bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of estradiol on dopaminergic synapse formation in the mouse olfactory bulb
Authors: Kiyokage Emi , Ichikawa Satoshi , Horie Sawa , Hayashi Shuichi , Toida Kazunori
Published: December 2022

Olfactory glomeruli are the sites of initial synaptic integration in olfactory information processing. They are surrounded by juxtaglomerular (JG) cells, which include periglomerular, superficial short axon, and external tufted cells. A subpopulation of JG cells expresses the dopamine synthetic enzymes, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and aromaticl‐amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). TH cells corelease γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) and their processes extend to multiple glomeruli forming intra‐ and interglomerular circuits. It is well established that 17β‐estradiol (E2) exerts wide ranging effects in the central nervous system. However, participation of E2 in the modulation of neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity of TH cells in olfactory glomeruli is unknown. To address this, we subcutaneously implanted a 60‐day release pellet of E2 or placebo into intact male mice and compared glomerular TH, AADC, and vesicular γ‐aminobutyric acid transporter (VGAT) immunoreactivity between them. High‐voltage electron microscopy (HVEM) and ultra‐HVEM using immunogold revealed significantly increased immunoreactive intensity at the cellular level for TH and AADC after E2 treatment and for VGAT in TH cells. These results indicate that E2 may affect the interplay between dopaminergic and GABAergic systems. Moreover, random‐section electron microscopy analysis showed a significant increase in the number of symmetrical synapses from TH cell to mitral/tufted cell dendrites after E2 treatment. This result was supported by quantitative immunofluorescence staining with synapse markers. Together, these data indicate that E2 may regulate inhibition between TH cells and olfactory bulb neurons within the glomerulus via interaction between dopaminergic and GABAergic systems, thereby contributing to neuromodulation of odor information processing.
In vitro aging of stallion spermatozoa during prolonged storage at 5°C
Authors: Umair Muhammad , Claes Anthony , Buijtendorp Marijn , Cuervo‐Arango Juan , Stout Tom A. E. , Henning Heiko
Published: December 2022

Artificial insemination with chilled stallion semen is hampered by a limited period of maximum fertility maintenance (24–48 h). This study used multiparametric flow cytometry to simultaneously measure reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial function or [Ca2+]iand plasma membrane fluidity in viable, acrosome‐intact spermatozoa, with the aim of providing insight into changes in sperm function during storage at 5°C. High proportions of viable and acrosome‐intact spermatozoa (71 ± 8%) remained after 96 h of storage demonstrating that the basic integrity of the cells was well preserved (n = 17 stallions). In addition, more than 90% of viable, acrosome‐intact spermatozoa had active mitochondria and low intra‐cellular or mitochondrial ROS levels. By contrast, the percentage of viable, acrosome‐intact sperm with low plasma membrane fluidity and low [Ca2+]idecreased over time (1 h: 63 ± 16%, 96 h: 29 ± 18%;p < 0.05). The [Ca2+]iin viable sperm rose 3.1‐fold (p < 0.05) over the 4 days, and fewer spermatozoa responded to bicarbonate stimulation (1 h: 46 ± 17%, 96 h: 19 ± 12%) with an increase in plasma membrane fluidity following prolonged storage. Overall, prolonged storage of stallion semen at 5°C resulted in disturbed calcium homeostasis and increased plasma membrane fluidity. The decline in fertility of stallion semen during cooled‐storage may therefore relate to aspects of in vitro aging (changes in plasma membrane fluidity and intracellular calcium) which impairs capacitation‐associated cell functions.
Short‐range multispectral imaging is an inexpensive, fast, and accurate approach to estimate biodiversity in a temperate calcareous grassland
Authors: Jackson John , Lawson Clare S. , Adelmant Celestine , Huhtala Evie , Fernandes Philip , Hodgson Rose , King Hannah , Williamson Lucy , Maseyk Kadmiel , Hawes Nick , Hector Andrew , Salguero‐Gómez Rob
Published: December 2022

Image sensing technologies are rapidly increasing the cost‐effectiveness of biodiversity monitoring efforts. Species differences in the reflectance of electromagnetic radiation can be used as a surrogate estimate plant biodiversity using multispectral image data. However, these efforts are often hampered by logistical difficulties in broad‐scale implementation. Here, we investigate the utility of multispectral imaging technology from commercially available unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones) in estimating biodiversity metrics at a fine spatial resolution (0.1–0.5 cm pixel resolution) in a temperate calcareous grassland in Oxfordshire, UK. We calculate a suite of moments (coefficient of variation, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis) for the distribution of radiance from multispectral images at five wavelength bands (Blue 450 ± 16 nm; Green 560 ± 16 nm; Red 650 ± 16 nm; Red Edge 730 ± 16 nm; Near Infrared 840 ± 16 nm) and test their effectiveness at estimating ground‐truthed biodiversity metrics from in situ botanical surveys for 37–1 × 1 m quadrats. We find positive associations between the average coefficient of variation in spectral radiance and both the Shannon–Weiner and Simpson's biodiversity indices. Furthermore, the average coefficient of variation in spectral radiance is consistent and highly repeatable across sampling days and recording heights. Positive associations with biodiversity indices hold irrespective of the image recording height (2–8 m), but we report reductions in estimates of spectral diversity with increases to UAV recording height. UAV imaging reduced sampling time by a factor of 16 relative to in situ botanical surveys. We demonstrate the utility of multispectral radiance moments as an indicator of biodiversity in this temperate calcareous grassland at a fine spatial resolution using a widely available UAV monitoring system with a coarse spectral resolution. The use of UAV technology with multispectral sensors has far‐reaching potential to provide cost‐effective and high‐resolution monitoring of biodiversity.
Differentiating cumulative and lagged effects of drought on vegetation growth over the Mongolian Plateau
Authors: Gu Xiling , Guo Enliang , Yin Shan , Wang Yongfang , Mandula Naren , Wan Zhiqiang , Yun Xiangjun , Li He , Bao Yuhai
Published: December 2022

Drought has a great impact on global terrestrial ecosystems. A large number of studies have shown that the impact of drought on vegetation growth has a lagged and cumulative effect, but it is unclear how much it contributes to different vegetation types. Therefore, based on the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) base version 2.5 and the Global Inventory Monitoring and Modeling System (GIMMS3g) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) datasets, this study aimed to analyze the response process of different vegetation types to the cumulative and lagged effects of drought in the Mongolian Plateau during 1982–2015 using Pearson correlation and the Mann–Kendall mutation method and deeply explore the magnitude of the contribution of drought cumulative and lagged effects on vegetation using the multiple regression method. Our results show that, from 1982 to 2015 as a whole, NDVI showed an insignificant increasing trend, and SPEI had a significant mutation in 1998 and showed an insignificant increasing trend before and after 1998. Before 1998, the cumulative months were shorter (1–3 months) in the central steppe and agricultural vegetation zones, and the lagged months were longer (10–12 months) in the southeastern steppe and northeastern forest zones; after 1998, the cumulative months of NDVI increased (7–12 months) and the lag months decreased (3–8 months) in most vegetation zones. A comparison of the contribution of drought accumulation and lag to NDVI revealed that the main driver of NDVI has shifted from lagged to cumulative effect.
Linking ecological processes and animal movements to inform timing of long‐term surveys of a migratory game bird
Authors: Bunting Daniel P. , Boggie Matthew A. , Collins Daniel P. , Thorpe Philip P. , Donnelly J. Patrick
Published: December 2022

Managers typically estimate wildlife abundance using surveys within a timeframe that favors increased detectability; however, the ability to account for probabilities of inclusion, detection, and/or presence within a given sampling area is often limited. Cranes provide a good opportunity to research count accuracy because they are large, conspicuous, and often congregate during part of the year, typically on staging areas (i.e., fall and spring) or on wintering grounds. The objectives of this paper are twofold: (1) to evaluate how environmental factors influence crane movement in and out of crane survey areas to identify the best window of availability for annual survey counts; and (2) to evaluate environmental factors that influence overall crane survey counts from year to year. For Objective 1, a generalized linear mixed model was selected to model the probability of crane presence within survey areas using GPS transmitter data. A binary response variable representing crane movement within and outside formal survey areas was used as the dependent variable to investigate environmental covariates that influence movement into survey areas. Probability of crane presence was explained by seven covariates plus a quadratic term for Julian day number. Interactions between Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) and normalized difference vegetation index supported higher probability of crane presence in survey areas during times of drought. Probability of crane presence increased throughout the entire study period (May–October), suggesting that formal surveys in September could be augmented or replaced by surveys in October. For Objective 2, a negative binomial model with linear parameterization was selected to model crane counts using census data compiled from 1995 to 2019. Covariates were acquired at the watershed scale using Hydrologic Unit Code 6 boundaries. Of the 17 covariates investigated, we found that 18‐month precipitation (PPTgss), PDSI, and minimum temperature (Tempmin) explained most of the variability in crane census counts. High PPTgss (antecedent moisture), low PDSI (drought conditions), and low Tempmin (cold extremes) result in higher annual crane counts. The ability to link ecological processes to wildlife movement and population abundance both locally and at landscape scales has long‐ranging implications on resource projections, conservation, and the ability to deploy adaptive management.
The value of synchrotron radiation X‐ray techniques to explore microscale chemistry for ecology and evolution research
Authors: Dinsley James M. , Davies Helena S. , Gomez‐Gonzalez Miguel A. , Robinson Clare H. , Pittman Jon K.
Published: December 2022

Synchrotron radiation (SR) techniques, which use high‐energy photon beams to create high‐resolution images and spectra of a sample, are valuable analytical methods that have long benefited physical, geological, and biochemical research. Recent developments in synchrotron infrastructure have allowed SR techniques to become a more accessible resource for studying ecological and evolutionary phenomena at the micro‐ or nanoscale. Here we provide a synthesis to SR techniques, how they compare with other analytical techniques, how they have been used, and then discuss how this technology has significant potential for future applications within ecology and evolution research. A literature review demonstrates the growing use of SR techniques within environmental and ecological research communities, alongside the variety of organisms and target elements that have been prioritized since 2000. Clear gaps still exist within the imaging of lighter, biologically relevant elements (e.g., C, N, and P) for assessing their cycling within organisms, and also in the study of a wider range of microbial, vertebrate, and invertebrate species. While different organism types and target elements may require different sample preparation strategies, the selection of an appropriate elemental fixation method (chemical or cryogenic), embedding material, sample thickness, and mounting material is particularly important. We demonstrate the opportunities that SR techniques present to those in the fields of environmental biology, ecology, and evolutionary science who may be unfamiliar, while demystifying the caveats and sample preparation considerations that must be addressed to acquire high‐quality data. While these techniques are currently mainly employed within the context of environmental pollution and ecotoxicology studies, we argue that elemental imaging, X‐ray microscopy and spectroscopic analysis have a huge, largely untapped potential within agri‐ecology, paleoclimatology, and comparative and functional morphology studies.
Organophosphites: An Addition to the Arsenal of Organocatalysts
Authors: Baral Nilofar , Rani Soniya , Saikia Pinku , Maity Pradip
Published: December 2022

Organophosphites are nucleophilic in nature and can act as a good leaving group owing to the stability of the phosphite anion. This dual reactivity makes them good candidates for nucleophilic organocatalysis. However, phosphites were introduced only in 2004 as the umpolung catalyst for acylsilane substrates utilizing sequential Brook rearrangements. Very recently, phosphites have been reported to catalyze aza‐rearrangements and radical reactions. In this review, we discuss the reactivity parameters to understand its lack of use, as well as the potential for catalysis.
Progress in (Thio)urea‐ and Squaramide‐Based Brønsted Base Catalysts with Multiple H‐Bond Donors
Authors: Vera Silvia , García‐Urricelqui Ane , Mielgo Antonia , Oiarbide Mikel
Published: December 2022

Thiourea‐ and squaramide‐based bifunctional base catalysts represent nowadays a powerful tool in the field of asymmetric catalysis and have demonstrated very efficient for promoting a wide variety of transformations enantioselectively. New versions that incorporate one or various additional H‐bond donor site(s) in the catalyst structure have been developed recently which led to more active (reduced catalyst loadings) and selective catalysts. This review highlights the pioneering ideas and the most recent contributions to the area with the material organized according to the nature of the additional H‐bond donor functionality. The advantages, current limitations and perspectives of these new multifunctional catalysts are discussed.
Combining Matteson Homologations and Claisen Rearrangements – An Efficient Protocol for Amino Acid Synthesis
Authors: Kinsinger Thorsten , Kazmaier Uli
Published: December 2022

The Matteson homologation with vinyl nucleophiles was found to be an efficient and versatile protocol for the synthesis of substituted chiral allyl alcohols in a highly stereoselective fashion. These alcohols can be coupled withN‐protected glycine and subsequently subjected to zinc‐chelated ester‐enolate Claisen rearrangements to yield highly substituted unsaturated amino acids. By varying the nucleophiles used in the Matteson homologations, the method allows control over not only the stereogenic centers but also the side‐chain substitution pattern in the newly formed γ,δ‐unsaturated amino acids.
Development of Novel Pulse Charger for Next‐Generation Batteries
Authors: Yadasu Shyam , Jetti Vatsala Rani , Awaar Vinay Kumar , Gorle Mohan
Published: December 2022

Nowadays, battery‐powered direct current‐characterized loads are employed in domestic, commercial, and industrial applications. However, the current commercial or emerging new battery technologies are suffering from the problem of slow charging and early battery life degradation. This paper proposes a fast pulse charging method, which also prevents battery degradation. The research mainly focuses on the currently emerging aluminum batteries being charged using a pulse technique from the photovoltaic source. The pulse charge circuit is analyzed, simulated, designed, and tested with a rechargeable electrochemical cell as a load. The simulations are performed using MATLAB/Simulink software. The laboratory model is implemented with the Arduino Mega2560 board‐based pulse width modulation technique. The proposed charger circuit is tested with two different charging methods using a pulse technique through continuous conduction mode used to test the Al battery. The results showed a reduction in total charging time, and the battery's overall performance was immensely improved. The charge and discharge studies of the battery have been carried out using a biologic electrochemical station.
A novel piezoelectric energy harvester of noncontact magnetic force for a vehicle suspension system
Authors: Zhao Zhen , Zhang Baifu , Li Yongxin , Bao Chunjiang , Wang Tie
Published: December 2022

The vehicle suspension system is considered to have tremendous potential in energy harvesting and to be applicable for improving the efficiency of energy use of the vehicle. A novel piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) with noncontact magnetic force has the feature of low friction loss and is designed based on the vibration characteristic of the suspension system. The research comprises two main components: the motion conversion component and the energy conversion component. A screw‐nut mechanism that can convert linear vibration between the vehicle body and the wheel into rotational motion is used as the motion conversion component. The energy conversion component is a core component of the PEH; its function is to convert rotational energy into electrical energy through noncontact magnetic force and piezoelectric effect. The magnetic excitation model's credibility and the modeling method's feasibility are verified by experiment and simulation. Through vehicle field tests, the influence of the driving speed, road surface roughness, and cargo state on the harvested power is obtained. Driving on a random road, the maximum of the generated power is 24.28 W, at 60 km/h, under the laden state. Driving on a pulse road, the harvested power is 3346 W, at 30 km/h, under the unladen state. It is indicated that the PEH is a promising and practical option for harvesting energy for the vehicle's suspension system.
Fault tolerance aware workload resource management technique for real‐time workload in heterogeneous computing environment
Authors: Nayagi D Salangai , Sivasankari G G , Ravi Vinayakumar , Venugopal K R , Sankar S.
Published: December 2022

Workload execution is composed by mapping larger tasks onto heterogeneous environments such as cloud platforms for enhancing the efficiency of workload resource management techniques. Execution of scientific workflow on a cloud platform is time‐consuming, expensive, and requires a fault‐tolerance guarantee. The existing methodology has emphasized on minimizing processing time to reduce costs. However, the processing cost can be reduced by minimizing energy consumption. In providing fault‐tolerance while meeting the workload quality of service requirement the task is offloaded to a new physical machine; Hence, this increases energy consumption and thereby increases the cost of workload execution. In addressing the research challenges this paper presents the fault‐tolerant aware (FTA) workload resource management (WRM) technique. First, the FTA‐WRM optimizes processing and communication costs as an energy constraint leveraging the dynamic voltage frequency scaling technique. Then, a task offloading mechanism is modeled as an energy constraint with an application delay requirement for providing fault tolerance into the FTA‐WRM. The experiment outcome shows the FTA‐WRM significantly improves processing and energy efficiency in comparison with the existing workload resource management technique.
Antioxidant activity of nanoencapsulated chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seed extract and its application to manufacture a functional cheese
Authors: Hosseini Farinaz , Motamedzadegan Ali , Raeisi Shahram Naghizadeh , Rahaiee Somayeh
Published: December 2022

The study aimed to produce a functional ricotta cheese with chia seed extract (CSE) nanocapsules. First, the CSE was encapsulated using lecithin and basil seed gum, and its characteristics and antioxidant activity (AA) were evaluated. The free CSE (F‐CSE) and encapsulated CSE (E‐CSE) were then added to ricotta cheese formulation (1.5 and 3.0% w/w). The samples were kept for 15 days in a refrigerator and their physicochemical, sensory properties, AA, and oxidative stability were examined. The particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency of CSE nanocapsules were 59.23 nm, 0.328, −44.47 mV, and 80.06%, respectively. The CSE showed remarkable AA in vitro. The AA of F‐CSE was higher than E‐CSE. The moisture, dry matter, fat, and protein content of cheese samples were in the range of 52.64%–53.31%, 46.69%–47.36%, 19.02%–19.28%, and 16.88%–17.02%, respectively. The color of F‐CSE cheeses was slightly yellower than control; however, they did not have clear color differences. During storage, the acidity, hardness, chewiness, and peroxide value of cheeses increased, while the pH, total phenol content, and AA decreased (p < .05). The addition of CSE reduced the rate of pH and acidity changes during storage and significantly increase the AA and oxidative stability. Initially, F‐CSE cheeses had higher functional activity, but on other storage days, due to the protective effect of coating materials, the functional activity of E‐CSE samples was higher. The CSE, especially E‐CSE, did not have an adverse effect on the sensory properties of cheese. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that it is possible to manufacture a functional cheese using E‐CSE.
COVID‐19 effect on patients with noncommunicable diseases: A narrative review
Authors: Al‐Qudimat Ahmad R. , Al Darwish Mohamed B. , Elaarag Mai , Al‐Zoubi Raed M. , Rejeb Mohamed Amine , Ojha Laxmi K. , Nashwan Abdulqadir J. , Alshunag Timoor , Adawi Karam , Omri Abdelfettah El , Aboumarzouk Omar M. , Yassin Aksam , Al‐Ansari Abdulla A.
Published: December 2022

Background and Aims

On March 11, 2020, the WHO has declared COVID‐19 a global pandemic, affecting our day‐to‐day lives. Physical distancing and lockdown made significant obstacles to populations, particularly healthcare systems. Most healthcare workers were reallocated to COVID‐19 facilities. Noncommunicable disease patients were given low priority and are at a higher risk of severe COVID‐19 infection, which disrupted the treatment and disease management of these patients. This review aimed to assess the effect of COVID‐19 on different types of noncommunicable diseases and the severity it may cause to patients.

Methods

We have conducted a review of the literature on COVID‐19 and noncommunicable diseases from December 2019 until January 2022. The search was done in PubMed and Cochrane for relevant articles using variety of searching terms. Data for study variables were extracted. At the end of the selection process, 46 papers were selected for inclusion in the literature review.

Result

The result from this review found that the COVID‐19 pandemic has affected the efficiency of the patient's treatment indirectly by either delaying or canceling sessions, which solidified the need to rely more on telemedicine, virtual visits, and in‐home visits to improve patient education and minimize the risk of exposure to the patients. The major and most common types of noncommunicable diseases are known to be related to the severe outcomes of COVID‐19 infection. It is strongly recommended to prioritize these patients for vaccinations against COVID‐19 to provide them with the protection that will neutralize the risk imposed by their comorbidities.

Conclusion

We recommend conducting more studies with larger population samples to further understand the role of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in this pandemic. However, this pandemic has also affected the efficiency of NCDs treatment indirectly by delaying or canceling sessions and others.
Spatiotemporal variation of the water and sediment dynamics of the middle Yellow River Basin, China
Authors: Zhang Xiang , She Dongli , Ge Jiamin , Cao Taohong , Xia Yongqiu
Published: December 2022

After decades of comprehensive management, the hydrology and sediment dynamics of the middle Yellow River Basin have changed significantly. However, the comprehensive evaluation of the water and sediment regimes and its potential attribution at the regional scale are limited. In this study, the hydrological characteristics and in‐reach sediment budget in the Coarse Sandy Hilly Catchments (CSHC) region and their potential attribution were investigated by using data from hydrological stations in the mainstream and tributaries and data from soil and water conservation measures (SWCMs) in different river reaches. The results indicated that the runoff and sediment load of the mainstream showed obvious spatial heterogeneity, both of which revealed a very significant decreasing trend from 1956 to 2018 (P < 0.01). The spatial heterogeneity of sediment load along the mainstream was more obvious than that of streamflow, and the Toudaoguai and Fugu stations had the largest difference in sediment transport trends. During the P1 period (1956‑1968), the streamflow of each reach was sufficient, and the riverbeds of the mainstream and channel on both banks were subject to serious scouring. In the P2‑P3 period (1969‑2018), in‐reach water decreased continuously, and the mainstream began to show a process from slight scouring to no scouring and even sediment deposition. Except for climate change being the main factor in streamflow reduction during the P2 period (1969‑1999) at the Fugu and Wubao stations, anthropogenic activities were the primary factors leading to the reduction in streamflow and sediment load in the CSHC region. Under the influence of the same measures, the sediment reduction rate in this region was greater than the runoff reduction rate. Furthermore, the SWCMs in different reaches indicated great diversity in the benefits of water and sediment reduction. Therefore, zoning regulation of the CSHC region should be carried out in the future, and the sustainable development of the regional vegetation ecosystem should be maintained.
Updated total IgE reference intervals in Norwegian adults
Authors: Vinnes Erik Wilhelm , Skarbø Birthe , Wentzel‐Larsen Tore , Sylte Marit S. , Apelseth Torunn Oveland
Published: December 2022

Background

It is important and expected of laboratories to provide updated reference intervals to the clinician. As no recent publications report adult total IgE reference intervals on a Scandinavian population, the aim of our study was therefore to provide an estimate on healthy Norweigian adults.

Methods

A reference interval study was conducted in accordance to CLSI guidelines. Samples were collected from n = 252 presumably healthy adult participants enrolled through the regional blood donation program. Total IgE measurements were performed on the ImmunoCAPTM platform (Thermo Fisher Diagnostics) traceable to the WHO‐reference standard (75/502) for total IgE measurements.

Results

An upper 95% total IgE reference limit was estimated to 302 kU/L (90% CI 177–388 kU/L), and the 97.5% percentile was estimated to 391 kU/L (90% CI 344–560 kU/L). No significant differences were found between participants who self‐reported having an allergic disease and participants who did not self‐report having an allergic disease.

Conclusion

Our results and other recent publications find markedly higher values than adult reference intervals established four decades ago which still remain widely used by clinical laboratories. We therefore recommend total IgE reference intervals should be critically reviewed and updated.
“There's more love between us”: The parental experience of attending Mellow Babies, a targeted, early intervention program for parents and their babies
Authors: Davidson Ciera , Raouna Aigli , Malcolm Ruaridh , Ibrahim Raquib , MacBeth Angus
Published: December 2022

It is recognized that parenthood in the context of psychosocial adversity can have negative implications for infant development. Parenting programs are the first line of intervention to improve outcomes for families; however, evidence for the effectiveness of group‐based, targeted early interventions is still scarce. Preliminary findings indicate Mellow Babies (MB) as a promising group‐based parenting program for families at risk for parenting difficulties. Using thematic analysis, we aimed to understand: (i) the aspects of the intervention that enabled parents to complete the program and (ii) the relational and behavioral changes perceived as valuable for parents and their babies post‐intervention. In total, 68 parents residing in the United Kingdom were interviewed after completing MB (49 mothers and 19 fathers; 88% self‐identified as British). Three themes and six subthemes were generated from the data. Parents identified several intervention components as beneficial, including the facilitators' interpersonal skills and multi‐dimensional, group‐based approach. Participant reflections highlighted three underlying mechanisms that enabled positive change: (i) the sense of community cultivated within the group, (ii) the process of formulating and re‐conceptualizing one's difficulties, and (iii) the opportunity to reshape interpersonal interactions. Findings are discussed within the context of perinatal and infant mental health.
An optical system for noninvasive microscopy of psoriatic mice in vivo
Authors: Lu Yiting , Zhu Yujie , Zhao Xiaohui , Pan Meng , He Hao
Published: December 2022

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease involved with both complex morphological changes of skin and immune processes. The clinical diagnostics and research of psoriasis often require invasive biopsy which lacks their real‐time dynamics in vivo. Here we report a noninvasive microscopic system developed by combining in vivo fluorescent microscopy, optical clearing, and immunolabeling to enable real‐time imaging of immune cells and cytokines in blood flow in psoriatic animal models. The vascular morphology and time‐lapse kinetics of interleukin (IL)‐23, IL‐17, tumor necrosis factor‐α, and CD4+ cells in blood are captured at submicron resolution through the thickening epidermis and opaque scales during the development of psoriasis in vivo. Our data suggest IL‐23 recruits CD4+ cells to release IL‐17 in blood that further leaks out in the psoriatic skin area. This optical system enables noninvasive and real‐time assessment of immune molecules and cells in vivo, providing good potential for medical researches on psoriasis.
Complementary cycles of any length in regular bipartite tournaments
Authors: Bessy Stéphane , Thiebaut Jocelyn
Published: December 2022

Let be a ‐regular bipartite tournament on vertices. We show that, for every with , has a cycle of length such that is Hamiltonian unless is isomorphic to the special digraph . This statement was conjectured by Zhang, Manoussakis and Song. In the same paper, the conjecture was proved for and more recently Bai, Li and He gave a proof for .
Forbidden subgraphs and 2‐factors in 3/2‐tough graphs
Authors: Sanka Masahiro
Published: December 2022

A graph is ‐free if it has no induced subgraph isomorphic to , where is a graph. In this paper, we show that every ‐tough ‐free graph has a 2‐factor. The toughness condition of this result is sharp. Moreover, for any there exists a ‐tough ‐free graph without a 2‐factor. This implies that the graph is best possible for a forbidden subgraph in a sense.
Prevalence of undiagnosed HIV among children in South Africa, Côte d'Ivoire and Zimbabwe: a model‐based analysis to inform paediatric HIV screening programmes
Authors: McCann Nicole C. , Stanic Tijana , Penazzato Martina , Flanagan Clare F. , Abrams Elaine J. , Dugdale Caitlin M. , Johnson Leigh F. , Neilan Anne M. , Davies Mary‐Ann , Freedberg Kenneth A. , Fassinou Patricia , Doherty Meg , Essajee Shaffiq , Mushavi Angela , Soeteman Djøra I. , Ciaranello Andrea L.
Published: December 2022

Introduction

To improve the diagnosis and survival of children living with HIV (CLWH), the World Health Organization recommends testing approaches beyond traditional infant HIV testing programmes. Information about undiagnosed HIV prevalence among children of varying ages in the general population is needed to guide innovative national/subnational case‐finding and testing approaches.

Methods

We used the Cost‐Effectiveness of Preventing AIDS Complications (CEPAC)‐Pediatric model to estimate the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV in 2‐, 5‐ and 10‐year‐old children in South Africa, Côte d'Ivoire and Zimbabwe in 2018. We simulated cohorts of children born in 2008 (10‐year‐olds), 2013 (5‐year‐olds) and 2016 (2‐year‐olds). Country‐/year‐specific inputs for pregnant/breastfeeding women included: HIV prevalence (4.2–32.3%), HIV incidence (0.03–0.24%/month), knowledge of HIV status (27–89%) and antiretroviral drug coverage (36–95%). Paediatric inputs included early infant testing coverage (6–95%) and breastfeeding duration (0–20 months). We projected the proportion of surviving CLWH in whom HIV remained undiagnosed and the undiagnosed HIV prevalence among surviving children of each age in the general population. For children born in 2016, we projected survival and diagnosis of all CLWH through 2026. We conducted sensitivity analyses on model parameters.

Results

In 2018, the projected proportion of surviving CLWH whose HIV remained undiagnosed in South Africa/Côte d'Ivoire/Zimbabwe was 44.2%/55.8%/52.9% among 2‐year‐old CLWH; 29.0%/37.8%/33.2% among 5‐year‐old CLWH; and 18.3%/25.4%/23.1% among 10‐year‐old CLWH. Projected general population undiagnosed HIV prevalence in South Africa/Côte d'Ivoire/Zimbabwe was 0.44%/0.32%/0.68% among 2‐year‐olds; 0.25%/0.17%/0.41% among 5‐year‐olds; and 0.24%/0.14%/0.38% among 10‐year‐olds. Among all CLWH born in 2016, 50–54% were projected to die without HIV diagnosis (and subsequently without treatment) within 10 years after birth; 80–85% of these deaths occurred in the first 2 years.

Conclusions

Projected population‐level undiagnosed HIV prevalence is low and sharply decreases after age 2, with more CLWH dying than being diagnosed. Despite low undiagnosed prevalence in the general population of older children, we project that a large proportion of CLWH remain undiagnosed, suggesting that innovative strategies targeting untested children of all ages outside of health facility settings should be prioritized. Programmes could consider routine testing of the general population of children below 2 in all settings and children of all ages in high‐prevalence settings.
In silico study of SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein RBD and human ACE‐2 affinity dynamics across variants and Omicron subvariants
Authors: Abeywardhana Shamali , Premathilaka Malinda , Bandaranayake Upeka , Perera Deshan , Peiris L. Dinithi C.
Published: December 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 virus outbreak continues worldwide, with many variants emerging, some of which are considered variants of concern (VOCs). The WHO designated Omicron as a VOC and assigned it under variant B.1.1.529. Here, we used computational studies to examine the VOCs, including Omicron subvariants, and one variant of interest.  Here we found that the binding affinity of human receptor angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) and receptor‐binding domain (RBDs) increased in the order of wild type (Wuhan‐strain) < Beta < Alpha < OmicronBA.5 < Gamma < Delta < Omicron BA.2.75 < BA.1 < BA.3 < BA.2. Interactions between docked complexes revealed that the RBD residue positions like 452, 478, 493, 498, 501, and 505 are crucial in creating strong interactions with hACE2. Omicron BA.2 shows the highest binding capacity to the hACE2 receptor among all the mutant complexes. The BA.5's L452R, F486V, and T478K mutation significantly impact the interaction network in the BA.5 RBD‐hACE2 interface. Here for the first time, we report the His505, an active residue on the RBD forming a salt bridge in the BA.2, leading to increased mutation stability. When the active RBD residues are mutated, binding affinity and intermolecular interactions increase across all mutant complexes. By examining the differences in different variants, this study may provide a solid foundation for structure‐based drug design for newly emerging variants.
Lime requirement for agricultural soils: A review of the current and potential methods for routine use
Authors: Nguyen Tho
Published: December 2022

Liming is one of the key agronomic practices to improve crop yields in acid soils because, among other things, it reduces aluminum toxicity and creates favorable conditions for crop growth. For an effective liming program, the methods to determine lime requirement should be as precise as possible. This paper reviews the existing lime requirement methods and discusses the potential of a new one suitable for routine use in the laboratory to test most agricultural soils. The most widely used lime requirement methods can be categorized into four groups: titration, incubation, buffer, and field methods. Other methods such as spectroscopy method or the use of empirical equations have also been adopted. Although some methods are highly reliable, they are not optimal for routine use because they are inconvenient during the laboratory procedures or cannot be validated for all conditions. Based on the linearity between soil pH and the added base in the pH range from 4.5–6.5 in most agricultural soils, a titration‐based method on 1:1 soil:0.01 M CaCl2 slurry of a single sample appears to be a promising candidate for routine use. In further studies, this generally applicable method should be evaluated to provide a better comparison to established methods for lime requirement determination.
Effective burn‐in reduction of organic light‐emitting diode display using perceptual color difference between logo and background
Authors: Kim Chang‐Jae , Seok In‐Hoo , Lee Ji Won , Kim Moon‐Cheol
Published: December 2022

The paper proposes a method to delay the burn‐in effect of an organic light‐emitting diode (OLED) display. Usually, the burn‐in occurs in broadcasting company logo regions. In previous studies, logos were compensated by reducing the logo luminance by a specific ratio. This paper proposes a novel logo‐compensation method regarding the perceptual color difference between a logo and background areas. The proposed method has the advantage of being less affected by changes in the surrounding area than the existing compensation method, minimizing the deterioration of the recognition of the logo, and delaying the burn‐in as much as possible.
ZNF655 mediated by LINC01210/miR‐124‐3p axis promotes the progression of gastric cancer
Authors: Bo Wei , Wang Xu‐Guang , Zhang Min , Zhang Zhong
Published: December 2022

Gastric cancer (GC) is a common malignant tumor that usually originates from the epithelium of the gastric mucosa. ZNF655 was a suppressor gene of many cancers. However, the mechanism of ZNF655 in GC remains unknown. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to assess the expression of ZNF655, LINC01210, and miR‐124‐3p. Western blotting was used to monitor ZNF655 protein expression. MTT, clone formation, transwell, and flow cytometry were all used to investigate the functions of GC cells. The interactions between ZNF655, LINC01210, and miR‐124‐3p were confirmed using the dual‐luciferase reporter gene assay and the RIP assay. ZNF655 was highly expressed in GC cells. ZNF655 knockdown reduced GC cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, and induced apoptosis. The level of miR‐124‐3p was significantly reduced in GC cells. Besides, miR‐124‐3p targeted ZNF655 and inhibited its expression. MiR‐124‐3p mimics inhibited GC cell progression, but ZNF655 overexpression reversed these effects. Moreover, LINC01210 was found to be highly expressed in GC cells and to be able to sponge miR‐124‐3p. Furthermore, inhibiting miR‐124‐3p or increasing ZNF655 could counteract the effects of LINC01210 knockdown on GC cell development. Finally, ZNF655 promoted GC cell progression and was regulated by the LINC01210/miR‐124‐3p axis.
Generalized Killing Ricci tensor for real hypersurfaces in the complex quadric
Authors: Suh Young Jin
Published: December 2022

First we introduce a new notion of generalized Killing Ricci tensor which is equivalent to the notion of cyclic parallel Ricci tensor for real hypersurfaces in the complex quadric . Next, in terms of ‐principal or ‐isotropic unit normal vector fields we give a complete classification of real hypersurfaces in with cyclic parallel Ricci tensor.
Polyacrylonitrile‐based electrospun nanofibers – A critical review
Authors: Aslam M. , Khan T. , Basit M. , Masood R. , Raza Z.A.
Published: December 2022

This review is based on the fundamental aspects and applications of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)‐based electrospun composite nanofibers. Various electrospinning techniques have been discussed here. polyacrylonitrile is an acrylic polymer of commercial significance that has superior thermal, mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. The integration of polyacrylonitrile nanofibers with nanoparticles including carbon nanotubes, graphene nanosheets, graphene oxide, metal oxides, and their combinations has greatly improved the physicochemical properties of the polyacrylonitrile electrospun nanofibers. The enhanced features of polyacrylonitrile nanofibers have resulted from interfacial bonding of nitrile groups with the nanofiller used, chemical compositions, hydrophobicity, porosity, and wettability of these nanofibers. This article fundamentally features a few key possibilities of polyacrylonitrile‐based electrospun composite nanofibers and their applications. A special focus has been made on polyacrylonitrile‐based inorganic nanoparticles, graphene nanosheets, graphene oxide, and carbon nanotubes embedded electrospun nanofibers, for their potential applications in supercapacitors, high power batteries, filtration membranes, electromagnetic interference shielding, and strain sensors. Achieving low cost, high selectivity, excellent recyclability, and high absorption capability are the major challenges for electrospun nanofiber fabrications. These electrospun nanofibers require extensive research in the future to advance the technologies to bring them to the commercial market.
Machine learning based multi‐label classification of single or mixed‐composition urinary stones in in vivo spectral CT
Authors: Li Xian , Tang Peng , Liang Fangrong , Wang Linjing , Huang Xiaoyan , Li Jieer , Zhen Xin
Published: December 2022

Background

Urinary stones comprise both single and mixed compositions. Knowledge of the stone composition helps the urologists choose appropriate medical interventions for patients. The parameters from the spectral computerized tomography (CT) analysis have potential values for identification of the urinary stone compositions.

Purpose

The present study aims to identify the compositions of urinary stones in vivo using parameters from spectral CT and machine learning, based on multi‐label classification modeling.

Methods

This retrospective study collected 252 urinary stone samples with single/mixed compositions (including carbapatite [CP], calcium oxalate monohydrate [COM], calcium oxalate dehydrate [COD], uric acid [UA], and struvite [STR]), which were confirmed by ex vivo infrared spectroscopy. Parameters were extracted from an energy spectrum analysis (ESA) of the spectral CT, including the effective atomic number (Zeff), Zeff histogram, CT values at a given x‐ray energy level, and material densities. These ESA parameters were utilized for composition analysis via a multi‐label classification fusion framework, where 250 multi‐label models were built and the classification decisions from the top performance models were integrated by a multi‐criterion weighted fusion (MCWF) approach in order to reach a consensus prediction. An example‐based metric and label‐based metric were used for global and label‐wise accuracy evaluations, respectively. The top‐ranked parameters associated with discriminating the stone composition were also identified.

Results

The multi‐label classification fusion framework achieved an overall of 81.2%, with of 86.7% (CP), 90.6% (COM), 80.6% (COD), 95.0% (UA), and 94.4% (STR) for each composition on the independent testing cohort 1, and of 76.4% with of 80.5% (CP), 88.7% (COM), 74.9% (COD), 94.4% (UA), and 98.5% (STR) on the independent testing cohort 2.

Conclusion

The parameters extracted from the ESA on spectral CT can be utilized to characterize single or mixed stone compositions via multi‐label classification modeling. The generalization capability of the proposed methodology still requires further verification.
Bounding surface rotational hardening model for overconsolidated clay accounting for evolving fabric anisotropy
Authors: Yu Yang , Yang Zhongxuan
Published: December 2022

Soil is inherently anisotropic owing to the sedimentation process under gravity and is generally under anisotropic stress state in the field. To reflect the influence of anisotropic consolidation, rotational hardening (RH) is favorably used in constitutive models, mimicking in‐situ stress conditions. However, most of the existing models do not account for the inherent anisotropy of clays under isotropic stress state as well as the interplay between the fabric and loading direction, and the corresponding initial yield surface is assumed to be oriented along the hydrostatic axis. Furthermore, as the rotational angle is usually deemed as the clayed soil's anisotropy measure, a critical yield surface without rotation appears to contradict the highly anisotropic fabric at critical state. In this study, an anisotropic bounding surface model that incorporates RH and fabric anisotropy is formulated to simulate the behavior of overconsolidated (OC) clay subject to different consolidation histories, while addressing the aforementioned inconsistency issue. During the loading process, both fabric anisotropy and rotational angle evolve continuously based on their respective evolution rules. Fabric anisotropy evolves to the critical state when the rotational angle returns to zero, satisfying the anisotropic critical state theory (ACST). In addition, the model employs an anisotropic elasticity to consider the influence of the initial fabric at a low‐stress level. The predictive capacity of the model can be demonstrated by simulating several compression and extension tests on clay over a wide range of overconsolidation ratios (OCRs) and anisotropic consolidation stress ratios under both drained and undrained conditions.
Online social network fundraising: Threats and potentialities
Authors: Wymer Walter , Čačija Ljiljana Najev
Published: December 2022

There has been a growth in online fundraising from crowdfunding apps, like GoFundMe, that propagate fundraising appeals on social networking sites. In the online space, these crowdfunding apps pose a potential threat to the traditional intermediation role of charities. The disintermediation threat is that donors choose crowdfunding intermediaries instead of charities to channel their giving. In this article, we discuss what makes crowdsourced fundraising effective and how charities can adapt to this new dynamic for more effective online fundraising emphasizing two key success factors: brand strength/reputation and managing the donor experience. In addition, we explain the advantages and disadvantages of social media fundraising and giving and propose ways charities can leverage their good reputations and public trust to stimulate reintermediation. Finally, we propose a landscape for future research based on model that emphases the fundraising campaign's ability to stimulate viral sharing within and between online social networks.