bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ensuring Accurate Knowledge of Prematurity Outcomes for Prenatal Counseling
Authors: Blanco Fermin , Suresh Gautham , Howard Diantha , Soll Roger F.
Published: April 2005

Objectives. To determine the accuracy of knowledge of different health care providers regarding survival and long-term morbidity rates for very premature infants and to examine whether a focused educational intervention improves the accuracy of this knowledge and influences health care decisions.

Methods. Using hypothetical case scenarios with infants at ≤28 weeks of gestation, we surveyed a variety of caregivers involved in perinatal communication and decision-making processes at a tertiary center that provides intensive care for neonates. We asked physicians from the pediatrics and obstetrics services and nurses and nurse practitioners from the NICU and obstetrics ward for their best estimates of survival and major long-term disability rates and for their opinions regarding the appropriateness of resuscitation and life support at each week of gestation of <29 weeks. After the survey, we educated all providers about current data on survival and long-term disability rates for preterm infants and gave them pocket-sized cards summarizing this information for reference during prenatal counseling. One month after the educational intervention and complete dissemination of the cards, a questionnaire with questions identical to those in the first survey was mailed to the same individuals.

Results. Fifty-one health care providers were involved in the baseline survey. The response rates for the postintervention survey were 100% for physicians (20 of 20 subjects) and nurses (20 of 20 subjects) and 91% (10 of 11 subjects) for the nurse practitioners. In the baseline survey, statistically significant underestimates of survival rates were seen for physicians and nurses at 23 to 28 weeks of gestation and for nurse practitioners at 23 to 27 weeks of gestation. Statistically significant overestimates of disability rates were seen for physicians and nurse practitioners at ≤26 weeks of gestation and for nurses at ≤28 weeks of gestation. After the intervention, respondents demonstrated significant improvements in the accuracy of survival and disability estimates at many, but not all, gestational ages. Although underestimation of survival rates and overestimation of disability rates decreased after the intervention, it persisted to some degree. After the intervention, a larger proportion of physicians (53% vs 21%) and a smaller proportion of nurses (10% vs 37%) were likely to recommend resuscitation for infants born at 23 weeks of gestation.

Conclusions. Physicians, nurses, and nurse practitioners underestimated survival rates and overestimated long-term disability rates for very premature infants. After education, their estimates of survival and long-term disability rates for these infants improved significantly. More accurate estimates of survival and disability rates affected physicians' and nurses' theoretical decision-making regarding the appropriateness of resuscitation at 23 weeks of gestation.
Delayed Diagnosis of Kawasaki Syndrome: An Analysis of the Problem
Authors: Anderson Marsha S. , Todd James K. , Glodé Mary P.
Published: April 2005

Objective. Most pediatric providers in Colorado are familiar with Kawasaki syndrome (KS). However, in a recent outbreak, 30% of cases were diagnosed after illness day 10. We hypothesized that these children saw providers who were not familiar with KS, were given antibiotics for other diagnoses that delayed identification, had access-to-care issues, or presented atypically.

Methods. A retrospective chart review of 106 consecutive KS cases seen at the Children's Hospital in Denver during 1994–2000 was conducted.

Results. Twenty-five of 106 children (23.6%) were diagnosed after day 10 of illness (delayed-diagnosis group [DDG]), and these 25 cases were compared with 81 cases diagnosed on or before day 10 (early-diagnosis group [EDG]). There were no differences between patients in the DDG and EDG in age, gender, number of visits, specialty of the primary care physician, time to the first medical visit, number of antibiotics received, coronary artery abnormalities, white blood cell count, or erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Patients in the DDG had significantly more days of fever, rash, red eyes, and oral changes. A platelet count of >450000/mm3 occurred more often in the DDG (56%) than the EDG (30%). After additional analysis, patients in the EDG had close clustering of symptom onset in the first few days of illness, but patients in the DDG had onset of symptoms scattered over 9 days. Patients in the DDG were 2.8 times more likely to have coronary artery aneurysms than patients in the EDG (DDG: 24%; EDG: 8.6%).

Conclusions. Diagnosis after the 10th day of illness was not linked to type of medical provider, number of antibiotics received, or number of physician visits. Patients in the DDG exhibited the typical features of KS, but the onset of their symptoms was dispersed over time as opposed to the close clustering of symptoms in the EDG. Because coronary artery aneurysms occurred significantly more often in the patients in the DDG, more education is needed to teach health care providers to have a high index of suspicion for KS in young children presenting with fever/rash illnesses.
Oral Versus Vaginal Sex Among Adolescents: Perceptions, Attitudes, and Behavior
Authors: Halpern-Felsher Bonnie L. , Cornell Jodi L. , Kropp Rhonda Y. , Tschann Jeanne M.
Published: April 2005

Objective. Despite studies indicating that a significant proportion of adolescents are having oral sex, the focus of most empirical studies and intervention efforts concerning adolescent sexuality have focused on vaginal intercourse. This narrow focus has created a void in our understanding of adolescents' perceptions of oral sex. This study is the first to investigate adolescents' perceptions of the health, social, and emotional consequences associated with having oral sex as compared with vaginal sex, as well as whether adolescents view oral sex as more acceptable and more prevalent than vaginal sex.

Methods. Participants were 580 ethnically diverse ninth-grade adolescents (mean age: 14.54; 58% female) who participated in a longitudinal study on the relationship between risk and benefit perceptions and sexual activity. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire that inquired about their sexual experiences and percent chance of experiencing outcomes from, attitudes toward, and perceived prevalence of oral versus vaginal sex among adolescents.

Results. More study participants reported having had oral sex (19.6%) than vaginal sex (13.5%), and more participants intended to have oral sex in the next 6 months (31.5%) than vaginal sex (26.3%). Adolescents evaluated oral sex as significantly less risky than vaginal sex on health, social, and emotional consequences. Adolescents also believed that oral sex is more acceptable than vaginal sex for adolescents their own age in both dating and nondating situations, oral sex is less of a threat to their values and beliefs, and more of their peers will have oral sex than vaginal sex in the near future.

Conclusions. Given that adolescents perceive oral sex as less risky, more prevalent, and more acceptable than vaginal sex, it stands to reason that adolescents are more likely to engage in oral sex. It is important that health care providers and others who work with youths recognize adolescents' views about oral sex and broaden their clinical preventive services to include screening, counseling, and education about oral sex.
Making Ends Meet
Authors: Griffin Tessa C.
Published: February 2024

In this narrative medicine essay, a second-year medical student describes how slipping into poverty starting with her father’s myocardial infarction has cast a long shadow that persists even in medical school.
Bilateral Blurry Vision After a Liver Transplant
Authors: Cai Wenjia , Chen Xin , Ding Xiaohu
Published: February 2024

A 31-year-old woman presented for evaluation of bilateral blurry vision over the past month. She experienced fulminant hepatic failure 3 months ago and underwent a liver transplant 2 weeks later. Postoperative pathological results showed hepatolenticular degeneration. What would you do next?
Causes and Ways of Death in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: van den Besselaar Boyd N. , Sewnaik Aniel , Hoesseini Arta , Dorr Maarten C. , Baatenburg de Jong Robert. J , Offerman Marinella P. J.
Published: February 2024

Importance

There is limited literature on the exact causes and ways of death in patients with head and neck cancer. To provide optimal care, especially in the palliative phase, more information on this is needed.

Objective

To provide insights into the causes and ways of death among patients with head and neck cancer.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective cohort study included a consecutive population of patients who received a diagnosis of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck between January 2006 and December 2013 who were treated in the Erasmus MC. Patient data were merged with nonpublic microdata from Statistics Netherlands. Follow-up time was specified as the date of diagnosis until death or December 3, 2019, whichever came first. The data were checked and reanalyzed in November 2023.

Main outcomes and Measures

Causes (eg, head and neck cancer, other cancer) and ways (eg, natural death, suicide) of death.

Results

A total of 1291 patients (59.2%; 342 women [26.5%]) died during follow-up (median [IQR] follow-up, 2.7 [1.2-5.6] years). The main cause of death was head and neck cancer (557 [43.1%]), followed by the competing cause of other cancers (344 [26.6%]). In total, 240 patients (18.6%) received palliative sedation and 70 patients (5.4%) euthanasia. Compared with patients with head and neck cancer as the underlying cause of death, lower odds ratios (ORs) were observed for receiving palliative sedation (OR, 0.32 vs 0.07; 95% CI, 0.22-0.46 vs 0.03-0.12) and euthanasia (OR, 0.22 vs 0.01; 95% CI, 0.11-0.41 vs 0-0.107) in patients with other causes of death. Patients with a middle and high income had higher ORs for receiving palliative sedation (OR, 1.46 vs 1.86; 95% CI, 1.05-2.04 vs 1.22-2.85) or euthanasia (OR, 2.25 vs 3.37; 95% CI, 1.18-4.3, 1.6-7.12) compared with low-income patients. Retired patients had lower ORs for receiving palliative sedation or euthanasia compared with employed patients (OR, 0.56 vs 0.44; 95% CI, 0.39-0.8 vs 0.24-0.82).

Conclusion and Relevance

The results of this cohort study suggest that more than half of the patients died of competing causes and palliative sedation and euthanasia were more common in patients with head and neck cancer as the underlying cause of death. Patients with a higher socioeconomic status had higher odds of receiving palliative sedation and euthanasia. These insights may support health care professionals in providing patient-centered care, especially for patients in the palliative phase.
CIDE proteins and their regulatory mechanisms in lipid droplet fusion and growth
Authors: Xu Li , Li Lizhen , Wu Lingzhi , Li Peng , Chen Feng‐Jung
Published: February 2024

The cell death‐inducing DFF45‐like effector (CIDE) proteins, including Cidea, Cideb, and Cidec/Fsp27, regulate various aspects of lipid homeostasis, including lipid storage, lipolysis, and lipid secretion. This review focuses on the physiological roles of CIDE proteins based on studies on knockout mouse models and human patients bearing CIDE mutations. The primary cellular function of CIDE proteins is to localize to lipid droplets (LDs) and to control LD fusion and growth across different cell types. We propose a four‐step process of LD fusion, characterized by (a) the recruitment of CIDE proteins to the LD surface and CIDE movement, (b) the enrichment and condensate formation of CIDE proteins to form LD fusion plates at LD–LD contact sites, (c) lipid transfer through lipid‐permeable passageways within the fusion plates, and (d) the completion of LD fusion. Lastly, we outline CIDE‐interacting proteins as regulatory factors, as well as their contribution in LD fusion.
Athena – The NSF AI Institute for Edge Computing
Authors: Chen Yiran , Banerjee Suman , Daily Shaundra , Krolik Jeffery , Li Hai (Helen) , Limbrick Daniel , Pajic Miroslav , Runton Rajashi , Zhong Lin
Published: February 2024

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute for Edge Computing Leveraging Next Generation Networks (Athena) seeks to foment a transformation in modern edge computing by advancing AI foundations, computing paradigms, networked computing systems, and edge services and applications from a completely new computing perspective. Led by Duke University, Athena leverages revolutionary developments in computer systems, machine learning, networked computing systems, cyber‐physical systems, and sensing. Members of Athena form a multidisciplinary team from eight universities. Athena organizes its research activities under four interrelated thrusts supporting edge computing: Foundational AI, Computer Systems, Networked Computing Systems, and Services and Applications, which constitute an ambitious and comprehensive research agenda. The research tasks of Athena will focus on developing AI‐driven next‐generation technologies for edge computing and new algorithmic and practical foundations of AI and evaluating the research outcomes through a combination of analytical, experimental, and empirical instruments, especially with target use‐inspired research. The researchers of Athena demonstrate a cohesive effort by synergistically integrating the research outcomes from the four thrusts into three pillars: Edge Computing AI Systems, Collaborative Extended Reality (XR), and Situational Awareness and Autonomy. Athena is committed to a robust and comprehensive suite of educational and workforce development endeavors alongside its domestic and international collaboration and knowledge transfer efforts with external stakeholders that include both industry and community partnerships.
Nano‐Confined Electrolyte for Sustainable Sodium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Fan Yanpeng , Chang Zhi , Wu Zhonghan , Feng Yang , Du Xiaomeng , Che Meihong , Tian Jing , Xie Wei , Zhang Kai
Published: February 2024

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are considered as a promising candidate for large‐scale electrochemical energy storage devices due to their low cost, abundant upstream resources, and compatible manufacturing processes with lithium‐ion batteries. However, the highly active free solvent molecules in the liquid electrolyte trigger continuous interfacial side reactions between electrodes and electrolyte, which degrades the cycling performance of SIBs. Herein, a Cu‐based metal‐organic framework (MOF) with a uniform nanoporous channel of 1.1 nm is exploited to confine the electrolyte. Benefiting from the highly‐aggregated solvation configuration, the MOF‐confined electrolyte possesses superior chemical/electrochemical and thermal stability, which guarantees its interface compatibility and flame retardancy. As a result, the batteries with the nano‐confined electrolyte and Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode show an ultra‐long lifetime of 3000 cycles with 93% capacity retention and decent high‐temperature performance (600 cycles with 90% capacity retention). This work presents a viable method for fabricating sustainable SIBs and also provides guidance for solving the side reactions between electrolytes and electrodes in electrochemical energy storage systems.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Spheroids Induced by Supramolecular Nanofibers for Diabetic Wound Healing
Authors: Zhang Yanwen , Ai Sifan , Yu Zeming , Wang Lanxing , Tao Hui , Wang Bing , Kong Deling , Yang Zhimou , Wang Yuebing
Published: February 2024

Diabetic wounds, which are a serious complication of diabetes, are a threat to most diabetic patients and there is a lack of satisfactory therapeutic strategies. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) spheroids are under intensive investigation and have emerged as a particularly promising clinical therapy to induce wound healing; however, clinical applications of MSC spheroids have lagged because of the difficulties related to proper preparation, in situ instruction and insufficient efficacy. Herein, a novel Biotin‐DFYIGSR supramolecular hydrogel is designed for three‐dimensional (3D) culture of MSCs, which enables monodispersed MSCs to form cell spheroids with high efficacy and is fairly suitable for quick spheroid harvest. MSC spheroids are demonstrated with enhanced paracrine function, which exhibited increased cell survival and promoted three overlapping stages of wound healing through the integrin α2β1 subunits. These spheroids not only accelerated the wound transition from the inflammatory phase to proliferation phase by inhibiting neutrophils and inducing M2 macrophage transition, but also promoted cell proliferation and neovascularization at wound sites to motivate skin regeneration. Ultimately, MSC spheroids achieved re‐epithelialization and collagen deposition for desirable wound closure. MSC spheroids induced by Biotin‐DFYIGSR are a facile solution for the safe and efficient treatment of diabetic wounds, with great potential for clinical application.
Engineering Anisotropic Cell Models: Development of Collagen Hydrogel Scaffolds with Magneto‐Responsive PEG Microgels for Tissue Engineering Applications
Authors: Castro Ana L. , Vedaraman Sitara , Haraszti Tamás , Barbosa Mário A. , Gonçalves Raquel M. , De Laporte Laura
Published: February 2024

Mimicking tissue‐oriented organization in vitro has been extensively studied in recent years, using both natural and synthetic materials in combination with external magnetic fields to establish anisotropic conditions. Here, a new combination between magneto‐responsive anisometric PEG microgels and collagen hydrogels is explored to establish anisotropic in vitro models. Different sizes of PEG microgels are tested to assess the impact of both width and aspect ratio on the formation and alignment of collagen hydrogels. Results show that the key properties of collagen hydrogels, regarding fibrillogenesis, rheological properties, and fiber diameter are kept consistent upon the combination with PEG microgels. Furthermore, partial collagen fiber alignment is observed when larger (width 10 µm) PEG microgels are employed and magnetically aligned. In vitro studies show cell alignment within the anisotropic collagen hydrogels from the first day in culture. Interestingly, PEG microgels with higher width and length tend to induce less hydrogel contraction even after 7 days in culture. The results demonstrate the ability to establish a 3D unidirectional collagen hydrogel by magnetically aligning anisometric microgels during the gelation process, which can be promising for different tissue engineering applications.
Controllable and Scaffold‐Free Formation of 3D Multicellular Architectures Using a Bipolar Electrode Array
Authors: Wu Yupan , Zhang Haohao , Yue Yuanbo , Wang Shaoxi , Meng Yingqi
Published: February 2024

The natural environment of cells in vivo is a 3D network in which cellular responses are determined by influences from surrounding cells on all sides. This complex system is hard to be recapitulated in a conventional way. It is highly desirable to replace 2D models with 3D cell culture models. Microfluidic technology offers a variety of advantageous approaches for the long‐term 3D cell culture. Herein, a new cell patterning approach for generating cell clusters of specified size and shape by exploiting induced charge electroosmosis (ICEO) flow at a bipolar electrode array is exploited. Cell or particle clusters can be produced at the edges or centers of bipolar electrodes (BPEs) with controlled organization, by designing electrodes with arbitrary shapes. This platform is further extended to flexibly organize biological units with different properties via the ICEO or dielectrophoresis (DEP) based assembly. Heterotypic cell clusters can be produced at the bipolar electrode (BPE) by adjusting the applied frequencies and the sample injection sequence. This hybrid approach by integrating ICEO flow vortexes and DEP properties of the cells, allows the wireless generation of high‐throughput 3D clusters or spheroids with size adjustability and biocompatibility, which shows great potential in tissue engineering, drug discovery, and tumor research.
Physically‐Deposited Hole Transporters in Perovskite PV: NiOx Improved with Li/Mg Doping
Authors: Akalin Salih Alper , Erol Mustafa , Uzunbayir Begum , Oguzlar Sibel , Yildirim Serdar , Gokdemir Choi Fatma Pinar , Gunes Serap , Yilmazer Menda Ugur Deneb , Mendes Manuel J.
Published: February 2024

Nickel oxide (NiOx) has received a lot of attention as an inorganic hole transport material (HTM) in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) during the last decade, owing to its high hole mobility, chemical stability, good optical transparency, and suitable energy levels that align with the valance band of the perovskite absorber methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3). This study explores Li and Mg co‐doped NiOx thin films physically‐deposited from developed sputtering targets obtained through cold isostatic pressing and sintering. After sputtering, the structural, elemental, morphological, optical, and electrical properties of the layers are investigated by XRD, XPS, SEM, AFM, UV–vis spectrophotometer, and Hall‐effect; revealing that crystalline, homogeneous, and smooth films are obtained. In particular, improvements in mobility and conductivity values are observed with Li and Mg doping, which contribute to enhanced PSC performance when used as an HTM layer in the glass‐indium tin oxide (ITO)/NiOx‐based HTM/MAPbI3/phenyl butryic acid methyl ester (PCBM)/bathocuproine (BCP)/Ag architecture. The champion solar cell achieves PCE of 15.52%. In addition, the average values of all samples are boosted, JSC (from 13.21 to 15.60 mA cm−2) and FF (from 59.32% to 67.7%), relative to pristine HTM, resulting in a pronounced PCE increment of up to 30% with the HTM film sputtered by a single target of co‐doped material.
Incorporating Nanoparticles in Porous Foam Templating for Enhanced Sensitivity of Capacitive Pressure Sensors
Authors: Kurup Lekshmi A. , Arthur Joshua N. , Cole Cameron M. , Suresh Sinduja , Timm Jana , Marschall Roland , Yambem Soniya D.
Published: February 2024

Capacitive pressure sensors based on porous foams have been demonstrated for various biomedical applications (0–10 kPa). Many different methods for fabricating porous foams have been reported. In this work, for the first time, the incorporation of silica nanoparticles are reported into the templating process of porous foams fabricated through a combination of particle and emulsion templating, in order to enhance the formation of smaller microstructures in polydimethylsiloxane foams. The foams are coated with graphene, and pressure sensors developed using these foams showed increased sensitivity, up to 4.08 kPa−1. The incorporation of nanoparticles also improves the linearity of the sensitivity, giving a linear sensitivity for the pressure sensors over a pressure range of 0–6 kPa. Further, these pressure sensors have a low limit of detection of ≈13 Pa. These results indicate that incorporation of suitable nanoparticles in the templating of foams is a promising strategy for developing foam‐based pressure sensors with high and linear sensitivity.
Anti‐HER2 Immunoliposomes: Antitumor Efficacy Attributable to Targeted Delivery of Anthraquinone‐Fused Enediyne
Authors: Feng Xueqiong , Wen Zhongqing , Zhu Xiangcheng , Yan Xiaohui , Duan Yanwen , Huang Yong
Published: February 2024

Although natural products are essential sources of small‐molecule antitumor drugs, some can exert substantial toxicities, limiting their clinical utility. Anthraquinone‐fused enediyne natural products are remarkably potent antitumor drug candidates, and uncialamycin and tiancimycin (TNM) A are under development as antibody‐drug conjugates. Herein, a novel drug delivery system is introduced for TNM A using anti‐human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) immunoliposomes (ILs). Trastuzumab‐coated TNM A‐loaded ILs (HER2‐TNM A‐ILs) is engineered with an average particle size of 182.8 ± 2.1 nm and a zeta potential of 1.75 ± 0.12 mV. Compared with liposomes lacking trastuzumab, HER2‐TNM A‐ILs exhibited selective toxicity against HER2‐positive KPL‐4 and SKBR3 cells. Coumarin‐6, a fluorescent TNM A surrogate, is encapsulated within anti‐HER2 ILs; the resultant ILs have enhanced cellular uptake in KPL‐4 and SKBR3 cells when compared with control liposomes. Furthermore, ILs loaded with more Cy5.5 accumulated in KPL‐4 mouse tumors. A single HER2‐TNM A‐IL dose (0.02 mg kg−1) suppressed the growth of HER2‐positive KPL‐4 mouse tumors without apparent toxicity. This study not only provides a straightforward method for the effective delivery of TNM A against HER2‐positive breast tumors but also underscores the potential of IL‐based drug delivery systems when employing highly potent cytotoxins as payloads.
Managing nitrogen to promote quality and profitability of North Dakota two‐row malting barley
Authors: Goettl Brady , DeSutter Thomas , Bu Honggang , Wick Abbey , Franzen David
Published: February 2024

As the demand and cultivation of two‐row malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) increases in the Northern Great Plains, updated nitrogen (N) recommendations are increasingly necessary. Not only does N play a role in grain yield, but it also impacts grain malting characteristics, including protein and kernel plump. To determine the impacts N rate and availability have on two‐row malting barley, two experimental sites were established in eastern North Dakota during the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons. Treatments consisted of five fertilizer rates from 0 to 180 kg N ha−1 and two malting barley cultivars. Soil samples to be analyzed for nitrate‐N were taken prior to planting and N credit estimates from the previous crop were considered to determine the total known available nitrogen (TKAN) in the soil. It was determined there was a strong relationship between N rate and grain yield along with a strong positive correlation between N rate and grain protein. No significant interactions between N rate and kernel plump were noted. When the relationship between relative grain yield and TKAN was modeled using a best‐fit regression, maximum yield was attained at 210 kg TKAN ha−1 with a grain protein of 128 g kg−1, meeting malting quality requirements. When factoring in grain value and cost of urea fertilizer, the TKAN range needed to produce the crop at the highest profitability was lower than TKAN of maximum yield, ranging from 89 to 190 kg TKAN ha−1.
Process modeling guides operational variables that affect CO2 utilization during the accelerated carbonation of concrete
Authors: Prentice Dale P. , AlShareedah Othman , Sarkar Manas , Arabit Jenny , Mehdipour Iman , Afzal Shaik , Luo Junwei , Abdullah Fahim , Yun Sungil , Christofides Panagiotis D. , Simonetti Dante , Sant Gaurav
Published: February 2024

Accelerated concrete carbonation is an expanding option for decarbonizing construction. Factors such as concrete mixture design and carbonation environment can influence the maximum CO2 utilization that can be achieved during such a process. A carbonation process designed to utilize a water‐saturated dilute CO2 source wherein 2 < CO2 concentration (v/v%) < 16, was modeled in AspenPlus©. A regression model was developed to correlate CO2 uptake, relative humidity (11%–100%), CO2 concentration ([CO2] = 2—16 v/v%), and temperature (T = 11–74°C) conditions within a carbonation reactor. It was determined that [CO2] was the most significant variable as higher concentrations enhanced CO2 transport through the concrete. The energy use intensity per mass of CO2 utilized (kWh/kgCO2) was determined across a range of processing conditions. As a function of the operational conditions, accelerated carbonation provides a net CO2 reduction of up to 28 kgCO2/tonne of concrete; a reduction of up to ~45% compared to typical formulations.
Ad libitum dehydration is associated with poorer performance on a sustained attention task but not other measures of cognitive performance among middle‐to‐older aged community‐dwelling adults: A short‐term longitudinal study
Authors: Rosinger Asher Y. , John Jason D. , Murdock Kyle W.
Published: February 2024

Objective

Hydration status and water intake are critical to physiological health. Despite a popular narrative that dehydration impairs cognitive performance, results are mixed in the literature. Therefore, we tested how hydration status was associated with cognitive performance in an ad libitum state over the course of 3 months.

Methods

Data come from a short‐term longitudinal study among middle‐to‐older aged US adults (n = 78) measured three times (207 observations). All participants were scheduled for 8:00 a.m. visits for the baseline, two‐week, and 3‐month examinations where they completed surveys, neuropsychological tests to measure cognitive performance, anthropometrics, and a blood draw for biomarker analysis. Serum osmolality (Sosm) was measured as a biomarker of hydration status using osmometry. Four cognitive performance tasks were assessed, including inhibition, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and sustained attention.

Results

Panel random effects linear regressions demonstrate that there was an inverse association between dehydration and sustained attention, whereas there were no significant relationships between dehydration and inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. Adults who were dehydrated (defined as Sosm >300 mOsm/kg) performed substantially worse (B = 0.65 z‐score; SE = 0.28; p = .020) on the sustained attention task than those who were not dehydrated adjusting for time fixed effects, age, body mass index, sex, and educational attainment.

Conclusion

This short‐term longitudinal study found that dehydration was only associated with poorer performance on a cognitive performance task that required sustained attention. Maintaining adequate hydration may be increasingly important for middle‐to‐older aged adults to ensure proper cognitive function, particularly as water needs increase in future climatic scenarios.
Microglial Reactivity Correlates with Presynaptic Loss Independent of β‐Amyloid and Tau
Authors: Lan Guoyu , Chen Xuhui , Yang Jie , Sun Pan , Cai Yue , Li Anqi , Zhu Yalin , Liu Zhen , Ma Shaohua , Guo Tengfei ,   for the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: February 2024

Objective

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells‐2 (TREM2) and progranulin (PGRN) are critical regulators of microglia activation and can be detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). However, whether microglial reactivity is detrimental or neuroprotective for Alzheimer disease (AD) is still debatable.

Methods

We identified 663 participants with baseline β‐amyloid (Aβ) positron emission tomography (PET) and CSF biomarker data, including phosphorylated tau181 (p‐Tau181), soluble TREM2 (sTREM2), PGRN, and growth‐associated protein‐43 (GAP‐43). Among them, 254 participants had concurrent longitudinal CSF biomarkers. We used multivariate regression analysis to study the associations of CSF microglial biomarkers with Aβ PET, CSF p‐Tau181, and CSF GAP‐43 cross‐sectionally and longitudinally. A Chinese aging cohort's independent CSF samples (n = 65) were analyzed as a validation.

Results

Higher baseline levels of CSF microglial biomarkers were related to faster rates of CSF sTREM2 increase and CSF PGRN decrease. Elevated CSF p‐Tau181 was associated with higher levels of CSF microglial biomarkers and faster rates of CSF sTREM2 increase and CSF PGRN decrease. In both cohorts, higher Aβ burden was associated with attenuated CSF p‐Tau181 effects on CSF microglial biomarker increases. Independent of Aβ PET and CSF p‐Tau181 pathologies, higher levels of CSF sTREM2 but not CSF PGRN were related to elevated CSF GAP‐43 levels and faster rates of CSF GAP‐43 increase.

Interpretation

These findings suggest that higher Aβ burden may attenuate the p‐Tau‐associated microglial responses, and TREM2‐related microglial reactivity may independently correlate with GAP‐43‐related presynaptic loss. This study highlights the two‐edged role of microglial reactivity in AD and other neurodegenerative diseases. ANN NEUROL 2024;95:917–928
A Microporous Multi‐Cage Metal–Organic Framework for an Effective One‐Step Separation of Branched Alkanes Feeds
Authors: Zhou Lin , Brântuas Pedro , Henrique Adriano , Reinsch Helge , Wahiduzzaman Mohammad , Grenèche Jean‐Marc , Rodrigues Alírio E. , Silva José A. C. , Maurin Guillaume , Serre Christian
Published: February 2024

The improvement of the Total Isomerization Process (TIP) for the production of high‐quality gasoline with the ultimate goal of reaching a Research Octane Number (RON) higher than 92 requires the use of specific sorbents to separate pentane and hexane isomers into classes of linear, mono‐ and di‐branched isomers. Herein we report the design of a new multi‐cage microporous Fe(III)‐MOF (referred to as MIP‐214, MIP stands for materials of the Institute of Porous Materials of Paris) with a flu‐e topology, incorporating an asymmetric heterofunctional ditopic ligand, 4‐pyrazolecarboxylic acid, that exhibits an appropriate microporous structure for a thermodynamic‐controlled separation of hydrocarbon isomers. This MOF produced via a direct, scalable, and mild synthesis route was proven to encompass a unique separation of C5/C6 isomers by classes of low RON over high RON alkanes with a sorption hierarchy: (n‐hexane≫n‐pentane≈2‐methylpentane>3‐methylpentane)low RON≫(2,3‐dimethylbutane≈i‐pentane≈2,2‐dimethylbutane)high RON following the adsorption enthalpy sequence. We reveal for the first time that a single sorbent can efficiently separate such a complex mixture of high RON di‐branched hexane and mono‐branched pentane isomers from their low RON counterparts, which is a major achievement reported so far.
Controllable Double Difluoromethylene Insertions into S−Cu Bonds: (Arylthio)tetrafluoroethylation of Aryl Iodides with TMSCF2Br
Authors: Pan Shitao , Xie Qiqiang , Wang Xiu , Huang Rumin , Lu Yuhao , Ni Chuanfa , Hu Jinbo
Published: February 2024

A new method of constructing “ArSCF2CF2Cu” from ArSCu and TMSCF2Br (TMS=trimethylsilyl) has been developed. The cross‐coupling reactions of the obtained “ArSCF2CF2Cu” with diverse aryl iodides (Ar′I) provide an efficient access to Ar′CF2CF2SAr. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that the “ArSCF2CF2Cu” species were generated through controllable double difluoromethylene insertions into ArS−Cu bonds rather than the 1,2‐addition of ArSCu to tetrafluoroethylene.
Stretchable photochromic hydrous TiO2‐embedded glycerol‐poly(dimethylsiloxane) film for rewritable information storage
Authors: Li Chonghui , Yu Liyun , Zhao Weizhen , Madsen Frederikke Bahrt , Skov Anne Ladegaard
Published: February 2024

Photoreversible, color‐changing films have great potential in various optical applications. In this study, we developed a photochromic film by embedding droplets of metatitanic acid (hydrous TiO2) and glycerol in commercially available poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) silicone elastomers. Benefiting from the electron–hole pair scavenging abilities of glycerol, the resulting film exhibited rapid photoresponse, high photoreversible stability, excellent antiaging capability, and remarkable stretchability. The degree of color changes upon ultraviolet (UV) irradiation was effectively controlled by adjusting both the concentration of hydrous TiO2 (1–20 wt%) and UV irradiation time (5–30 min), thereby increasing total color‐changing ability (ΔE). High‐resolution patterns could be repetitively printed, erased, and rewritten (≥20 times) with no significant loss of clarity. After a 30‐day exposure to ambient air, there were no significant aging effects in the photochromic ability of the films, thus demonstrating promising potential as rewritable films for information storage.
For perpetuating social media collective memory proactively and inclusively: Explore the interests and tensions of stakeholders in preservation actions
Authors: Liu Hui , Zhang Dong Rong , Zhou Qing Shan , Li Bin
Published: February 2024

Going beyond the limitations of technology, time, and platform lifecycles, achieving long‐term preservation of social media collective memory is an important issue. As a social action involving multiple stakeholders, social media preservation faces a complex problem space. Taking China as an example, this study revealed, from the perspective of stakeholders, the underlying logic of cultural, ethical, legal, and other issues that social media preservation encounters, namely, the tension arising from differences in stakeholders' interests and power inequalities. We specifically investigated and analyzed five categories of stakeholders and revealed six tensions among them in the power/interest matrix. In the final discussion, we analyzed what proactive and inclusive preservation actions should be. Our research not only contributes to the development of theories for social media preservation in information science but also provides clues for state regulators and memory institutions to make responsible and inclusive decisions.
Modelling and cycle‐by‐cycle control of an electromechanical engine valve actuator with impact speed limiter based on hydraulic damper
Authors: di Gaeta Alessandro , Montanaro Umberto , Giglio Veniero
Published: February 2024

Variable valve actuation (VVA) systems based on electromechanical valve actuators (EMVAs) enable a flexible operation and management of internal combustion engines that results in a reduction of pollutant emission and fuel consumption while improving engine power and efficiency. However, to achieve the benefits promised by EMVAs, it is of utmost importance to guarantee the catch of the valve by the system magnets with an acceptable impact speed of the valve at the end‐strokes. Valve catching failures can severely damage engine valves while high impact speeds induce mechanical wear and unacceptable noise. The soft landing control of the valve at the end‐strokes is challenging because of system nonlinearities, parameter uncertainties, and external disturbances. The complexity of the control design increases further when industrial cost‐effective solutions are sought. This paper presents a novel solution for reducing the impact speed of the valve without the use of costly position valve sensors. The proposed solution leverages on a small hydraulic damper (HD) embedded into the EMVA and a feedback cycle‐by‐cycle controller. The passive element reduces the impact speed while the controller adjusts at every engine cycle the EMVA coil currents based on pressure peaks detected in the HD to guarantee valve catching while steering the impact speed toward its minimum. The design of the controller exploits a physics‐based model that maps the pressure peak in the HD onto the impact speed and a gradient descent algorithm is adopted searching the minimum. The closed‐loop permanence is assessed in simulation by using an experimentally validated EMVA model and considering detailed dynamics of the HD. Numerical results show the ability of the proposed control architecture to reduce the impact speed and its robustness to parameters variations (oil temperature) and external disturbances (gas pressure forces).
Are fetal microchimerism and circulating fetal extracellular vesicles important links between spontaneous preterm delivery and maternal cardiovascular disease risk?
Authors: Bonney Elizabeth A. , Lintao Ryan C. V. , Zelop Carolyn M. , Kammala Ananth Kumar , Menon Ramkumar
Published: February 2024

Trafficking and persistence of fetal microchimeric cells (fMCs) and circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been observed in animals and humans, but their consequences in the maternal body and their mechanistic contributions to maternal physiology and pathophysiology are not yet fully defined. Fetal cells and EVs may help remodel maternal organs after pregnancy‐associated changes, but the cell types and EV cargos reaching the mother in preterm pregnancies after exposure to various risk factors can be distinct from term pregnancies. As preterm delivery‐associated maternal complications are rising, revisiting this topic and formulating scientific questions for future research to reduce the risk of maternal morbidities are timely. Epidemiological studies report maternal cardiovascular risk as one of the major complications after preterm delivery. This paper suggests a potential link between fMCs and circulating EVs and adverse maternal cardiovascular outcomes post‐pregnancies, the underlying mechanisms, consequences, and methods for and how this link might be assessed.
Leveraging machine learning to dissect role of combinations of amino acids in modulating the effect of zinc on mammalian cell growth
Authors: Pandey Ujjiti , Madhugiri Indrani , Gadgil Chetan , Gadgil Mugdha
Published: February 2024

Although the contributions of individual components of cell culture media are largely known, their combinatorial effects are far less understood. Experiments varying one component at a time cannot identify combinatorial effects, and analysis of the large number of experiments required to decipher such effects is challenging. Machine learning algorithms can help in the analysis of such datasets to identify multi‐component interactions. Zinc toxicity in vitro is known to change depending on amino acid concentration in the extracellular medium. Multiple amino acids are known to be involved in this protection. Thirty‐two amino acid compositions were formulated to evaluate their effect on the growth of CHO cells under high zinc conditions. A sequential machine learning analysis methodology was used, which led to the identification of a set of amino acids (threonine, proline, glutamate, aspartate, asparagine, and tryptophan) contributing to protection from zinc. Our results suggest that a decrease in availability of these set of amino acids due to consumption may affect cell growth in media formulated with high zinc concentrations, and in contrast, normal levels of these amino acids are associated with better tolerance to high zinc concentration. Our sequential analysis method may be similarly employed for high throughput medium design and optimization experiments to identify interactions among a large number of cell culture medium components.
Green Synthesis of Selenium Nanoparticles using Green Coffee Beans: An Optimization Study
Authors: Baluken Pınar , Kamiloglu Aybike , Kutlu Naciye
Published: February 2024

In this study, ultrasonication extraction of some bioactive compounds from green coffee beans was optimized with the response surface method using Box‐Behnken experimental design. The best condition was selected as 90.90 W ultrasonic power, 33.63 min sonication time and 30 % solid concentration. The responses obtained under optimum conditions had TPC, DPPH and CUPRAC values identified as 6603.33±2025.94 ppm GAE, 9638.31±372.17 ppm TE and 98.83 mmol, respectively. Microwave‐assisted selenium nanoparticle production was carried out using the extract obtained under optimized conditions. The produced selenium nanoparticles showed absorbance between 350–400 nm. The surface morphology and size of the nanoparticles were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and spherical nanoparticles of about 100 nm were produced. Functional groups affecting the reduction were determined by FTIR analysis. In addition, the produced selenium nanoparticles had amorphous (non‐uniform) structure and could maintain their stability at high temperatures.
Rational Design of a Circularly Permuted Flavin‐Based Fluorescent Protein
Authors: Anderson Nolan T. , Xie Jason S. , Chacko Asish N. , Liu Vannie L. , Fan Kang‐Ching , Mukherjee Arnab
Published: February 2024

Flavin‐based fluorescent proteins are oxygen‐independent reporters that hold great promise for imaging anaerobic and hypoxic biological systems. In this study, we explored the feasibility of applying circular permutation, a valuable method for the creation of fluorescent sensors, to flavin‐based fluorescent proteins. We used rational design and structural data to identify a suitable location for circular permutation in iLOV, a flavin‐based reporter derived from A. thaliana. However, relocating the N‐ and C‐termini to this position resulted in a significant reduction in fluorescence. This loss of fluorescence was reversible, however, by fusing dimerizing coiled coils at the new N‐ and C‐termini to compensate for the increase in local chain entropy. Additionally, by inserting protease cleavage sites in circularly permuted iLOV, we developed two protease sensors and demonstrated their application in mammalian cells. In summary, our work establishes the first approach to engineer circularly permuted FbFPs optimized for high fluorescence and further showcases the utility of circularly permuted FbFPs to serve as a scaffold for sensor engineering.
Enantioselective separation and determination of ibuprofen: Stereoselective pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and analytical methods
Authors: Vashistha Vinod Kumar , Kumar Tarun , Yadav Suman , Das Dipak Kumar
Published: February 2024

Ibuprofen (IBP), the 29th most prescribed drug in the United States in 2019, is a widely used nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID) comprising two enantiomers, (R)‐IBP and (S)‐IBP, collectively known as (RS)‐IBP. This critical review examines analytical techniques for the enantioselective separation and determination of IBP enantiomers, crucial for pharmaceutical and clinical applications. The review focuses on state‐of‐the‐art methods, including chromatographic techniques including high‐performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, and some other techniques. This review addresses pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, and side effects of each enantiomer, ensuring safe drug usage. By consolidating diverse analytical methods and their applicability in different matrices, this review serves as a valuable resource for researchers, analysts, and practitioners in pharmaceutical analysis, pharmacology, and clinical studies.
Optimizing nanofluid additives for enhanced thermophysical properties in anionic crude oil for EOR applications
Authors: Heris Saeed Zeinali , Bagheri Hamid , Mousavi Seyed Borhan , Hosseini Nami Shamin
Published: February 2024

This research delved into the effects of introducing multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) into crude oil with an anionic base, aiming to enhance its thermophysical attributes in the EOR process. The investigation encompassed a range of properties, including interfacial tension, viscosity, density, and electrical conductivity, measured using an LV rheometer with spindle 18. Various ratios of MWCNTs and SDS were mixed with the crude oil to evaluate their impacts. The study uncovered that the 1:1 ratio of MWCNTs to SDS achieved a noteworthy 10% reduction in interfacial tension while minimally affecting viscosity, showing promise for practical applications. Temperature had diverse effects on viscosity and interfacial tension, displaying fluctuating trends. The highest observed result was a substantial 190% viscosity increase at 40°C with a 2:1 ratio, whereas the lowest was a slight −0.81% density change at 60°C for the 1:1 ratio. Additionally, interfacial tension consistently decreased over time for all ratios at various temperatures, with the most significant reductions observed at 40 and 60°C, particularly for the 1:2 and 1:1 ratios. Furthermore, adding MWCNTs and SDS led to a remarkable drop in electrical conductivity, indicating a substantial decrease in salt content within the crude oil. However, it was noted that higher MWCNT concentrations might not be cost‐effective, emphasizing the importance of optimizing additive ratios for a balance between performance and economic viability. This study highlights the potential of tailored nanofluid formulations to improve the thermophysical properties of crude oil, potentially enhancing extraction and refining processes.