bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implementing community‐engaged ecological research in Proctor Creek, an urban watershed in Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Authors: Johnson Tamara , Jelks Na'Taki Osborne
Published: December 2022

The Southeast Region of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) implemented community‐engaged research in Proctor Creek, an urban watershed in Northwest Atlanta, Georgia, to sample for aquatic species of concern in Atlanta, Georgia's Proctor Creek Watershed as a part of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership program. This research shifted the focus of the agency from the endangered and pristine natural spaces to a major city watershed negatively impacted by urbanization and other human influences for more than a century. Team members from USFWS, Proctor Creek Watershed residents, local students, and other stakeholders in the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) spent three months conducting stream surveys and participating in community‐led events to build relationships and learn community priorities. The team collected data at 11 sites throughout the Proctor Creek Watershed, visually assessed each site, and collected aquatic species using dip nets, seines, and traps. We observed approximately 28 aquatic species, including 13 unique fish species, and eight macroinvertebrate species, including two unique crayfish species. We also observed varying degrees of ecological health throughout the watershed. Native aquatic animal species were found at all stream sites, no matter the condition of the stream. Through creating training resources and disseminating data among team members for future sampling, the team established pathways to keep natural resource stewardship sustainable without direct federal involvement. Through engaging in community‐engaged research to achieve the mission of the agency, the USFWS Proctor Creek Watershed survey helped shift the paradigm of how government agencies can connect their mission statements to the ever‐changing complex needs of the American public.
Structure and molecular evolution of the barcode fragment of cytochrome oxidase I (COI) in Macrocheles (Acari: Mesostigmata: Macrochelidae)
Authors: Khakestani Najme , Latifi Malihe , Babaeian Esmaeil , Knee Wayne , Hosseini Samin
Published: December 2022

Consisting of approximately 320 species, Macrocheles is the most widely distributed genus in the family Macrochelidae. Though some studies have focused on the description of Macrochelidae using molecular techniques (e.g., RAPD) and sequencing of some genes, the interspecies relationships within Macrocheles still remain uncertain. As such, in the present study, we examine all publicly available data in GenBank to explore the evolutionary relationships, divergence times, and amino acid variations within Macrocheles. Exploring the patterns of variation in the secondary protein structure shows high levels of conservation in the second and last helices, emphasizing their involvement in the energy metabolism function of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I enzyme. According to our phylogenetic analysis, all available Macrocheles species are clustered in a monophyletic group. However, in the reconstructed trees, we subdivided M. merdarius and M. willowae into two well‐supported intraspecific clades that are driven by geographic separation and host specificity. We also estimate the divergence time of selected species using calibration evidence from available fossils and previous studies. Thus, we estimate that the age of the Parasitiformes is 320.4 (273.3–384.3) Mya (Permian), and the Mesostigmata is 285.1 (270.8–286.4) Mya (Carboniferous), both with likely origins in the Paleozoic era. We also estimate that Macrocheles diverged from other Mesostigmata mites during the Mesozoic, approximately 222.9 Mya.
Bison movements change with weather: Implications for their continued conservation in the Anthropocene
Authors: McMillan Nicholas A. , Fuhlendorf Samuel D. , Luttbeg Barney , Goodman Laura E. , Davis Craig A. , Allred Brady W. , Hamilton Robert G.
Published: December 2022

Animal movement patterns are affected by complex interactions between biotic and abiotic landscape conditions, and these patterns are being altered by weather variability associated with a changing climate. Some animals, like the American plains bison (Bison bison L.; hereafter, plains bison), are considered keystone species, thus their response to weather variability may alter ecosystem structure and biodiversity patterns. Many movement studies of plains bison and other ungulates have focused on point‐pattern analyses (e.g., resource‐selection) that have provided information about where these animals move, but information about when or why these animals move is limited. For example, information surrounding the influence of weather on plains bison movement in response to weather is limited but has important implications for their conservation in a changing climate. To explore how movement distance is affected by weather patterns and drought, we utilized 12‐min GPS data from two of the largest plains bison herds in North America to model their response to weather and drought parameters using generalized additive mixed models. Distance moved was best predicted by air temperature, wind speed, and rainfall. However, air temperature best explained the variation in distance moved compared to any other single parameter we measured, predicting a 48% decrease in movement rates above 28°C. Moreover, severe drought (as indicated by 25‐cm depth soil moisture) better predicted movement distance than moderate drought. The strong influence of weather and drought on plains bison movements observed in our study suggest that shifting climate and weather will likely affect plains bison movement patterns, further complicating conservation efforts for this wide‐ranging keystone species. Moreover, changes in plains bison movement patterns may have cascading effects for grassland ecosystem structure, function, and biodiversity. Plains bison and grassland conservation efforts need to be proactive and adaptive when considering the implications of a changing climate on bison movement patterns.
Comparison of soil microbial community structure and function for karst tiankeng with different degrees of degradation
Authors: Jiang Cong , Zeng Hui
Published: December 2022

Karst tiankengs are oases in degraded karst landscapes and act as repositories for biodiversity conservation; however, knowledge about the bacterial and fungal structure and function of the karst tiankeng ecosystems is limited. This study investigated the microbial communities in three different tiankeng (nondegraded, moderately degraded, and heavily degraded tiankeng) by Illumina NovaSeq sequencing. We found that the degradation of karst tiankeng can lead to changes in microbial community structure and functions, while there are differences in bacterial and fungal responses. There were significant differences in bacterial and fungal community composition and beta diversity in the three tiankeng soils. Random molecular ecological network analysis results indicated that a more complex and stable bacterial network existed in nondegraded tiankeng, while more complex fungal networks existed in moderately degraded tiankeng. The keystones of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota played essential roles in maintaining soil function and stability. The functional profiles revealed that tiankeng habitat changes may affect microbial survival strategies, such as increasing gene abundance associated with the carbon cycle. To our knowledge, this is the first report on bacterial and fungal communities in different degrees of karst tiankeng, which provides crucial insights into our understanding of the microbial communities' structure and potential function in karst tiankeng ecosystems.
Hypopigmentation in mantled howler monkeys Alouatta palliata (gray 1849): First documented cases of whole‐body leucism in South America
Authors: Barros‐Diaz Cristian , Vela Silvia , Gallo‐Pérez Abel , Chiquito Manuel , Cornejo Xavier , Mosquera‐Muñoz Denis , Perez‐Correa Julian
Published: December 2022

The existence of hypopigmentation like leucism is the result of genetic anomalies that might be enhanced by external factors such as pollution. This anomaly may reduce survival rates. Leucism has been recorded in wildlife, but overall, it is considered very rare. There have been few records of mantled howler monkeys with leucism in Mexico and Costa Rica, but whole‐body leucism in howler monkeys from South America was unknown. In this article, we report for the first‐time documented cases of whole‐body leucism in young individuals of mantled howler monkeys Alouatta palliata in an isolated remanent of tropical dry forest in southwestern Ecuador known as Cerro Blanco Protective Forest. In total, we found two juvenile individuals with leucism in October 2021. The report of howler monkeys with whole‐body leucism may be caused by two processes: inbreeding because of isolated populations, environmental pressure caused by pollution, or the interaction of both. Our findings also reveal that hypopigmentation is becoming more frequent in howler monkey populations along its distributional range. Therefore, it is important to promote research in this field to disentangle the causes of hypopigmentation and to consider a regional management strategy for the species.
Long‐term monitoring of Mount St. Helens micrometeorology
Authors: Che‐Castaldo Christian , Crisafulli Charlie M.
Published: December 2022

The 1980 volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helens had profound impacts on the geology, hydrology, and ecology of its surrounding landscapes. Consequently, the event provided a unique opportunity to study ecological change over time in relation to abiotic factors. To better assess the role localized environmental conditions play in these larger processes, we have monitored micrometeorological conditions across six disturbance zones on Mount St. Helens created by the eruption. We deployed 823 environmental sensors at 191 sites from 1997 to 2022 to measure the temperature and relative humidity of aquatic (temperature only) and terrestrial habitats in these areas, collecting over 4.2 million measurements in total. Measurements were typically recorded every 30 min from late spring through mid‐fall, with the exception being Spirit Lake, where temperatures have been measured hourly on a year‐round basis since 2002. These data have been used to address two broad research questions: (1) how small‐scale environmental conditions influence patterns of survivorship and/or establishment on Mount St. Helens post‐eruption for a range of organisms, including plants, small mammals, birds, amphibians, arthropods, fish, and other aquatic biota, and (2) to quantify and compare these environmental conditions across different disturbance zones, which vary in disturbance type, intensity, and history of post‐eruption secondary disturbances. Due to the repeatability of these measurements over many years, these data lend themselves to exploring the relationship between forest succession and microclimate, especially with respect to forest‐dwelling organisms whose spread and demography are sensitive to temperature and relative humidity. In addition, this dataset could be used to investigate additional questions related to early succession, disturbance ecology, climate change, or volcano ecology. This dataset is available in the R data package MSHMicroMetR, which also includes an R Shiny data visualization and exploration tool. There is no copyright on the data; please cite this data paper Ecology when using these data.
Comprehensive evaluation of distribution network project cost management level based on optimized random forest
Authors: Bai Chunye , Qi Yi , Sun Geng , Liu Yuanyuan
Published: December 2022

In this article, by analyzing the content and characteristics of the cost management of the distribution network project, the evaluation index system of the cost management level is formulated first. Gini index in random forest algorithm and analytic hierarchy process are used to analyze the influencing factors of the cost management level of distribution network project from quantitative and qualitative aspects. The results show that design change and on‐site visa management have a great impact on management level, while project advance payment management has a relatively small impact. Based on the above analysis results, this article simplifies the indicators, so as to optimize the random forest model. After verification, the optimized model can improve the efficiency of evaluation, on the other hand, it can effectively improve the accuracy of evaluation, ensure the scientificity of evaluation, and provide reference for improving the cost management of distribution network project.
Untargeted Metabolomics Reveals Lipid Impairment in the Liver of Adult Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Exposed to Carbendazim
Authors: Costa Raíssa M. , Matos e Chaib Victória R. , Domingues Anderson G. , Rubio Karina T. S. , Martucci Maria Elvira Poleti
Published: December 2022

Carbendazim is a systemic fungicide used in several countries, particularly in Brazil. However, studies suggest that it is related to the promotion of tumors, endocrine disruption, and toxicity to organisms, among other effects. As a result, carbendazim is not allowed in the United States, Australia, and some European Union countries. Therefore, further studies are necessary to evaluate its effects, and zebrafish is a model routinely used to provide relevant information regarding the acute and long-term effects of xenobiotics. In this way, zebrafish water tank samples (water samples from aquari containing zebrafish) and liver samples from animals exposed to carbendazim at a concentration of 120 μg/L were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry, followed by multivariate and univariate statistical analyses, using the metabolomics approach. Our results suggest impairment of lipid metabolism with a consequent increase in intrahepatic lipids and endocrine disruption. Furthermore, the results suggest two endogenous metabolites as potential biomarkers to determine carbendazim exposure. Finally, the present study showed that it is possible to use zebrafish water tank samples to assess the dysregulation of endogenous metabolites to understand biological effects. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:437–448. © 2022 SETAC
Effects of impurities in the cathode airflow on proton exchange membrane fuel cell stacks
Authors: Schmid Michael A. , Wagner Tim , Wiedemann Benjamin , Scholta Joachim
Published: December 2022

Fuel cells for mobile applications obtain their oxygen from the ambient air in road traffic. This air has contaminations of various impurities that can have negative effects on the lifetime of fuel cell systems in vehicles. The identified most relevant contaminants are toluene, nitrogen dioxide, ammonia, and sulfur dioxide. A modified test bench enables different dosages of the above‐mentioned pollutant gas concentrations on the cathode side. We examined influences both in static cycles for quasi‐steady states and in dynamic cycles for rapid load changes to examine reversible and irreversible degradation effects. We showed that the harmful cathode gases examined could lead to a shortening of the service life of fuel cells. Whereas this is well known for higher concentrations of pollutants, this contribution provides data in the sub‐ppm range – including the effects of gas mixtures – for which literature data is still limited.

Additionally, a physical fuel cell model is developed to analyze the effects of various contaminants. The overall intention is to determine acceptable contamination levels and thereby increase the lifetime of fuel cells with the help of simulations. The presented model allows for the computation of cell voltage dependent on cathode side media conditions.
The Economics of Protectionism and Panic: The European Natural Gas Disaster of 2021–2022 (so far)
Authors: Makholm Jeff D.
Published: December 2022

Europe is living through a disaster in its natural gas industry that is harming energy consumers and businesses throughout the continent. Using levers of market power that European regulatory and legislative institutions unwisely gave to it over the prior two decades, with the cooperation of Europe's member state natural gas companies, Russia manipulated exports to Europe in the late 2021 run‐up to its invasion of Ukraine. That manipulation has not only caused panic pricing of Russian supplies, but also for the natural gas coming from other countries to Europe, such as Norway and Algeria, for which no panic was necessary. The spread of panic pricing came about because of purposeful actions in Europe to place most natural gas import pricing on an unstable knife edge—institutionalizing the ability of such panic pricing to permeate all energy import prices and disrupt the European energy markets as electricity market models picked up those panicked internal gas prices. Such disruption has caused heavy state subsidization of energy prices throughout Europe, insolvency, crippling of European exporters—such as Italy's highly regarded ceramics industry, nationalization of some energy businesses, and increasing member state abandonment of the European Energy Charter Treaty.
Grand Paris Express Lot 16 – Sustainable infrastructure development in Paris
Authors: Bischoff Jean‐Luc , Eberli Martin
Published: December 2022

The Grand Paris Express is an urban infrastructure project in the Paris agglomeration. The outer districts, which will be enlarged with 70,000 new flats per year, are to be connected to the public transport network of the core city. At the same time, various economic centres are planned around the city, similar to the La Défense banking centre. The metro lines connect the suburban railways, three airports and various TGV stations as a large ring and with direct connections to other transport hubs. The 19.3 km Grand Paris Express Line 16.1 connects the suburbs north and east of Paris in the Seine‐Saint‐Denis department. The cramped construction sites require modern construction processes that are sustainable and can be implemented quickly. For the fully automatic and completely underground line the client, Société du Grand Paris (SGP), is using segmental linings made of steel fibre concrete. The designer Egis, the contractor Eiffage Génie Civil and the segment manufacturer Bonna Sabla optimised the original solution of the 9.5 m ring in terms of productivity and quality in order to complete the construction site within SGP's desired schedule. For the MC2010 performance class, the segments use C50/60 concrete reinforced with 40 kg/m3 of Dramix high performance steel fibres. The 0.75 mm thin fibres, with a tensile strength of more than 1800 N/mm2, form a massive network of 11.6 km fibres/m3 concrete. The entire project also saves over 10,000 t of CO2 due to less steel consumption.
Composite Animals: Then and Now
Authors: Hinterberger Amy
Published: December 2022

Since the early twentieth century, the term “chimera” has been used to describe many experimental composite plants and animals. Composite animals and embryos, involving the transfer of cells from different species to make chimeras, continue to be a fundamental cornerstone of biomedical research. However, the twenty‐first century appears to be offering a new role for composite animals. Over the last fifteen to twenty years, composite animals and embryos have taken on a different form of life—an institutional life. With this institutional life, I argue, comes an opportunity to recast differences between humans and other animals and to reconsider how research on human health is governed.
Human, Nonhuman, and Chimeric Research: Considering Old Issues with New Research
Authors: Sebo Jeff , Parent Brendan
Published: December 2022

Human‐nonhuman chimeric research—research on nonhuman animals who contain human cells—is being used to understand human disease and development and to create potential human treatments such as transplantable organs. A proposed advantage of chimeric models is that they can approximate human biology and therefore allow scientists to learn about and improve human health without risking harms to humans. Among the emerging ethical issues being explored is the question of at what point chimeras are “human enough” to have human rights and thus be owed higher standards of research protection than that currently afforded to nonhuman animals. However, this question and other related questions assume that the ethics of experimenting on nonhuman animals have been settled, which they have not. In this essay, we argue that it is imperative to give adequate attention to familiar questions about nonhuman animal research as well as new questions about chimera research and that failure to do so will result in a distorted understanding of the ethics of chimera research.
How Chimeric Animal Research Impacts Animal Welfare: A Conversation with Animal Welfare Experts
Authors: Craig Kaitlynn P.
Published: December 2022

In this conversation, four experts in animal research oversight—Christopher Stodgell, Lori Hill, Robert Kesterson, and Angelika Rehrig—discuss the complexities of stem cell‐based chimeric animal experiments, especially in relation to traditional animal welfare practices. Each expert shares their experiences and suggestions for how best to conduct chimeric animal research, including discussing the importance of communication and collaboration between experts in animal behavior and welfare and the investigators conducting or proposing chimeric research studies.
Perspectives on the Monod model in biological wastewater treatment
Authors: Plattes Mario , Lahore Hector Marcelo Fernandez
Published: December 2022

The Monod model has been widely used in activated sludge and biofilm models to mathematically describe the kinetics of microbial growth. Mathematical models of biological systems can be distinguished according to their dimensionality as zero‐dimensional (0D), one‐dimensional (1D), two‐dimensional (2D) and three‐dimensional (3D). The Monod model is a 0D model, which does not take cell (aggregate) structure into account, yet has been used in different ways in activated sludge and biofilm modelling: In activated sludge modelling, it is used in its original sense (i.e. 0D), whilst in dimensional biofilm modelling, it is used to model intrinsic kinetics in the biofilm and thus in 1D, 2D and 3D. We believe that the latter is not the correct use of the Monod model, because both activated sludge and biofilm systems consist of similar cell aggregates that both feature concentration gradients. Diffusional mass transfer limitations are manifested by the values of kinetic parameters in the Monod model and should not be described explicitly by Fick's laws of diffusion. The 0D concept has been adopted in state‐of‐the‐art activated sludge models and more recently in 0D biofilm models. Measured kinetic parameters can be directly transferred to 0D models. The application of Fick's second law of diffusion in combination with the Monod model (i.e. the reaction–diffusion equation) therefore becomes irrelevant. In this manner, the Monod equation becomes a simple, universal approach to modelling that contains variable parameters. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Suppression of PD‐L1 release from small extracellular vesicles promotes systemic anti‐tumor immunity by targeting ORAI1 calcium channels
Authors: Chen Xi , Li Jiaqi , Zhang Ren , Zhang Yao , Wang Xiaoxuan , Leung Elaine Lai‐Han , Ma Lijuan , Wong Vincent Kam Wai , Liu Liang , Neher Erwin , Yu Haijie
Published: December 2022

Blockade of immune checkpoints as a strategy of cancer cells to overcome the immune response has received ample attention in cancer research recently. In particular, expression of PD‐L1 by various cancer cells has become a paradigm in this respect. Delivery of PD‐L1 to its site of action occurs either by local diffusion, or else by transport via small extracellular vesicles (sEVs, commonly referred to as exosomes). Many steps of sEVs formation, their packaging with PD‐L1 and their release into the extracellular space have been studied in detail. The likely dependence of release on Ca2+‐signaling, however, has received little attention. This is surprising, since the intracellular Ca2+‐concentration is known as a prominent regulator of many secretory processes. Here, we report on the roles of three Ca2+‐dependent proteins in regulating release of PD‐L1‐containing sEVs, as well as on the growth of tumors in mouse models. We show that sEVs release in cancer cell lines is Ca2+‐dependent and the knockdown of the gene coding the Ca2+‐channel protein ORAI1 reduces Ca2+‐signals and release of sEVs. Consequently, the T cell response is reinvigorated and tumor progression in mouse models is retarded. Furthermore, analysis of protein expression patterns in samples from human cancer tissue shows that the ORAI1 gene is significantly upregulated. Such upregulation is identified as an unfavorable prognostic factor for survival of patients with non‐small‐cell lung cancer. We show that reduced Ca2+‐signaling after knockdown of ORAI1 gene also compromises the activity of melanophilin and Synaptotagmin‐like protein 2, two proteins, which are important for correct localization of secretory organelles within cancer cells and their transport to sites of exocytosis. Thus, the Ca2+‐channel ORAI1 and Ca2+‐dependent proteins of the secretion pathway emerge as important targets for understanding and manipulating immune checkpoint blockade by PD‐L1.
Design, synthesis and in‐vitro evaluation of new furan‐substituted thiadiazolyl hydrazone derivatives as promising antimicrobial agents
Authors: Helmy Mirna T. , Sroor Farid M. , Othman Abdelmageed M. , Hassaneen Hamdi M. , Saleh Fatma M. , Teleb Mohamed A. Mohamed
Published: December 2022

Seventeen new furan‐substituted thiadiazolyl hydrazone derivatives bearing 4‐nitrophenyl moiety were designed, synthesized and tested for their in vitro antimicrobial activity. Reaction of N‐(4‐nitrophenyl)‐C‐(furan‐2‐yl)methanohydrazonoyl chloride 1 with 2‐((methylthio)carbonthioyl)hydrazine derivatives 3, 7, 8 and 11–13 in absolute ethanol in the presence of triethylamine at room temperature afforded the corresponding 1,3,4‐thiadiazole derivatives 6, 9, 10 and 14–16. Refluxing of 1‐(3‐(furan‐2‐yl)‐5‐methyl‐1‐(4‐nitrophenyl)‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)ethan‐1‐one 17 with methyl hydrazinecarbodithioate 18 in absolute ethanol in the presence of few drops of hydrochloric acid yielded methyl‐2‐(1‐(3‐(furan‐2‐yl)‐5‐methyl‐1‐(4‐nitrophenyl)‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)ethylidene)hydrazine‐1‐carbodithioate 19. The compound 19 was reacted with hydrazonoyl halides 20a‐e in absolute ethanol in the presence of triethylamine afforded the corresponding 1,3,4‐thiadiazoles 24a‐e. The specified compounds were tested for antimicrobial activity against selected model microorganisms. Antimicrobial studies revealed that compounds 6c, 6d and 15 against E. coli, compounds 6b, 6c, 10, 14, 15, 24b and 24c against B. mycoides, and compounds 14, 16, 19 and 24d against C. albicans outperformed other developed compounds in terms of antimicrobial activity.
Who lives, who dies, who decides: Differences between mass public shooters who survive, are killed, and commit suicide
Authors: Capellan Joel A. , Silva Jason , Mills Colleen , Schmuhl Margaret
Published: December 2022

This study provides an in‐depth analysis of American mass public shooting conclusions between 1966 and 2017. Specifically, this work examines differences in factors contributing to the perpetrator's likelihood of surviving, being killed, and committing suicide. Ten hypotheses, rooted in previous homicide, suicide, homicide‐suicide, and mass public shooting literature consider different psychological, situational, and background factors shaping the outcome of mass public shootings. Significant findings indicate factors influencing perpetrators' suicide include suicidal ideation, higher victim counts, and suicide copycat effects. Factors influencing perpetrators being killed similarly include higher victim counts, the arrival of law enforcement, lethal/non‐lethal resistance, and government targets. This investigation provides practical implications for practitioners and policymakers, especially law enforcement and mental health practitioners, seeking to develop intervention and prevention strategies for addressing suicidal ideation and its most lethal outcome: mass public shootings.
Effect of biosynthesized selenium nanoparticles using Nepeta extract against multidrug‐resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Zeraatkar Shadi , Tahan Maedeh , Sadeghian Hamid , Nazari Razieh , Behmadi Mostafa , Hosseini Bafghi Mahdi
Published: December 2022

The problems of drug resistance in bacteria have become one of the daily challenges of the clinical treatment of patients, which inevitably forces us to use agents other than common antibiotics. Among these, we can take help from different properties and applications of nanoparticles (NPs). In this work, we evaluate the antibacterial activity of biosynthesized selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) against standard strains of multidrug‐resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. The production of biosynthesized SeNPs was proved by ultraviolet‐visible, Fourier transform infrared, X‐ray diffractometer, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, Dynamic light scattering, and Zeta potential methods. The cytotoxicity effect of SeNPs was investigated by MTT assay. Disk diffusion agar (DDA) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests were performed on the mentioned bacteria using different classes of standard antibiotics and SeNPs separately. The impact of SeNPs combined with the desired antibiotics for better treatment of these infections was evaluated by checkerboard assay to determine the synergism effect. After the confirmation results based on the biosynthesis of SeNPs, both standard bacterial strains were susceptible to SeNPs and had a zone of inhibition using the DDA test. Also, the results of MICs showed that biosynthesized SeNPs in lower concentrations than antibiotics cause no growth of bacteria. On the other hand, according to the checkerboard assay, SeNPs had a synergistic effect with conventional antibiotics. The antibacterial sensitivity tests demonstrated the inhibition of bacterial growth in the presence of lower concentrations of SeNPs than common antibiotics. This property can be exerted in future applications to solve the drug resistance obstacle of microorganisms in bacterial diseases.
Changes in intervertebral sagittal alignment of the cervical spine from supine to upright
Authors: Oyekan Anthony A. , LeVasseur Clarissa M. , Shaw Jeremy D. , Donaldson William F. , Lee Joon Y. , Anderst William J.
Published: December 2022

Cervical sagittal alignment is a critical component of successful surgical outcomes. Unrecognized differences in intervertebral alignment between supine and upright positions may affect clinical outcomes; however, these differences have not been quantified. Sixty‐four patients scheduled to undergo one or two‐level cervical arthrodesis for symptomatic pathology from C4–C5 to C6–C7, and forty‐seven controls were recruited. Upright sagittal alignment was obtained through biplane radiographic imaging and measured using a validated process with accuracy better than 1° in rotation. Supine alignment was obtained from computed tomography scans. Coordinate systems used to measure supine and upright alignment were identical. Distances between adjacent bony endplates were measured to calculate disc height in each position. For both patients and controls, the C1–C2, C2–C3, and C3–C4 motion segments were in more lordosis when upright as compared with supine (all p < 0.001). However, the C4–C5, C5–C6, and C6–C7 motion segments were in less lordosis when upright as compared with supine (all p ≤ 0.004). There was an interaction between group and position at the C1–C2 (p = 0.002) and C2–C3 (p = 0.001) motion segments, with the controls demonstrating a greater increase in lordosis at both motion segments when moving from supine to upright. The results indicate that cervical motion segment alignment changes between supine and upright positioning, those changes differ among motion segments, and cervical pathology affects the magnitude of these changes. Clinical Significance: Surgeons should be mindful of the differences in alignment between supine and upright imaging and the implications they may have on clinical outcomes.
Evaluation of lesion and overlying articular cartilage in patients with juvenile osteochondritis dissecans of the knee using quantitative diffusion MRI
Authors: Zbýň Štefan , Kajabi Abdul Wahed , Nouraee Cyrus M. , Ludwig Kai D. , Johnson Casey P. , Tompkins Marc A. , Nelson Bradley J. , Zhang Lin , Moeller Steen , Marette Shelly , Metzger Gregory J. , Carlson Cathy S. , Ellermann Jutta M.
Published: December 2022

Current clinical MRI of patients with juvenile osteochondritis dissecans (JOCD) is limited by the low reproducibility of lesion instability evaluation and inability to predict which lesions will heal after nonoperative treatment and which will later require surgery. The aim of this study is to verify the ability of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) to detect differences in lesion microstructure between different JOCD stages, treatment groups, and healthy, unaffected contralateral knees. Pediatric patients with JOCD received quantitative diffusion MRI between January 2016 and September 2020 in this prospective research study. A disease stage (I‐IV) and stability of each JOCD lesion was evaluated. ADCs were calculated in progeny lesion, interface, parent bone, cartilage overlying lesion, control bone, and control cartilage regions. ADC differences were evaluated using linear mixed models with Bonferroni correction. Evaluated were 30 patients (mean age, 13 years; 21 males), with 40 JOCD‐affected and 12 healthy knees. Nine patients received surgical treatment after MRI. Negative Spearman rank correlations were found between ADCs and JOCD stage in the progeny lesion (ρ = −0.572; p < 0.001), interface (ρ = −0.324; p = 0.041), and parent bone (ρ = −0.610; p < 0.001), demonstrating the sensitivity of ADC to microstructural differences in lesions at different JOCD stages. We observed a significant increase in the interface ADCs (p = 0.007) between operative (mean [95% CI] = 1.79 [1.56–2.01] × 10−3 mm2/s) and nonoperative group (1.27 [0.98–1.57] × 10−3 mm2/s). Quantitative diffusion MRI detects microstructural differences in lesions at different stages of JOCD progression towards healing and reveals differences between patients assigned for operative versus nonoperative treatment.
Novel quality features to expand durum wheat applications
Authors: Aoun Meriem , Boukid Fatma
Published: December 2022

Durum wheat represents a staple food in the human diet owing to its nutritional and technological features. In comparison to common wheat, durum wheat has higher tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, its production and culinary uses are limited compared to common wheat. Therefore, significant attention was attributed to upgrading the key quality of durum wheat (i.e., hardness, protein, starch and color). This review intends to put the spotlight on the modification of these properties to create new functionalities suiting a wider range of food applications based on critical compilation of scientific publications. Targeting specific genes has been shown to be a valuable strategy to design novel wheat varieties with higher nutritional value (e.g., high amylose), improved technological properties (e.g., higher glutenin content), attractive appearance (e.g., colored wheat) and new uses (e.g., soft durum wheat for breadmaking). Further efforts are still needed to find efficient ways to stabilize and maintain these properties. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Effects of different amendments on aggregate stability and microbial communities of coastal saline–alkali soil in the Yellow River Delta
Authors: Li Shan , Yao Yuanyuan , Yang Mingchuan , Zhang Yanpeng , Zhang Shugang , Shen Tianlin , Ding Fangjun , Li Ziyao , Liu Wenzheng , Cui Jiutao , Yang Yuechao
Published: December 2022

Organic amendments have been widely used in coastal saline–alkali soil remediation; however, the mechanisms involved and the interactions between organic and inorganic amendments are still unclear. In this work, furfural residue (particulate; C/N ratio: 51.87; O‐alkyl C + di‐O‐alkyl C: 42.35%, aromatic C: 40.89%) and black liquor (dissolved; C/N ratio: 3.11; O‐alkyl C + di‐O‐alkyl C: 32.20%, aromatic C: 28.32%) were tested to examine their effects on chemical properties, water‐stable aggregate fractions, chemical compositions of solid‐state soil organic matter (SOM), gloaming‐related soil protein contents, and microbial communities of coastal saline–alkali soil under a 400‐day incubation experiment. Furthermore, organic amendments mixed with mineral amendment (4:1) were employed to explore the interactions between organic and inorganic amendments. Furfural residue had stronger and longer effects on soil macroaggregate stability (~240 days, intense) than black liquor (~15 days, weak), and mineral amendment addition had a positive effect on the stability of microaggregates. Our results revealed that qualities (primary form, C/N ratio, and chemical composition) of organic amendment which can change microbial communities by increasing soil C/N ratio and effective chemical compositions of solid‐state SOM, are the key factors in promoting the rapid formation and longer stability of coastal saline–alkali soil aggregates. Moreover, inorganic amendment addition can further improve the formation and stability of microaggregates rather than those of macroaggregates. This study provided a much‐needed technical basis for remediation of coastal saline–alkali soil.
Disentangling the independent and interacting impacts of biophysical factors on the transpiration of a black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) plantation in the semiarid Loess Plateau, China
Authors: Fan Chun , Jiao Lei , Lu Nan , Li Maotian , Li Zongshan , Keyimu Maierdang , Zhang Liwei , Wang Hao
Published: December 2022

Transpiration (Tr) is the largest continental water flux. Tr is jointly affected by biophysical factors, including atmospheric demand, soil water supply, and plant physiological features, represented by potential evapotranspiration (PET), soil water content (SWC), and leaf area index (LAI) respectively. Disentangling the independent and interacting impacts of the biophysical factors on Tr provides a better understanding on the mechanism of ecohydrological controls on forest water use. In this study, taking the black locust plantation of the Loess Plateau as an example, independent contributions of the three factors and their interactions on Tr were quantified based on field observation, model development, and factorial analysis. First, sapflow density, meteorological variables, SWC, and LAI were observed during five growing seasons. Second, a coupled Tr model (R2 = 0.85, RMSE = 5.92) was established by the long‐term observed data of Tr, PET, SWC, and LAI. Finally, factorial experiment analysis showed that contributions of LAI, PET, and SWC and their interactions (PET×LAI, LAI × SWC, and PET×SWC) on Tr accounted for 50.82%, 9.77%, 9.30%, 13.88%, 13.75%, and 2.47%, respectively. The results indicated that LAI and PET×LAI had the largest independent and interacting impact on Tr of black locust. This study suggested that regulation of canopy leaf area through forest cultivation practices could reduce forest water use, which was beneficial for soil desiccation mitigation and meeting the soil water capacity for vegetation in this region. This study also provided a methodological reference for disentangling the impacts of biophysical factors on forest transpiration.
A review of the opportunities for spectral‐based technologies in post‐harvest testing of pulse grains
Authors: McDonald Linda , Panozzo Joe
Published: December 2022

Pulse grains are phenotypically diverse varying in colour, size, shape, and uniformity and have been integrated within many cultures and cuisines for several thousand years. Consumption of pulses within traditional dishes is still the dominant use for these grains, and therefore, the marketability is largely based on visual characteristics. There is also increasing interest into the utilisation of pulses in new processed food products because of their high protein content.

Pulse‐quality assessment is critical within industry to determine marketability of the produce and remuneration for growers; however, the methods for assessment are largely subjective, completed by visual appraisal. Furthermore, targeted pulse‐quality traits form part of the overall strategy of plant breeding programmes, but the grain‐assessment methodologies are time consuming, constraining testing efficiency, and some destructive tests are reserved for advanced germplasm.

Recent advances in computing and spectral sensing technology have improved opportunities for development of non‐destructive, high‐throughput and accurate machine vision (MV) systems for product‐quality evaluation. Algorithms based on digital image analysis have been developed to classify and quantify characteristics relating to the size, shape, colour and defects of grains and other agricultural products. Additionally, near‐infrared‐spectral processing has been successfully applied in the prediction of compositional constituents, such as protein and moisture, for some agricultural products.

This review describes the standard methodologies for the assessment of pulse‐quality traits and developments in MV applications for grain quality assessment. Opportunities are identified, both within the pulse grain industry and plant breeding programmes, for objective and standardised post‐harvest testing of pulse grains through MV.
Targeting inorganic nanoparticles to tumors using biological membrane‐coated technology
Authors: Zhang Yuanyuan , Chen Qian , Zhu Yefei , Pei Manman , Wang Kairuo , Qu Xiao , Zhang Yang , Gao Jie , Qin Huanlong
Published: December 2022

Inorganic nanoparticles have extensively revolutionized the effectiveness of cancer therapeutics due to their distinct physicochemical properties. However, the therapeutic efficiency of inorganic nanoparticles is greatly hampered by the complex tumor microenvironment, patient heterogeneity, and systemic nonspecific toxicity. The biomimetic technology based on biological membranes (cell‐ or bacteria‐derived membranes) is a promising strategy to confer unique characteristics to inorganic nanoparticles, such as superior biocompatibility, prolonged circulation time, immunogenicity, homologous tumor targeting, and flexible engineering approaches on the surface, resulting in the enhanced therapeutic efficacy of inorganic nanoparticles against cancer. Therefore, a greater push toward developing biomimetic‐based nanotechnology could increase the specificity and potency of inorganic nanoparticles for effective cancer treatment. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in biological membrane‐coated inorganic nanoparticles in cancer precise therapy and highlight the different types of engineered approaches, applications, mechanisms, and future perspectives. The surface engineering of biological membrane can greatly enhance their targeting, intelligence, and functionality, thereby realizing stronger tumor therapy effects. Further advances in materials science, biomedicine, and oncology can facilitate the clinical translation of biological membrane‐coated inorganic nanoparticles.
A flexible 16‐channel custom coil array for accelerated imaging of upper and infraglottic airway at 3 T
Authors: Alam Wahidul , Reineke Scott , Raja Viswanath Madavan , Rusho Rushdi Zahid , Van Daele Douglas , Meyer David , Liu Junjie , Lingala Sajan Goud
Published: December 2022

Purpose

To develop a custom coil and evaluate its utility for accelerated upper and infraglottic airway MRI at 3 T.

Methods

A 16‐channel flexible and anatomy‐conforming coil was developed to provide localized sensitivity over upper and infraglottic airway regions of interest. Parallel‐imaging capabilities were compared against existing head and head–neck coils. SENSE geometry factor losses were quantified for retrospectively accelerating 3D MRI. Blinded image‐quality ratings from two experts were performed. Spiral GRAPPA reconstructions were evaluated for a speaking task at a time resolution of 40 ms. Contrast‐to‐noise ratios between air and tissue at key landmarks along the vocal tract were compared. SENSE imaging with the custom coil in the lateral recumbent posture was evaluated. Multislice imaging was performed to image swallowing at 17 ms/frame via constrained reconstruction.

Results

The custom coil showed improved SENSE imaging up to 3‐fold acceleration when accelerated along either the anterior–posterior or the superior–inferior direction and a net 4‐fold acceleration when accelerated along both directions. Spiral GRAPPA reconstructions with the custom coil showed higher contrast‐to‐noise ratio when compared with existing coils. In the lateral posture, robust SENSE imaging was achieved at up to 2‐fold and 3‐fold acceleration levels in the superior–inferior and anterior–posterior directions, respectively. Key events of swallowing in the multislice dynamic images were identified by an otolaryngologist.

Conclusion

The coil provided improved parallel imaging of upper and infraglottic airway in both supine and lateral recumbent postures. It enabled efficient accelerated dynamic imaging of speaking and swallowing.
Perceived exertion is not a substitute for fatiguability in spinal muscular atrophy
Authors: Cheng Ricky , Feng Julia , Goodwin Ashley M. , Uher David , Rao Ashwini K. , McDermott Michael P. , De Vivo Darryl C. , Ewing Garber Carol , Montes Jacqueline
Published: December 2022

Introduction/Aims

Fatiguability and perceived fatigue are common unrelated symptoms in ambulatory individuals with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) measures the sense of effort during an activity and has been used as a proxy for fatigue. Relationships between perceived fatigue, fatiguability, and RPE have been described in healthy populations, but the relationship in SMA has not been examined.

Methods

Eighteen ambulatory individuals with SMA and 16 age‐matched controls (age, 13 to 57 years; 26 [76.5%] males) performed the 6‐minute walk test (6MWT) and cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance test (CPET) and completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire‐‐‐short form (IPAQ). RPE was collected during the CPET and 6MWT. Fatiguability was measured during the 6MWT. Physical activity (PA) volume was calculated using the IPAQ. Wilcoxon rank‐sum tests were used to compare groups. Spearman correlation coefficients evaluated associations between variables. SMA subgroups were predetermined using 6MWT distances of over or under 300 meters.

Results

There were no significant associations between fatiguability and RPE or PA in SMA (P > .05). PA was strongly associated with 6MWT RPE (r = 0.71) in SMA individuals who walked fewer than 300 meters (n = 7). There were no significant associations between any variables in controls (P > .05).

Discussion

RPE is not associated with fatiguability in SMA. The possible association of PA and RPE may reflect the increased intensity of the 6MWT in weaker patients. RPE represents a sense of effort during exercise and should not be used as a substitute for fatiguability but may be a measure of patient experience during exercise.
Use Artificial Intelligence to Detect Unseen Leaks
Authors: Okonkwo Churchill , Yearwood Donald , Boney Edward
Published: December 2022

DC Water installed state‐of‐the‐art technology to detect hard‐to‐find leaks in water pipes and valves.
Use Proactive PFAS Source Tracking to Prepare for Future Regs
Authors: Danielsen Karlin , Koeger Mary
Published: December 2022

Water and wastewater utilities that track emerging contaminants in response to upcoming regulations can learn from a Michigan community's forward‐thinking approach.