < .001). In addition, using the translucency analysis it was found that there are statistically significant differences between the two ceramic thicknesses in both types of cement (p < .001).

Conclusions

The use of different cementation materials on lithium disilicate ceramics appears to have little visible influence at the clinical level. Different ceramic thicknesses have a clinically visible influence on the final restoration color.
The 21N‐moment multi‐temperature collision coefficients for Zhdanov closure
Authors: Raghunathan M. , Marandet Y. , Bufferand H. , Ciraolo G. , Ghendrih Ph. , Tamain P. , Serre E.
Published: January 2022

We provide the 21N‐moment multi‐temperature collision coefficients for the Boltzmann collision operator using the Sonine‐Hermite polynomial ansatz in the style of Zhdanov et al. First, we outline the general derivation method. Then, we provide the collision coefficients in the most general form in terms of the Chapman‐Cowling integrals for any potential of interaction for the 21N‐moment approximation. Then, we provide the collision coefficients for the specific case of the approximated Coulomb potential cross‐section with Debye cutoff. These coefficients help in order to find easy implementation in current scrape‐off layer/edge fluid packages, which currently implement the 21N‐moment single‐temperature coefficients. This provides the completion of a missing link in the current literature.
Development and application of novel BiFC probes for cell sorting based on epigenetic modification
Authors: Mendonca Agnes , Sánchez Oscar , Zhao Han , Lin Li , Min Alan , Yuan Chongli
Published: January 2022

The epigenetic signature of cancer cells varies with disease progression and drug treatment, necessitating the study of these modifications with single cell resolution over time. The rapid detection and sorting of cells based on their underlying epigenetic modifications by flow cytometry can enable single cell measurement and tracking to understand tumor heterogeneity and progression warranting the development of a live‐cell compatible epigenome probes. In this work, we developed epigenetic probes based on bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and demonstrated their capabilities in quantifying and sorting cells based on their epigenetic modification contents. The sorted cells are viable and exhibit distinctive responses to chemo‐therapy drugs. Notably, subpopulations of MCF7 cells with higher H3K9me3 levels are more likely to develop resistance to Doxorubicin. Subpopulations with higher 5mC levels, on the other hand, tend to be more responsive. Overall, we report for the first time, the application of novel split probes in flow cytometry application and elucidated the potential role of 5mC and H3K9me3 in determining drug responses.
Understory evapotranspiration rates in a coast redwood forest
Authors: Kassuelke Shelby R. , Dymond Salli F. , Feng Xue , Savage Jessica A. , Wagenbrenner Joseph W.
Published: January 2022

In forests where the overstorey canopy has been disturbed by timber harvest or other means, evapotranspiration (ET) by the understorey may be the main flux of water back to the atmosphere. However, little research has been apportioned to directly measuring understorey water use, and the technology to do so is thus limited. Here, we used a portable chamber to quickly and directly measure understorey ET by measuring the water flux from the soil and vegetation enclosed by the chamber. This method was used in a third‐growth coast redwood forest to measure ET rates from individuals of five species commonly found in the understorey: Sequoia sempervirens (coast redwood) sprouts, Notholithocarpus densiflorus (tanoak) sprouts, Vaccinium ovatum (evergreen huckleberry) sprouts, Polystichum munitum (sword fern) and Struthiopteris spicant (deer fern). Measurements were conducted in four small watersheds which were harvested to varying intensities ranging from 0% to 75% targeted reduction in preharvest overstory basal area. Mean understorey ET rate was highest in the watershed with the lowest residual basal area (x̅ = 0.036 ± 0.024 mm/h) and lowest in the unharvested control watershed (x̅ = 0.013 ± 0.0078 mm/h). Multiple regression modelling on resprouting species indicated that the difference in ET rate between watersheds was related to soil and light resources. These results imply that understorey water use can be significant, particularly in harvested watersheds, and should be quantified at the landscape scale.
Integration of Desulfurization and Lithium–Sulfur Batteries Enabled by Amino‐Functionalized Porous Carbon Nanofibers
Authors: Sun Minghui , Wang Xuzhen , Li Yong , Zhao Zongbin , Qiu Jieshan
Published: January 2022

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an industrial exhausted gas that is highly toxic to humans and the environment. Combining desulfurization and fabrication of cathode materials for lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs) can solve this issue with a double benefit. Herein, the amino‐functionalized lotus root‐like carbon nanofibers (NH2‐PLCNFs) are prepared by the amination of electrospinning carbon nanofibers under dielectric barrier discharge plasma. Selective catalytic oxidation of H2S to elemental sulfur (S) is achieved over the metal‐free NH2‐PLCNFs catalyst, and the obtained composite S@NH2‐PLCNFs is further used as cathode in LSBs. NH2‐PLCNFs enable efficient desulfurization (removal capacity as high as 3.46 g H2S g−1 catalyst) and strongly covalent stabilization of S on modified carbon nanofibers. LSBs equipped with S@NH2‐PLCNFs deliver a high specific capacity of 705.8 mA h g−1 at 1 C after 1000 cycles based on the spatial confinement and the covalent stabilization of electroactive materials on amino‐functionalized porous carbon matrix. It is revealed that S@NH2‐PLCNFs obtained by this kind of chemical vapor deposition leads to a more homogeneous S distribution and superior electrochemical performance to the sample S/NH2‐PLCNF‐M prepared by the traditional molten infusion. This work opens a new avenue for the combination of environment protection and energy storage.
Myocardial strain to identify benefit from beta‐blockers in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
Authors: Park Chan Soon , Park Jin Joo , Hwang In‐Chang , Park Jun‐Bean , Park Jae‐Hyeong , Cho Goo‐Yeong
Published: January 2022

Aims

Not all patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) benefit equally from beta‐blockers. Previous studies suggest that myocardial strain that reflects myocardial deformation may have a better prognostic value than the left ventricular ejection fraction. We aimed to evaluate the differential effect of beta‐blockers according to the global longitudinal strain (GLS) in patients with HFrEF.

Methods and results

Of the 4312 patients in the Strain for Risk Assessment and Therapeutic Strategies in Patients with Acute Heart Failure registry, we included 2126 HFrEF patients whose data on beta‐blocker use and GLS were available. Patients were categorized into two groups: one group of patients had GLS ≥ 10%, and the other group had GLS < 10%. The primary outcome was 5 year all‐cause mortality according to beta‐blocker use. Of the 2126 patients with HFrEF, 526 (24.7%) and 1600 (75.3%) patients had GLS ≥ 10% and <10%, respectively. Overall, 1399 patients (65.8%) received beta‐blockers, and 864 (40.6%) patients died during the 5 year follow‐up. Beta‐blocker use was associated with improved survival in patients with GLS < 10% in both the inverse probability treatment‐weighted (hazard ratio 0.70, 95% confidence interval 0.59–0.83, P < 0.001) and Cox regression analyses (hazard ratio 0.69, 95% confidence interval 0.59–0.81; P < 0.001). However, beta‐blocker use was not associated with better survival in patients with GLS ≥ 10% in the inverse probability treatment‐weighted and Cox regression analyses (both P > 0.05).

Conclusions

Beta‐blocker use appears to be associated with improved survival in patients with HFrEF and GLS < 10%, but this is not the case in patients with GLS ≥ 10%. Therefore, GLS may be used to identify patients who have attenuated benefits from beta‐blockers in HFrEF.

Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03513653 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03513653).
Impact of instantaneous solar irradiance on refrigeration characteristics of household PCM storage air conditioning directly driven by distributed photovoltaic energy
Authors: Xu Yongfeng , Li Ming
Published: January 2022

Mature and inexpensive ice thermal storage was employed to replace battery bank in energy storage, and photovoltaic directly driven technology was also combined in this paper. A 3HP household air conditioning assisted with ice thermal storage was investigated in four operating conditions. First, directly driven by photovoltaic arrays, the (COP)rs were almost 6.31% than that of refrigerator driven by power grid for the instantaneous solar irradiance, and the stored cooling capacity decreased 18.63% under the intermittent influence of solar irradiance. Moreover, the (COP)r of refrigerator operating in out‐of‐box mode was about 1.38 times that of operating in ice storage mode. Next, the inevitable compress motor fluctuation, caused by instantaneous solar irradiance, was investigated by experiment and simulation. In three typical weathers, compressor fluctuating time was approximately 65.22 s, 197.05 s, and 270.48 s in full irradiance range. When the lower solar irradiance limit was optimized from 150 to 80 Wm−2, refrigerator operated stably and continuously in any weather conditions. The ice production and the (COP)r were improved by 40.91% and 12.36%, respectively.
An adaptive central‐upwind scheme on quadtree grids for variable density shallow water equations
Authors: Ghazizadeh Mohammad A. , Mohammadian Abdolmajid
Published: January 2022

Minimizing computational cost is one of the major challenges in the modeling and numerical analysis of hydrodynamics, and one of the ways to achieve this is by the use of quadtree grids. In this article, we present an adaptive scheme on quadtree grids for variable density shallow water equations. A scheme for the coupled system is developed based on the work of [M.A. Ghazizadeh, A. Mohammadian, and A. Kurganov,Computers & Fluids, 208 (2020)]. The scheme is capable of exactly preserving “lake‐at‐rest” steady states. A continuous piecewise bi‐linear interpolation of the bottom topography function is used to achieve higher‐order in space in order to preserve the positivity of water depth for the point values of each computational cell. Necessary conditions are checked to be able to preserve the positivity of water depth and density, and to ensure the achievement of a stable numerical scheme. At each timestep, local gradients are examined to find new seeding points to locally refine/coarsen the computational grid.
Mycobiota profile, phenology, and potential toxicogenic and pathogenic species associated with stored groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) from the Volta Region, Ghana
Authors: Kortei Nii Korley , Tetteh Rachel Adinorkie , Wiafe‐Kwagyan Michael , Amon Denick Nii Kotey , Odamtten George Tawia
Published: January 2022

This study updates the mycobiota resident in groundnut seeds, their phenology during storage with the view to ascertain their occurrence, potential toxigenic species, and pathologically important species in the stored samples. The moisture content of the seeds ranged from 5.7% to 6.5% within the stipulated safe moisture content of 8% for extension of shelf life. Culturing the seeds on mycological media (Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar SDA; Oxytetracycline Glucose Yeast Extract OGYE, Potato Dextrose Agar, PDA) caused a de novo growth of the quiescent spores at 28–30°C for 7–14 days. Fungal population counts on the three media ranged from 2.01 to 2.16 log10 CFU/g samples to a final 6‐month count of 1.67–2.60 log10 CFU/g. Eighteen different fungal species belonging to ten genera were encountered on the media, namely Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Fusarium, Penicillium, Trichoderma, Rhizopus, Rhodotorula, Sporendonema, and Paecilomyces. Aspergillus spp. (A. niger, A. flavus, A. fumigatus, and A. terreus) were the most frequently isolated, followed by Fusarium species (F. oxysporum, F. solani, and F. verticillioides), Trichoderma (T. harzianum and T. viride), Rhizopus spp (R. oligosporus and R. stolonifer), and Penicillium verrucosum. The species which were seed borne (A. niger, A. flavus, A. terreus, A. fumigatus, F. solani, F. verticillioides, T. viride, C. herbarum, and Curvularia lunata) were isolated on both surface sterilized and non‐surface sterilized seeds. The phenology of the encountered fungal species generally followed five patterns. The most frequently isolated Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, and A. fumigatus predominated throughout the 6 months sampling period, while A. ustus and A. terreus appeared sporadically and disappeared. The early colonizers (R. oligosporus, R. stolonifer, and Paecilomyces) could not be isolated after 2–3 months owing presumably to stronger antibiosis competition from the Aspergillus species. The most predominant Aspergillus species initially constituted 36%–48% of the total population but declined to 10%–36% in 6 months. Mycobiota encountered with mycotoxigenic potential and human health importance were A. niger, A. flavus, A. fumigatus, F. verticillioides, and Penicillium verrucosum. Other species of pathological importance to plants were Curvularia lunata and Fusarium oxysporum. The practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Fate of aflatoxins M1 and B1 within the period of production and storage of Tarkhineh: A traditional Persian fermented food
Authors: Moradi Leila , Paimard Giti , Sadeghi Ehsan , Rouhi Milad , Mohammadi Reza , Noroozi Razieh , Safajoo Saeede
Published: January 2022

The objective of the study was to assess the amount of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) during fermentation, drying, and storage of Tarkhineh—a traditional Persian fermented food—over four months. Tarkhineh samples were produced based on a traditional method. Various concentrations of AFB1 (2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 µg/kg) and AFM1, stood at 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 µg/kg, were added to Iranian yogurt drink, called doogh, samples. Tarkhineh samples were evaluated for AFB1 and AFM1 on days 0, 2, 6, and 8 and also after drying and four months of storage. In cases of repeatability, recovery, and reproducibility, the high‐performance liquid chromatography through fluorescence detector (HPLC‐FD) method was successfully done to demonstrate aflatoxins (AFs) in Tarkhineh samples. The fermentation process had a considerable consequence on the reduction in AFM1 and AFB1 as compared to the control group, evidenced by 65.10%–81.20% and 55.80%–74.10%, respectively, after eight days of fermentation (p < .05). The highest reduction in AFB1 existed in samples containing 2.5 µg/kg toxin, followed by 5, 7.5, and 10 µg/kg, respectively. A similar trend was found for AFM1, as the highest concentration was found in samples containing 0.25 µg/kg toxin, followed by 0.5, 0.75, and 1 µg/kg, respectively.
Contagion or flight‐to‐quality? The linkage between oil price and the US dollar based on the local Gaussian approach
Authors: Ming Lei , Shen Yao , Yang Shenggang , Dong Minyi
Published: January 2022

The paper utilizes the multilateral prices of West Texas Intermediate futures and the US dollar to study the nature of oil‐dollar linkages. The empirical findings confirm a contagion effect between these two markets in the 1990 Gulf War, while flight‐to‐quality phenomena from oil to the US dollar are confirmed as a common feature for the 2008 and 2014 oil crashes, implicitly emphasizing the safe‐haven role of the US dollar during oil market turmoil. These results offer significant evidence for nonlinear and asymmetric relationship between the crude oil market and the US dollar market during all periods of oil crashes.
Microwave ablation versus laparoscopic resection as first‐line therapy for solitary 3–5‐cm HCC
Authors: Wang Zhen , Liu Miao , Zhang De‐zhi , Wu Song‐song , Hong Zhi‐xian , He Guang‐bin , Yang Hong , Xiang Bang‐de , Li Xiao , Jiang Tian‐an , Li Kai , Tang Zhe , Huang Fei , Lu Man , Chen Ji‐an , Lin Yu‐cheng , Lu Xiao , Wu Yu‐quan , Zhang Xiao‐wu , Zhang Ye‐fan , Cheng Chao , Ye Huo‐lin , Wang Lan‐tian , Zhong Hua‐ge , Zhong Jian‐hong , Wang Lu , Chen Miao , Liang Fang‐fang , Chen Yi , Xu Yan‐song , Yu Xiao‐ling , Cheng Zhi‐gang , Liu Fang‐yi , Han Zhi‐yu , Tang Wei‐zhong , Yu Jie , Liang Ping
Published: January 2022

Background and Aims

The study objective was to compare the effectiveness of microwave ablation (MWA) and laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) on solitary 3–5‐cm HCC over time.

Approach and Results

From 2008 to 2019, 1289 patients from 12 hospitals were enrolled in this retrospective study. Diagnosis of all lesions were based on histopathology. Propensity score matching was used to balance all baseline variables between the two groups in 2008–2019 (n = 335 in each group) and 2014–2019 (n = 257 in each group) cohorts, respectively. For cohort 2008–2019, during a median follow‐up of 35.8 months, there were no differences in overall survival (OS) between MWA and LLR (HR: 0.88, 95% CI 0.65–1.19, p = 0.420), and MWA was inferior to LLR regarding disease‐free survival (DFS) (HR 1.36, 95% CI 1.05–1.75, p = 0.017). For cohort 2014–2019, there was comparable OS (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.56–1.30, p = 0.460) and approached statistical significance for DFS (HR 1.33, 95% CI 0.98–1.82, p = 0.071) between MWA and LLR. Subgroup analyses showed comparable OS in 3.1–4.0‐cm HCCs (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.53–1.47, p = 0.630) and 4.1–5.0‐cm HCCs (HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.37–1.60, p = 0.483) between two modalities. For both cohorts, MWA shared comparable major complications (both p > 0.05), shorter hospitalization, and lower cost to LLR (all p < 0.001).

Conclusions

MWA might be a first‐line alternative to LLR for solitary 3–5‐cm HCC in selected patients with technical advances, especially for patients unsuitable for LLR.
Impact of anthropogenic disturbances on carbon cycle changes in terrestrial‐aquatic‐estuarine continuum by using an advanced process‐based model
Authors: Nakayama Tadanobu
Published: January 2022

Recent research has shown that inland water—including rivers, lakes, and groundwater—may play some role in carbon cycling, although the extent of its contribution has remained uncertain due to the limited amount of reliable data available. To evaluate global changes in the carbon cycle due to anthropogenic factors, such as application of fertilizer and manure, in major rivers including 130 tidal estuaries over an 18‐year period (1998–2015), the present study used an advanced process‐based model derived by coupling a process‐based national integrated catchment‐based eco‐hydrology (NICE) model with various biogeochemical cycle models (NICE‐BGC). Generally, total nitrogen and phosphorus transports in overland flow were found to increase. In contrast, total suspended sediment in overland flow decreased in some regions because the vegetation was able to expand to cover the ground, resulting in less erosion. NICE‐BGC simulated the difference in carbon budget in major rivers with and without nutrient application. Generally, CO2 degassing across the water‐air interface decreased and particulate organic carbon (POC) increased in most rivers through variations in carbon budget, where excess nutrients might stimulate gross primary production of carbon‐rich algal biomass. The simulated result also showed that the estuarine carbon cycle was sensitive to intense anthropogenic disturbances reflected by nutrient load, seawater temperature, increases in sea level, and ocean acidification. Extension of previous studies only by categorizing MARgins and CATchments Segmentation (MARCATS) segment numbers showed that the estimated total CO2 flux from the world's estuaries was 0.14 Pg C/year. Generally, the simulation showed that incorporation of the nutrient cycle into the terrestrial‐aquatic‐estuarine continuum improved estimates of net land flux and carbon budget in inland waters, thus emphasizing that the effect of estuarine inland water should be explicitly included in the global carbon model to minimize the range of uncertainty.
mitoDataclean: A machine learning approach for the accurate identification of cross‐contamination‐derived tumor mitochondrial DNA mutations
Authors: Su Liping , Guo Shanshan , Guo Wenjie , Ji Xiaoying , Liu Yang , Zhang Huanqin , Huang Qichao , Zhou Kaixiang , Guo Xu , Gu Xiwen , Xing Jinliang
Published: January 2022

Next‐generation sequencing (NGS) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has widespread applications in aging and cancer studies. However, cross‐contamination of mtDNA constitutes a major concern. Previous methods for the detection of mtDNA contamination mainly focus on haplogroup‐level phylogeny, but neglect haplotype‐level differences, leading to limited sensitivity and accuracy. In our study, we present mitoDataclean, a random‐forest‐based machine learning package for accurate identification of cross‐contamination, evaluation of contamination levels and detection of contamination‐derived variants in mtDNA NGS data. Comprehensive optimization of mitoDataclean revealed that training simulation with mixtures of small haplogroup distance and low polymorphic difference was critical for optimal modeling. Compared to existing methods, mitoDataclean exhibited significantly improved sensitivity and accuracy for the detection of sample contamination in simulated data. In addition, mitoDataclean achieved area under the curve values of 0.91 and 0.97 for discerning genuine and contamination‐derived mtDNA variants in a simulated Western dataset and private sequencing contamination data, respectively, suggesting that this tool may be applicable for different populations and samples with different sources of contamination. Finally, mitoDataclean was further evaluated in several private and public datasets and showed a robust ability for contamination detection. Altogether, our study demonstrates that mitoDataclean may be used for accurate detection of contaminated samples and contamination‐derived variants in mtDNA NGS data.
Impact of two waves of Sars‐Cov2 outbreak on the number, clinical presentation, care trajectories and survival of patients newly referred for a colorectal cancer: A French multicentric cohort study from a large group of university hospitals
Authors: Kempf Emmanuelle , Priou Sonia , Lamé Guillaume , Daniel Christel , Bellamine Ali , Sommacale Daniele , Belkacemi Yazid , Bey Romain , Galula Gilles , Taright Namik , Tannier Xavier , Rance Bastien , Flicoteaux Rémi , Hemery François , Audureau Etienne , Chatellier Gilles , Tournigand Christophe ,   on behalf of the Assistance Publique—Hôpitaux de Paris Cancer Group
Published: January 2022

The SARS‐Cov2 may have impaired care trajectories, patient overall survival (OS), tumor stage at initial presentation for new colorectal cancer (CRC) cases. This study aimed at assessing those indicators before and after the beginning of the pandemic in France. In this retrospective cohort study, we collected prospectively the clinical data of the 11.4 million of patients referred to the Greater Paris University Hospitals (AP‐HP). We identified new CRC cases between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2020, and compared indicators for 2018‐2019 to 2020. pTNM tumor stage was extracted from postoperative pathology reports for localized colon cancer, and metastatic status was extracted from CT‐scan baseline text reports. Between 2018 and 2020, 3602 and 1083 new colon and rectal cancers were referred to the AP‐HP, respectively. The 1‐year OS rates reached 94%, 93% and 76% for new CRC patients undergoing a resection of the primary tumor, in 2018‐2019, in 2020 without any Sars‐Cov2 infection and in 2020 with a Sars‐Cov2 infection, respectively (HR 3.78, 95% CI 2.1‐7.1). For patients undergoing other kind of anticancer treatment, the percentages are 64%, 66% and 27% (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.4‐3.3). Tumor stage at initial presentation, emergency level of primary tumor resection, delays between the first multidisciplinary meeting and the first anticancer treatment did not differ over time. The SARS‐Cov2 pandemic has been associated with less newly diagnosed CRC patients and worse 1‐year OS rates attributable to the infection itself rather than to its impact on hospital care delivery or tumor stage at initial presentation.
Introduction of Special Section of Infant Mental Health Journal: Meeting the needs of vulnerable infants and families during COVID‐19: Moving to a telehealth approach for home visiting implementation and research
Authors: Dozier Mary
Published: January 2022

Parents of infants and young children who experience harsh circumstances are among those most vulnerable to the added stressors associated with COVID‐19. Home visiting models have been shown to enhance outcomes for parents and infants when delivered in person, but in many parts of the world, the pandemic rendered in‐person home visits difficult or impossible. In this special section, we examine adaptations made by home visiting programs to allow continued service delivery through telehealth, and strategies for assessing whether interventions maintain reach and fidelity when implemented remotely. In the first paper, Bullinger et al. (program implementers of SafeCare) provide evidence of the increased risk of maltreatment during COVID‐19 for many families, and thus the need for home visiting services. Rybińska et al., developers and implementers of Family Connects, present evidence regarding their success in reaching families through telehealth. Roben and colleagues, in the third paper, report that clinicians implementing Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch‐up through telehealth maintained fidelity at similar rates seen through in‐person implementation. Finally, Tabachnick et al. describe procedures for collecting physiological data from infants and parents while conducting assessments remotely.
Morphology control in high‐efficiency all‐polymer solar cells
Authors: Zhou Kangkang , Xian Kaihu , Ye Long
Published: January 2022

All‐polymer solar cells (All‐PSCs) have attracted tremendous research interest in the recent decade due to the great potentials in stretchable electronic applications in terms of long‐term stability and mechanical stretchability. Driven by the molecular design of novel polymer acceptors and morphology optimization, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of All‐PSCs has developed rapidly and now exceeded 17%. This review outlines the promising strategies for high‐performance All‐PSCs from the aspect of morphology control with the motivation to rationally guide the optimization. In this review, we briefly discuss the thermodynamic mixing principles of all‐polymer blends and the effects of the molecular structure of conjugated polymers on thin‐film morphology in All‐PSCs. The crucial role of molecular miscibility in influencing morphological features and performance metrics was highlighted. We also expound on the effective methods of controlling film morphology through properly tuning the aggregation behavior of polymers. In particular, insightful studies on the commonly used naphthalene diimide‐based acceptor polymers and the newly emerging polymerized nonfullerene small molecule acceptors (ITIC‐series, Y6 ‐series, etc) are discussed in detail. Finally, we present an outlook on the major challenges and the new opportunities of All‐PSCs for efficiency breakthroughs targeting 20%.

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Clinical values of expression signature of circCDR1AS and circHIAT1 in prostate cancer: Two circRNAs with regulatory function in androgen receptor (AR) and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways
Authors: Aghajani Mir Mahsa , Dinmohammadi Hossein , Moudi Emadoddin , Motamed Nima , Daraei Abdolreza
Published: January 2022

Background

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a genetically heterogeneous disease with highly molecular aberrations. It has been revealed that a newly discovered class of non‐coding RNAs called circular RNAs (circRNAs) play key roles in dictating tumor behaviors and phenotypes of the prostate tumors. In the current study, our aim was to determine the expression profiles of circHIAT1 and circCDR1AS in PCa compared with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissues, as well as their clinicopathological relevance.

Methods

The 50 prostate tissues including 25 PCa tissues and 25 BPH samples were collected for analyzing the expression levels of target circRNAs by quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR).

Results

The results revealed that expression of circCDR1AS was significantly elevated in PCa compared with the BPH (p < 0.05). We also observed that PCa patients over the age of 60 had a higher expression of the circCDR1AS than patients under the age of 60 (p = 0.017). Moreover, a lower expression level of circHIAT1 was found in the PCa than BPH tissues (p < 0.05), and finally, the findings indicated that the area under the curve (AUC) of circCDR1AS was 0.848, with 92% sensitivity and 76% specificity, as well as an AUC of 0.828, with the 80% sensitivity and 76% specificity for circHIAT1.

Conclusion

These observations suggest that the abnormal expression of circCDR1AS and circHIAT1 can be regarded as two different types of molecular pathology with potential biomarker values for PCa, although further studies are needed.
Morphological and porosity changes in primary enamel surface after an in vitro demineralization model
Authors: González‐Sotelo Arlete , Contreras‐Bulnes Rosalía , Rodríguez‐Vilchis Laura Emma , de los Angeles Moyaho‐Bernal María , Rubio‐Rosas Efraín , Teutle‐Coyotecatl Bernardo , Mézquita‐Rodrigo Irina
Published: January 2022

In vitro models are very useful in dentistry, especially to evaluate preventive methods against dental caries. Although they have been used for more than 30 years, specific demineralization models have not been established for primary enamel, which is more prone to demineralization than permanent enamel. This study evaluates porosity changes in primary enamel surface after a demineralization model through a scientifically validated analytical tool. Nine healthy human anterior primary teeth extracted for therapeutic reasons were included in this study, previous informed consent. The samples were randomly assigned to three groups n = 3: G1_2D, G2_4D, and G3_7D. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images at ×200 and ×1000 were taken during two stages: before demineralization (BD) and after demineralization (AD). Morphological characterization was observed at ×1000, while porosity (pore count and perimeter) was analyzed by the ImageJ program, using ×200 SEM images previously converted. Several statistical analyses were used to determine differences (p ≤ .05). Morphological characterization AD revealed new pits and cracks on the enamel surface in G1_2D and G2_4D groups. Localized eroded enamel areas were observed in G3_7D. Pore count of enamel surface BD ranged from 64.26 ± 37.62 to 97.93 ± 34.25 and AD ranged from 150.06 ± 64.86 to 256 ± 58.14. AD, G_4D exhibited a decrease in pore perimeter contrary to G_2D and G_7D. Significant differences were observed. Finally, morphological changes were more evident as days of demineralization increased; 7 days of immersion could be employed as an enamel erosive model. The pore count increased after the demineralization model, BD pores perimeter was heterogeneous, and AD varied according to the immersion period.

Morphological changes were more evident as days of demineralization increased.

Seven days of immersion could be employed as an enamel erosive model.

The initial porosity seems to be a determining factor for the final porousness.

The pore perimeter of the primary enamel varied according to the immersion period on the demineralization model.
Biodistribution of unmodified cardiosphere‐derived cell extracellular vesicles using single RNA tracing
Authors: Ciullo Alessandra , Li Chang , Li Liang , Ungerleider Korie C. , Peck Kiel , Marbán Eduardo , Ibrahim Ahmed G.E.
Published: January 2022

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are potent signalling mediators. Although interest in EV translation is ever‐increasing, development efforts are hampered by the inability to reliably assess the uptake of EVs and their RNA cargo. Here, we establish a novel qPCR‐based method for the detection of unmodified EVs using an RNA Tracer (DUST). In this proof‐of‐concept study we use a human‐specific Y RNA‐derived small RNA (YsRNA) we dub “NT4” that is enriched in cardiosphere‐derived cell small EVs (CDC‐sEVs). The assay is robust, sensitive, and reproducible. Intravenously administered CDC‐sEVs accumulated primarily in the heart on a per mg basis. Cardiac injury enhanced EV uptake in the heart, liver, and brain. Inhibition of EV docking by heparin suppressed uptake variably, while inhibition of endocytosis attenuated uptake in all organs. In vitro, EVs were uptaken more efficiently by macrophages, endothelial cells, and cardiac fibroblasts compared to cardiomyocytes. These findings demonstrate the utility of DUST to assess uptake of EVs in vivo and in vitro.