bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hemodialysis Wastewater Treatment via Electrocoagulation and Electro‐Oxidation: Modular Pilot‐Level Modeling and Simulation
Authors: González‐Nava Víctor Julián , Cárdenas Mijangos Jesús , Frausto‐Castillo Roberto Fernando , Bustos Bustos Erika
Published: February 2024

Hemodialysis treatment in specialized clinics within the same hospital significantly impacts environmental water health due to contaminated wastewater. The issues observed included changes in electrical conductivity, the presence of dangerous bacterial loads, toxicity from heavy metals, total cyanide content, and helminth parasite eggs. The level of damage is dependent on the patient's health under treatment. This research will use a modular system that employs electrocoagulation and electro‐oxidation processes at the laboratory and pilot levels to treat hemodialysis wastewater using synthetically prepared and real samples extracted from local clinics. The results showed that these hybrid systems improved various physicochemical parameters. Specifically, decreases in electrical conductivity of 49 %, total suspended solids of 27–100 %, chemical oxygen demand of 49 %, biochemical oxygen demand of 49 %, and cation and anion loading were observed at 96–100 % and pH 8.13 UpH in accordance with the established standards. With these results and the experimental conditions used, the proposed treatment system was modeled using the GPS‐X program, and it was concluded that the modular system used and the electrocoagulation/electro‐oxidation/activated carbon configuration is suitable for treating wastewater from hemodialysis and that scaling up this process to facilities that have dialysate machines more advanced than those considered in this work is possible.
Land use predicts proportion of West Nile virus vector‐competent mosquitoes
Authors: Bauer Amely M. , Guralnick Robert P. , Whitehead Shelley A. , Barve Narayani , Allen Julie M. , Campbell Lindsay P.
Published: February 2024

Land use and land cover (LULC) change has been identified as an important driver of emerging mosquito‐borne zoonotic diseases. However, studies are often limited to individual vector species, despite the potential for interspecific variation in vector competency within mosquito assemblages. This variation can affect transmission hazard, particularly in complex multi‐vector disease systems. Here, we used a joint species distribution modeling approach that included mosquito species vector competency for West Nile virus (WNV) as a trait to understand community‐level responses to land cover and predict joint species distributions in Manatee County, Florida. We assembled species presence/absence data across 61 sites and 44 species sampled from 2016 to 2020 and percent land cover within 2500 m of trap locations for five common land cover types. These data were used to investigate patterns in species richness and community‐weighted proportions of WNV‐competent vector species. The results revealed that land cover effects on individual species aligned with known habitat associations: the highest proportions of WNV‐competent species were predicted in less diverse urbanized areas, and species richness increased as urbanized areas decreased. Our findings highlight the value of community‐level analyses to predict joint vector distributions that can inform where greatest transmission hazard may occur. This information can be used by public health agencies, mosquito control, and land managers to plan more effective and optimized prevention and control efforts.
Ring‐Opening Functionalization/Cyclization Reactions of Cycloalkanols under Transition‐Metal‐Free Conditions
Authors: Han Wen‐Jun , Zhan Jun‐Long , Yang Fang‐Long , Liu Lantao
Published: February 2024

Cycloalkanols ring‐opening transformation is one of the most valuable and wide area of research. Among the numerous methods that have been developed, transition‐metal‐free approaches have attracted great interest from both chemists and pharmacologists. This is largely due to the advantages of being environmentally benign, cost‐effective and operationally simple. Here we provide a comprehensive outline on recent advances in the synthesis of distally substituted ketones and cyclic compounds via ring‐opening transformation of cycloalkanols under transition‐metal‐free conditions.
Improving Sediment Toxicity Testing for Very Hydrophobic Chemicals: Part 2—Exposure Duration, Upper Limit Test Concentrations, and Distinguishing Actual Toxicity from Physical Effects
Authors: Jonker Michiel T. O. , Diepens Noël J.
Published: February 2024

Sediment toxicity testing with very hydrophobic organic chemicals (VHOCs) is challenging because of the chemicals’ low aqueous solubilities and slow kinetics. The present study presents the results of experiments investigating whether the standard exposure duration of 28 days with benthic invertebrates is sufficient for VHOCs; above which concentrations in sediment VHOCs are present as “free phase,” that is, crystals or non-aqueous-phase liquids (NAPLs); and whether it is possible to discriminate between actual VHOC toxicity and physical effects caused by NAPLs through fouling of the test organisms. The results suggest that the standard sediment toxicity test duration is sufficient for obtaining steady-state VHOC concentrations in Hyalella azteca and Lumbriculus variegatus, provided that spiking and equilibration are performed properly (i.e., no free phase present). Under these conditions, transient (days 3–20) peak-shaped toxicokinetics were observed, with steady-state concentrations reached at approximately 28 days. The concentration above which NAPLs are present, the so-called critical separate phase concentration (CSPC), was determined for several VHOCs by modeling and two experimental methods. Modeling resulted in unrealistic and variable data and therefore should be applied with caution. Experimentally determining CSPCs was successful and yielded values of approximately 1000 (400–2000) mg/kg dry weight, depending on the chemical. Finally, it was demonstrated that distinguishing actual toxicity from physical effects is possible by applying a well-considered test setup, combining toxicity tests with multiple invertebrates (including Lumbriculus, which serves as a negative control for fouling); a broad test concentration range, preferably up to at least 30 000 mg/kg; and passive sampling to localize the CSPC. Applying this setup, false-positive effects due to fouling, as well as false-negative results due to testing at too low concentrations (trying to stay below the CSPC), can be avoided. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1728–1739. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
‘If I'm not sick, I'm not going to see the doctor’: Access to preventive sexual and reproductive health care for Karen women from refugee backgrounds living in Melbourne, Australia—A qualitative study
Authors: Davidson Natasha , Hammarberg Karin , Fisher Jane
Published: February 2024

Issue Addressed

Women from refugee backgrounds have poorer health outcomes than host country populations. People from Myanmar, most of whom are from the Karen ethnic minority constitute one of the largest groups of humanitarian visa entrants to Australia since 2015. Barriers to and enablers of preventive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) for this group of women are poorly understood. The objective is to establish the preventive SRH care needs and experiences of Karen women from refugee backgrounds living in Australia.

Methods

A qualitative study using semi‐structured interviews was conducted with a purposive sample of Karen women. A bi‐cultural worker assisted in recruitment and interpreting during data collection. All interviews were conducted in Karen language with a bi‐cultural worker interpreting into English during the interview. Audio recordings of English dialogue were transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to analyse and report data.

Results

Thirteen women were interviewed. Five major themes were identified: (1) prevention awareness including lack of access to education and knowledge of services pre‐arrival; appreciation of the new health system; limited vaccination knowledge, (2) perceived need for prevention including consequences of not screening; health care provider (HCP) attendance, (3) health information seeking including providing a comprehensive approach to information delivery; trusted sources of information, (4) barriers including missed opportunities; communication, language, illiteracy; lack of continuity of care and, (5) enablers including HCP’ characteristics; peer support and individual responsibility.

Conclusion

Findings from this study indicate that to improve access to preventive SRH services a multi‐component strategy is needed. Provision of preventive SRH information using a multi‐pronged approach; peer and community support interventions; and HCPs offering services and information opportunistically would benefit Karen women unfamiliar with preventive SRH care.

So What?

Primary prevention services and education codesigned with community members may be effective in improving Karen women's access to SRH care.
Analyzing the expression pattern of the noncoding RNAs (HOTAIR, PVT‐1, XIST, H19, and miRNA‐34a) in PBMC samples of patients with COVID‐19, according to the disease severity in Iran during 2022–2023: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Khanaliha Khadijeh , Sadri Nahand Javid , Khatami AliReza , Mirzaei Hamed , Chavoshpour Sara , Taghizadieh Mohammad , Karimzadeh Mohammad , Donyavi Tahereh , Bokharaei‐Salim Farah
Published: February 2024

Background and aims

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are well‐known types of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), which have been known as the key regulators of gene expression. They can play critical roles in viral infection by regulating the host immune response and interacting with genes in the viral genome. In this regard, ncRNAs can be employed as biomarkers for viral diseases. The current study aimed to evaluate peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) ncRNAs (lncRNAs‐homeobox C antisense intergenic RNA [HOTAIR], ‐H19, X‐inactive‐specific transcript [XIST], plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 [PVT‐1], and miR‐34a) as diagnostic biomarkers to differentiate severe COVID‐19 cases from mild ones.

Methods

Candidate ncRNAs were selected according to previous studies and assessed by real‐time polymerase chain reaction in the PBMC samples of patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) (n = 40), healthy subjects (n = 40), and mild COVID‐19 cases (n = 40). Furthermore, the diagnostic value of the selected ncRNAs was assessed by analyzing the receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC).

Results

The results demonstrated that the expression pattern of the selected ncRNAs was significantly different between the studied groups. The levels of HOTAIR, XIST, and miR‐34a were remarkably overexpressed in the severe COVID‐19 group in comparison with the mild COVID‐19 group, and in return, the PVT‐1 levels were lower than in the mild COVID‐19 group. Interestingly, the XIST expression level in men with severe COVID‐19 was higher compared to women with mild COVID‐19. ROC results suggested that HOTAIR and PVT‐1 could serve as useful biomarkers for screening mild COVID‐19 from severe COVID‐19.

Conclusions

Overall, different expression patterns of the selected ncRNAs and ROC curve results revealed that these factors can contribute to COVID‐19 pathogenicity and can be considered diagnostic markers of COVID‐19 severe outcomes.
Economic evaluation of vaccination against COVID‐19: A systematic review
Authors: Zeinab Dolatshahi , Shahin Nargesi , Fateme Mezginejad , Saeed Bagheri Faradonbeh
Published: February 2024

Background and Aims

Coronavirus has burdened considerable expenditures on the different health systems. Vaccination programs, the critical solution against pandemic diseases, are known as safe and effective interventions to prevent and control epidemics. We aimed to perform a systematic review to provide economic evidence of the value of different types of vaccines available to combat the Covid‐19 to all health policymakers worldwide.

Methods

Electronic searches conducted on Medline/PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and other economic evaluation databases. Related and published articles searched up to March 2022 by using keywords such as “Vaccination,” “Covid‐19,” “Cost‐benefit,” “Cost‐utility,” “Cost‐effectiveness,” “Economic Assessment,” and “Economic evaluation.” Followed by choosing the most suitable articles according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, data captured and the results extracted. The quality assessment of the articles performed by the checklist of CHEERS 2022. Finally, 13 articles included in the review.

Results

All messenger RNA vaccines were dominant with approximately 70% coverage against no vaccination in the primary vaccination program except in one study that looked at booster effects. From a payer's perspective, a dollar invested in a vaccine would be less profitable than from a societal perspective. Therefore, primary mass vaccination can be considered a cost‐effective intervention in primary vaccination to save more lives and produce more positive externalities. However, the cost‐benefit ratio for all vaccines increases when statistical lifetime value and global economic and educational disadvantages are considered.

Conclusion

The COVID‐19 primary vaccination programs in regional outbreaks, from a long‐term perspective, will demonstrate substantial cost‐effectiveness. It is suggested that due to the positive externalities of vaccination, primary mass vaccination, with the help of COVAX‐19TM, could be considered a reliable way to combat viral epidemics compared to the loss of individual lives and economic and educational disturbances around the world.
Evaluation of cross‐cultural adaptation and validation of the Persian version of the health literacy for school‐aged children scale: Methodological study
Authors: Negarandeh Reza , Sarkhani Naeimeh , Heydari Maryam
Published: February 2024

Background and Aims

Health literacy (HL) is an essential determinant of health in children. Inadequate HL causes problems for individuals and society, such as more hospitalizations, medication errors, poor health, and higher mortality and health care costs. A valid and reliable scale is needed to measure this population's HL. This study evaluated the cross‐cultural adaptation and validation of the Persian version of the HL for School‐Aged Children (HLSAC) Scale.

Methods

In this methodological research, the HL scale of school‐aged children was translated from English to Persian using the Backward–Forward translation protocol. The content validity, face validity, construct validity (Exploratory Factor Analysis [EFA] and Confirmatory factor analysis [CFA]), plus reliability, were evaluated by Internal consistency and stability methods. Two hundred forty samples from south of Tehran were selected by multi‐stage sampling method to assess the construct validity. Data analysis was performed using SPSS v24 and Jamovi v2.2.

Results

A qualitative evaluation of face and content validity showed that experts and the target group approved all items on the scale. The results of EFA indicated the existence of one factor, explaining 47.17% of the total variance of the scale. The CFA results showed that the one‐factor model of the Persian version of the HL scale for children is almost acceptable. (χ2/df = 2.94, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation = 0.09, Normed‐Fit Index = 0.89, Tucker‐Lewis Index = 0.89, Comparative Fit Index = 0.92). Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the whole scale was 0.80, and the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient value for the whole scale was calculated as 0.78 using the single‐rating, absolute‐agreement, 2‐way mixed‐effects method.

Conclusion

The study validates the HLSAC Scale, affirming its suitability for assessing HL in Persian‐speaking child populations.
Patient‐reported outcomes in advanced NSCLC before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Real‐world data from the German prospective CRISP Registry (AIO‐TRK‐0315)
Authors: Sebastian Martin , Eberhardt Wilfried E. E. , von der Heyde Eyck , Dörfel Steffen , Wiegand Jörg , Schiefer Clemens , Losem Christoph , Jänicke Martina , Fleitz Annette , Zacharias Stefan , Kaiser‐Osterhues Anja , Hipper Annette , Dietel Corinna , Bleckmann Annalen , Benkelmann Robin , Boesche Michael , Grah Christian , Müller Annette , Griesinger Frank , Thomas Michael ,   for the CRISP Registry Group
Published: February 2024

Patients with lung cancer under treatment have been associated with a high risk of COVID‐19 infection and potentially worse outcome, but real‐world data on patient‐reported outcomes (PROs) are rare. We assess patients' characteristics and PROs before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic in an advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cohort in Germany. Patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC from the prospective, multicentre, observational CRISP Registry (NCT02622581) were categorised as pre‐pandemic (March 2019 to Feb 2020, n = 1621) and pandemic (March 2020 to Feb 2021, n = 1317). From baseline to month 15, patients' health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed by FACT‐L, anxiety and depression by PHQ‐4. Association of pandemic status with time to deterioration (TTD) in QoL scales adjusted for potential covariates was estimated using Cox modelling. PROs were documented for 1166 patients (72%) in the pre‐pandemic, 979 (74%) in the pandemic group. Almost 60% of patients were male, median age was 66 years, comorbidities occurred in 85%. Regarding HRQoL, mean‐change‐from‐baseline plots hardly differed between both samples. Approximately 15%–21% of patients reported anxiety, about 19%–27% signs of depression. For the pandemic group, TTD was slightly, but statistically significantly, worse for the physical well‐being‐FACT‐G subscale (HR 1.15 [95%CI 1.02–1.30]) and the anxiety‐GAD‐2 subscale (HR 1.14 [95%CI 1.01–1.29]). These prospectively collected real‐world data provide valuable insights into PROs before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic in advanced NSCLC. For the patients, the pandemic seemed to be less of a burden than the disease itself, as there was a considerable proportion of patients with anxiety and depression in both groups.
Perceived loss of support to community caregivers during the COVID‐19 pandemic in the United States
Authors: Kennedy David P. , Friedman Esther M. , Kirkegaard Allison , Edgington Sarah , Shih Regina
Published: February 2024

Coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) had a negative impact on the health and well‐being of community caregivers. Few studies examine the pandemic's negative impact on the availability of social networks of caregivers. This article uses data collected during COVID‐19 before vaccination to examine caregivers' reports of perceived lost and reduced network support. We assessed the personal networks of a nationally representative sample of 2214 community caregivers in the United States. We analyzed associations between caregiving factors and caregivers' perceptions of lost and reduced network support. Changes in care recipient living circumstances during COVID‐19, longer‐term caregiving, care recipient hearing/vision/mobility problems, caregiver travel/socializing restrictions, caregiver race/ethnicity, caregiver income, caregiver age, network connectivity, family relationships, and network members' age were associated with perceived lost/reduced support during the pandemic. Findings provide insights for the development of social network interventions to support caregivers and help them cultivate support networks resilient to public health crises.
Photothermal dependence on catalytic activity and selectivity of HMF and benzyl alcohol oxidation over Pd/1D‐TiO2 nanotubes
Authors: Dai Likai , Fang Zheng , Peng Anxian , Chen Yunhong , Liu Yitong , Chen Huimei , Yan Rongjun , Zhou Rencheng , Du Mingming
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND

Photothermal catalytic oxidation technology for synthesis of high value‐added chemicals has become a hot topic of research at home and abroad. As a special structure, titania (TiO2) nanotubes (Ti‐NTs) possess larger specific surface area and adsorption capacity, which have shown great application prospects in photothermal catalytic oxidation.

RESULTS

In this work, high‐performance palladium (Pd‐Ti‐NTs catalyst were prepared and applied to the photothermal catalytic oxidation of 5‐hydroxymethyl (HMF) and benzyl alcohol. The photothermal dependence on catalytic activity and selectivity of HMF and benzyl alcohol oxidation was studied in detail. The results revealed that compared with thermal catalytic oxidation, the catalysts showed significantly higher conversions of both benzyl alcohol and HMF under light. in particular, HMF conversion increase from 55.6% to 99.7%. Aldehyde oxidation is inhibited by alcohol and can be dramatically promoted by light radiation. This is probably because alcohol can inhibit the adsorption of aldehyde, and this inhibiting effect is weakened through light radiation, thus promoting the oxidation of aldehydes. Therefore, the selectivity of the final products 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and benzoic acid were dramatically increased in both systems under light radiation, and the selectivity for FDCA was obviously increased from 5.8% to 61.3%, and the yield reached 61.0%, which is higher than that of most of the reported Pd‐TiO2‐based catalysts for FDCA.

CONCLUSIONS

In this paper, we verify that Pd‐Ti‐NTs could preferentially promote the conversion of aldehydes to acids in the presence of light, and obtained catalysts with high catalytic performance and high stability for benzyl alcohol and HMF oxidation. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Adolescent intermittent ethanol use in male rats do not change cerebellar cell numbers but initiate astroglial reaction
Authors: Çon Nurhan , Mercan Sevcan , Küçüköner Asuman , Çalişkan Nüket
Published: February 2024

Alcohol consumption during adolescence causes negative structural changes in the cerebellum and can lead to cognitive and motor skill disorders. Unfortunately, the age at which individuals begin drinking alcohol has decreased in recent years, which has drawn attention to the effects of alcohol on neurological changes during preadolescence. In this study, we investigated the effects of adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure on the cellular composition of the cerebellum in male rats, particularly when alcohol consumption begins early. The male rats received eight doses of intermittent intraperitoneal injection of 25% (v/v) ethanol (3 g/kg) or saline from postnatal days (PND) 25 to PND 38. In rats, 28–42 days old corresponds to 10–18 years old in humans. Two hours after the last injection, the cells, neurons, and non‐neuronal cells in the cerebellum were immunocytochemically labeled and the total numbers of related cells were calculated using the Isotropic Fractionator method. We found that AIE exposure does not change the cell numbers of the cerebellum in the short term, but it does activate astrocytes in the white matter of the cerebellum. These findings suggest that alcohol use during adolescence impairs the innate immune system and negatively affects brain plasticity.
Short‐time exposure to light at night affects incubation patterns and correlates with subsequent body weight in great tits (Parus major)
Authors: Strauß Aurelia F. T. , Bosma Lies , Visser Marcel E. , Helm Barbara
Published: February 2024

Artificial light at night (ALAN) widely affects wildlife by blurring light‐dark differences, including transitions such as sunrise and sunset, thereby affecting regulation of diel rhythms. As a result, activity onsets in many wild diurnal songbirds advance under ALAN. From chronobiological studies, it is known that the direction and strength of the response to light depends on when during the night exposure takes place. However, these experiments are mostly done under continuous light conditions, when animals have free‐running rhythms. It remains unclear whether phase‐dependence also holds in entrained, wild songbirds; i.e., does the effect of ALAN on activity patterns differ between exposure in the morning compared to the evening? This information is essential to assess the effects of mitigation measures by limiting ALAN to selected times of the night. We exposed incubating great tits (Parus major) inside the nest‐box to 4 h of dim light, of which 1 h overlapped with dawn before sunrise or dusk after sunset. We found a small advancing effect of morning‐light on activity onset and of evening‐light on offset compared to dark controls but not vice versa. Breeding success and chick condition were unaffected by the light treatments. However, light‐treated females had lower weights 9–18 days after the end of the treatment compared to the controls, independent of whether ALAN occurred in the morning or the evening, indicating possible costs of ALAN. Despite the weak behavioral response, ALAN might have affected the females' circadian clock or physiology resulting in lower body condition.
Sensitivity of amphibian embryos to timing and magnitude of present and future thermal extremes
Authors: Oborová Valentína , Šugerková Monika , Gvoždík Lumír
Published: February 2024

Ongoing climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme temperature events. Unlike the gradual increase on average environmental temperatures, these short‐term and unpredictable temperature extremes impact population dynamics of ectotherms through their effect on individual survival. While previous research has predominantly focused on the survival rate of terrestrial embryos under acute heat stress, less attention has been dedicated to the nonlethal effects of ecologically realistic timing and magnitude of temperature extremes on aquatic embryos. In this study, we investigated the influence of the timing and magnitude of current and projected temperature extremes on embryonic life history traits and hatchling behavior in the alpine newt, Ichthyosaura alpestris. Using a factorial experiment under controlled laboratory conditions, we exposed 3‐ or 10‐day‐old embryos to different regimes of extreme temperatures for 3 days. Our results show that exposure to different extreme temperature regimes led to a shortened embryonic development time and an increase in hatchling length, while not significantly affecting embryonic survival. The duration of development was sensitive to the timing of temperature extremes, as early exposure accelerated embryo development. Exposure to temperature extremes during embryonic development heightened the exploratory activity of hatched larvae. We conclude that the timing and magnitude of ecologically realistic temperature extremes during embryogenesis have nonlethal effects on life history and behavioral traits. This suggests that species' vulnerability to climate change might be determined by other ecophysiological traits beyond embryonic thermal tolerance in temperate pond‐breeding amphibians.
Association Between Myocardial Oxygenation and Fibrosis in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Analysis by Rest Oxygenation‐Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Zhou Ziqi , Xu Rong , Cai Xiaotang , Fu Hang , Xu Ke , Yuan Weifeng , Song Yu , Shi Ke , Fu Chuan , Li Xuesheng , Wang Chuan , Guo Yingkun , Yu Li , Xu Huayan
Published: February 2024

Background

Myocardial hypoxia has been demonstrated in many cardiomyopathies and is related to development of myocardial fibrosis. However, myocardial hypoxia and its association with myocardial fibrosis are understudied in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)‐associated cardiomyopathy.

Purpose

To evaluate myocardial hypoxia by oxygenation‐sensitive (OS) cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and further explore its association with fibrosis.

Study Type

Prospective.

Subjects

Ninety‐one DMD boys (8.78 ± 2.32) and 30 healthy boys (9.07 ± 2.30).

Field Strength/Sequence

3 T, Balanced steady‐state free procession, Modified Look‐Locker inversion recovery sequence and Single‐shot phase‐sensitive inversion recovery sequence.

Assessment

Cardiac MRI data, including left ventricular functional, segmental native T1, and oxygenation signal‐intensity (SI) according to AHA 17‐segment model, were acquired. Patients were divided into LGE+ and LGE− groups. In patients with LGE, all segments were further classified as positive or negative segments by segmentally presence/absence of LGE.

Statistical Tests

Variables were compared using Student's t, Wilcoxon, Kruskal–Wallis test and one‐way analysis of variance. Bivariate Pearson or Spearman correlation were calculated to determine association between oxygenation SI and native T1. Variables with P < 0.10 in the univariable analysis were included in multivariable model. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to assess the performance of OS in diagnosing myocardial hypoxia.

Results

The myocardial oxygenation SI of DMD was significantly decreased in all segments compared with normal controls, and more obvious in the LGE+ segments (0.46 ± 0.03 vs. 0.52 ± 0.03). For patients with and without LGE, myocardial oxygenation SI were significantly negatively correlated with native T1 in all segments (r = −0.23 to −0.42). The inferolateral oxygenation SI was a significant independent associator of LGE presence (adjusted OR = 0.900).

Data Conclusion

Myocardial hypoxia evaluated by the OS‐Cardiac‐MRI indeed occurs in DMD and associate with myocardial fibrosis, which might be used as a biomarker in assessing myocardial damage in DMD.

Evidence Level

1

Technical Efficacy

Stage 1
Genomic surveillance of omicron B.1.1.529 SARS‐CoV‐2 and its variants between December 2021 and March 2023 in Tamil Nadu, India—A state‐wide prospective longitudinal study
Authors: Selvavinayagam Sivaprakasam T. , Suvaithenamudhan Suvaiyarasan , Yong Yean K. , Hemashree Kannan , Rajeshkumar Manivannan , Kumaresan Anandhazhvar , Arthydevi Parthiban , Kannan Meganathan , Gopalan Natarajan , Vignesh Ramachandran , Murugesan Amudhan , Sivasankaran Munusamy P. , Sankar Sathish , Cheedarla Narayanaiah , Anshad Abdul R. , Govindaraj Sakthivel , Zhang Ying , Tan Hong Y. , Larsson Marie , Saravanan Shanmugam , Balakrishnan Pachamuthu , Kulanthaivel Langeswaran , Singh Kamalendra , Joseph Narcisse , Velu Vijayakumar , Byrareddy Siddappa N. , Shankar Esaki M. , Raju Sivadoss
Published: February 2024

A state‐wide prospective longitudinal investigation of the genomic surveillance of the omicron B.1.1.529 SARS‐CoV‐2 variant and its sublineages in Tamil Nadu, India, was conducted between December 2021 and March 2023. The study aimed to elucidate their mutational patterns and their genetic interrelationship in the Indian population. The study identified several unique mutations at different time‐points, which likely could attribute to the changing disease characteristics, transmission, and pathogenicity attributes of omicron variants. The study found that the omicron variant is highly competent in its mutating potentials, and that it continues to evolve in the general population, likely escaping from natural as well as vaccine‐induced immune responses. Our findings suggest that continuous surveillance of viral variants at the global scenario is warranted to undertake intervention measures against potentially precarious SARS‐CoV‐2 variants and their evolution.
Regional specificity of cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation effects on spatial–numerical associations: Comparison of four stimulation sites
Authors: Farshad Maryam , Artemenko Christina , Cipora Krzysztof , Svaldi Jennifer , Schroeder Philipp A.
Published: February 2024

Neuromodulation with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is an increasingly popular research tool to experimentally manipulate cortical areas and probe their causal involvements in behavior, but its replicability and regional specificity are not clear. This registered report investigated cathodal tDCS effects on spatial–numerical associations (i.e., the SNARC effect), the numerical distance effect (NDE), and inhibitory control (i.e., stop‐signal reaction time; SSRT). Healthy adults (N = 160) were randomly assigned to one of five groups to receive sham tDCS or 1 mA cathodal tDCS to one of four stimulation sites (left/right prefrontal cortex [PFC], left/right posterior parietal cortex) with extracephalic return. We replicated that cathodal tDCS over the left PFC reduced the SNARC effect compared to sham tDCS and to tDCS over the left parietal cortex. However, neither NDE nor SSRT were modulated in the main analyses. Post hoc contrasts and exploratory analyses showed that cathodal tDCS over the right PFC had a time‐dependent effect by delayed practice‐related improvements in SSRT. Math anxiety moderated changes in the NDE in the groups receiving tDCS to the right parietal cortex. With few exceptions, the replicability and regional specificity of tDCS effects on behavior were weak and partially moderated by individual differences. Future research needs to characterize the parameter settings for effective neuromodulation.
Cause or effect? Undetectable vitamin D in a patient with Crohn's disease
Authors: Esswein Julia , Vickers Maggie , Kleinman Michael , Whitworth John , Corkins Mark , Riley Pace S.
Published: February 2024

Crohn's disease has been described as the “great mimicker” with a wide array of presentations. We describe a case of a teenager who presented with tetany and undetectable vitamin D as initial presentation of Crohn's disease. There are reports of adults in tetany due to electrolyte derangements in chronic gastrointestinal diseases secondary to malabsorption. However, the role of deficient vitamin D as it contributes to immune system dysfunction has only begun to be explored. Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption, immune regulation, and gut epithelial barrier. This case report discusses vitamin D physiology and its potential mediation in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease.
Salicylic acid promotes phenolic acid biosynthesis for the production of phenol acid‐rich barley sprouts
Authors: Yin Yongqi , Hu Meixia , Yang Zhengfei , Zhu Jiangyu , Fang Weiming
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND

Phenolic acid exhibits a variety of well‐known physiological functions. In this study, optimal germination conditions to ensure total phenolic acid enrichment in barley sprouts induced by salicylic acid treatment and its effects on sprout physiology and activity, as well as the gene expression of key enzymes for phenolic acid biosynthesis, were investigated.

RESULTS

When sprouts were treated with 1 mmol L−1 salicylic acid during germination and germinated at 25 °C for 4 days, the phenolic acid content was 1.82 times that of the control, reaching 1221.54 μg g−1 fresh weight. Salicylic acid significantly increased the activity of phenylalanine aminolase and cinnamic acid‐4‐hydroxylase and the gene expression of phenylalanine aminolase, cinnamic acid‐3‐hydroxylase, cinnamic acid‐4‐hydroxylase, 4‐coumaric acid‐coenzyme A, caffeic acid O‐methyltransferase, and ferulate‐5‐hydroxylase in barley sprouts. However, salicylic acid treatment significantly increased malondialdehyde and H2O2 content, H2O2 and O2− fluorescence intensity, as well as significantly decreasing sprout length and fresh weight. Salicylic acid treatment markedly increased the activity of peroxidase and catalase and the gene expression of peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase in barley sprouts.

CONCLUSION

Salicylic acid treatment during barley germination significantly promoted the enrichment of total phenolic acid by increasing the activities and gene expression levels of enzymes involved in the phenolic acid biosynthesis pathway. Salicylic acid induced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, inhibited sprout growth, and activated the antioxidant system. This study provides a basis for the future development of functional foods using phenol acid‐rich plants as raw materials. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Quality of Life of Oligometastatic and Polymetastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients
Authors: Berzenji Diako , Dorr Maarten C. , Sewnaik Aniel , Mast Hetty , Offerman Marinella P.J. , Baatenburg de Jong Robert J. , Hardillo Jose A.
Published: February 2024

Objective

Evidence suggests that distant metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is a spectrum of disease. Previous studies show that oligometastasis has favorable survival compared with polymetastasis. The quality of life of patients with oligometastasis remains unknown. To further solidify the position of oligometastasis as a separate entity, we hypothesized that oligometastatic patients experience better quality of life than polymetastatic patients.

Methods

Patients with distant metastasis were stratified into three groups: oligometastasis (≤3 metastatic foci in ≤2 anatomic sites), explosive metastasis (≥4 metastatic foci at one anatomic site), and explosive‐disseminating metastasis (spread to ≥3 anatomic sites). Quality of life was assessed every 2 months post distant metastasis diagnosis.

Results

Between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2021, a total of 161 patients with distant metastasis were identified, with a total of 397 measurements. In this group, 57 (35.4%) patients had oligometastasis, 35 (21.7%) patients had explosive metastasis, and 69 (42.9%) patients had explosive‐disseminating metastasis. Their median post‐distant metastasis survivals were 8.5 months, 3.2 months, and 3.2 months respectively (p < 0.001). A significantly better overall quality of life was observed in the oligometastasis group compared with the polymetastatic groups (+0.75 out of 7, p < 0.05). Furthermore, oligometastatic patients performed better in the subdomains of “physical functioning,” “fatigue,” and “pain.”

Conclusion

Results from this study underscore that subgroups exist regarding quality of life and survival within distant metastasis, with polymetastatic patients performing worse than oligometastatic patients. This highlights the significance of tailored interventions that consider the unique challenges faced by each metastatic group of patients.

Level of Evidence

3, retrospective cohort study Laryngoscope, 134:3170–3176, 2024
Mixture of winter cover crops reduces surface runoff and sediment production under no‐tillage system for Oxisols
Authors: Fuentes‐Guevara Miguel D. , Spliethoff Jhonatan , Camilo Edson L. , Neto Ernani Garcia , Olanik Chaiane , Pacheco Amanda Alves , Ferreira Rodrigo , Rampim Leandro , Müller Marcelo M. L. , Pott Cristiano A.
Published: February 2024

One of Brazil's efficient soil and water conservation practices is the no‐tillage system (NTS). Nonetheless, erosion during rainfall still causes soil and water losses in this system. Therefore, this study aimed to assess surface runoff in different cultivation systems and sediment production during rainfall events. In macro‐plot 1 (non‐terraced catchment [NTC]), we adopted the NTS management with up‐ and down‐slope farming without including mechanical runoff control practices, which most regional producers use. In macro‐plot 2 (best management practices [BMPs]), we optimized crop rotation by incorporating a mixture of cover crop species in autumn and implemented contour farming practices. In macroplot 3 (terraced catchment [TC]), we adopted the same soil management practices as the NTC macroplot, including mechanical runoff control using broad‐based terraces. We used rainfall data to create hyetographs, hydrographs, and sedimentographs, aiming to evaluate the impact of management practices on surface runoff and sediment production. The surface runoff was reduced by 81% (BMPs) and 88% (TC) compared to the NTC system. There was also a reduction in suspended sediment concentration, around 33% (BMPs) and 63% (TC), compared to the NTC system. Despite conservation systems have shown effectiveness in reducing surface runoff and sediment production, monitoring these systems during periods not influenced by the La Niña phenomenon is necessary to assess the impact of rainfall events on soils with conservation practices in extreme events. The study findings provide guidance and recommendations for agricultural producers and field technicians globally, offering criteria for selecting optimal soil and water management practices in no‐till systems. This promotes a conservation‐oriented approach to agriculture.
Cathodes in magnetrons: A review
Authors: Liu Zheng , Yang Yun‐Fei , Sun Jun‐Hao , Liu Hong‐Mei , Li Zi‐Chen , Wang Jin‐Shu
Published: February 2024

Magnetron is currently one kind of the most widely used vacuum electronic devices. The cathode, as the electronic source of the device, is the core of magnetrons. With the development of magnetrons, the requirements for cathode performance are also increasing, including thermal electron emission and secondary electron emission performance. This article reviews the development history of cathodes used in magnetrons, discusses the performance and application fields of various cathodes, and the relationship between performance and structure. However, there are still certain problems with various cathode materials that make it difficult to truly cover all magnetrons. The ongoing challenges relating to the magnetron cathodes have been discussed in this paper.
Solid materials characterization using split ring resonators enclosed by power divider
Authors: Mohammadi Pejman , Mohammadi Ali , Kara Ali
Published: February 2024

A highly sensitive microwave sensor for solid material characterization is proposed. A novel design consisting of split ring resonators (SRRs) within a three‐port power divider is developed. The three‐port junction is employed as the host to provide two output channels, and SRRs are loaded through electric coupling to the power divider as the sensing area. The SRRs are located symmetrically so that any change in the electric field of the SRRs is transferred equally to the transmission coefficients of the three‐port junction. The operation of the proposed sensor is based on the downshifting of the transmission zero caused by the loading of samples. The two identical outputs help to control cross‐sensitivity due to external effects. The performance of the fabricated prototype on a 22.2 × 18.8 × 1.6 mm3 printed circuit board is presented. It is shown that a 135 MHz shift per unit relative permittivity change can be achieved. The normalized sensitivity is found to be 3%, which is relatively higher than the sensors reported in the literature.
Use of effective multiscale cohesive models in the simulation of spall in metal plates
Authors: Pandolfi A. , Ortiz M.
Published: February 2024

Ductile fracture of metals is the net result of void nucleation, growth and coalescence mechanisms that operate at the microscale. Optimal scaling analysis provides the analytical form of the effective material law that models the ductile fracture phenomena at the macroscale. The upscaled model of ductile behavior assumes the form of a cohesive relation—surface traction versus displacement—of the power‐law type with well‐defined exponents. In the present work, we demonstrate how the effective cohesive law derived from optimal scaling can be conveniently inserted into macroscale calculations by recourse to cohesive elements. The plastic deformation outside the cohesive elements is of moderate size and can be modeled by means of conventional plasticity models. In particular, the mesh size is dictated by accuracy considerations at the macroscale structural level and is not in any way constrained by microscale features and mechanisms, which happen at the subgrid level and are accounted for by the effective cohesive law. We illustrate the multiscale paradigm by means of spall calculations.
Considerations for Use of the MAUDE Database in Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery Research
Authors: Batheja Aashish , Bentan Mihai , Coelho Daniel H.
Published: February 2024

The use of the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) to analyze adverse events linked to medical devices has grown in recent years. MAUDE facilitates post‐market surveillance, contributing to the assessment of device performance and the identification of potential safety concerns. The database is instrumental not only for mandatory reporters such as manufacturers and healthcare facilities but also offers a platform for voluntary submissions from clinicians and patients, thus widening the scope of data collection. While the database offers valuable data, there are important limitations that must be understood in order to encourage appropriate interpretation of findings. This commentary highlights the major advantages and disadvantages of the MAUDE database, as well as describes possible areas for improvement in adverse event reporting.
Not in it for the money: Meaningful relationships sustain voluntary land conservation initiatives in Peru
Authors: López de la Lama Rocío , Bennett Nathan , Bulkan Janette , de la Puente Santiago , Chan Kai M. A.
Published: February 2024

Voluntary land conservation, including privately protected areas (PPAs), is a key component of enabling the future of biodiversity on Earth. Accordingly, the question of motivations has preoccupied conservation social science. True motivations are difficult to ascertain, however, even for ourselves.

Accordingly, we explore a novel narrative elicitation approach to ask: what features of the land and landowners' relationships with the land encourage and sustain their commitment to voluntary conservation? What value framings are conveyed by landowners when sharing their origin stories and the reasons for sustaining such efforts?

We conducted semi‐structured interviews with 32 landowners of PPAs across Peru. Interviews were designed to elicit landowners' origin stories and ongoing relationships with the land, as well as the values they hold about those relationships.

This paper challenges the current perception that PPAs are driven by wealthy and foreign landowners in the Peruvian context. Instead, this paper showcases PPAs as the manifestation of local visions for conservation that align with the landowners' longstanding relationships with the land. Here we identified 15 different relational values that landowners have with nature, non‐human and human beings that underlie their voluntary conservation efforts.

The paper highlights the importance of taking a relational perspective (recognizing that our existence is enabled and shaped by the relationships we have with others and with nature) when studying land conservation, emphasizing how PPAs are the reflection of landowners' intention to maintain, protect and restore the multiple relationships embedded in the land they strive to conserve.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.