bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Introducing the Bis(mesitoyl)phosphide Ligand into Dinuclear Trivalent Rare Earth Metal Coordination Chemistry
Authors: Deshapriya Saroshan , Delano Francis , Demir Selvan
Published: July 2024

Anionic ancillary ligands play a critical role in the construction of rare earth (RE) metal complexes due to the large influence on the stability of the molecule and engendering emergent electronic properties that are of interest in a plethora of applications. Supporting ligands comprising oxygen donor atoms are highly pursued in RE chemistry owing to the high oxophilicity innate to these ions. The scarcely employed bis(acyl)phosphide (BAP) ligands feature oxygen coordination sites and contain a phosphide backbone rendering it attractive for RE‐coordination chemistry. Here, we integrate bis(mesitoyl)phosphide (mesBAP) as an ancillary ligand into REIII chemistry to generate the first dinuclear trivalent RE complexes containing BAP ligands; [{mesBAP}2RE(THF)(μ‐Cl)]2 (RE=Y, (1), Gd (2), and Dy (3); THF=tetrahydrofuran). Each RE center is ligated to two monoanionic mesBAP ligands, one THF molecule and one chloride ion. All three molecules were characterized through single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, 31P NMR, IR and UV‐Vis spectroscopy. 31P, 1H and 13C NMR on the diamagnetic yttrium congener 1 confirm asymmetric ligand coordination. DFT calculations conducted on 2 provided insight into the electronic structure. The magnetic properties of 2 and 3 were investigated via SQUID magnetometry. The GdIII ions exhibit weak antiferromagnetic coupling, corroborated by DFT results.
A floating‐point multiplier based on angle representation method
Authors: Gan Bo , Wang Kang , Wang Guangsen , Zheng Huiji , Chen Guoyong
Published: July 2024

This article proposes a novel angle representation method for floating‐point number, which eliminates the need for DSP (Digital Signal Processor) resources and reduces the resource usage when performing floating‐point multiplication. Compared with the implementation of floating‐point multiplier using IP cores, the implementation of approximate multiplication based on lookup tables can achieve an average reduction of 58.2% in LUTs (look‐up tables) and an average increase of 20.4% in frequency for mantissa widths ranging from 3 to 12 bits. Additionally, it can also save an average of 23.2% in registers. Analysis of PDP (power‐delay product)/LUT to MRED (mean relative error distance)/PRED (probability of relative error distance) among other approximate multipliers shows that the proposed design extends the Pareto front. At last, simulation of a three‐level inverter is implemented to verify the effectiveness of the multiplier.
Develop and validate a computable phenotype for the identification of Alzheimer's disease patients using electronic health record data
Authors: He Xing , Wei Ruoqi , Huang Yu , Chen Zhaoyi , Lyu Tianchen , Bost Sarah , Tong Jiayi , Li Lu , Zhou Yujia , Li Zhao , Guo Jingchuan , Tang Huilin , Wang Fei , DeKosky Steven , Xu Hua , Chen Yong , Zhang Rui , Xu Jie , Guo Yi , Wu Yonghui , Bian Jiang
Published: July 2024

INTRODUCTION

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is often misclassified in electronic health records (EHRs) when relying solely on diagnosis codes. This study aimed to develop a more accurate, computable phenotype (CP) for identifying AD patients using structured and unstructured EHR data.

METHODS

We used EHRs from the University of Florida Health (UFHealth) system and created rule‐based CPs iteratively through manual chart reviews. The CPs were then validated using data from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and the University of Minnesota (UMN).

RESULTS

Our best‐performing CP was “patient has at least 2 AD diagnoses and AD‐related keywords in AD encounters,” with an F1‐score of 0.817 at UF, 0.961 at UTHealth, and 0.623 at UMN, respectively.

DISCUSSION

We developed and validated rule‐based CPs for AD identification with good performance, which will be crucial for studies that aim to use real‐world data like EHRs.

Highlights

Developed a computable phenotype (CP) to identify Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients using EHR data.

Utilized both structured and unstructured EHR data to enhance CP accuracy.

Achieved a high F1‐score of 0.817 at UFHealth, and 0.961 and 0.623 at UTHealth and UMN.

Validated the CP across different demographics, ensuring robustness and fairness.
Changes in Alzheimer's disease blood biomarkers in kidney failure before and after kidney transplant
Authors: Blankenship Anneka E. , Yoksh Lauren , Kueck Paul J. , Mahnken Jonathan D. , Morris Jill K. , Gupta Aditi
Published: July 2024

INTRODUCTION

Alzheimer's disease (AD) blood biomarkers show promise for clinical diagnosis but their reliability in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is debated. This study investigates the impact of kidney transplant (KT) on AD biomarkers in CKD.

METHODS

We assessed AD biomarkers in 46 CKD patients pre‐KT, at 12 weeks and 12 months post‐KT, with baseline measures from 13 non‐CKD controls. Using linear mixed models, we examined associations with participant groups, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and cognition.

RESULTS

CKD patients showed elevated levels of neurofilament light (117 ± 72 vs. 11 ± 5 pg/mL), phosphorylated tau 181 (75 ± 42 vs. 13 ± 8 pg/mL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (193 ± 127 vs. 94 ± 39 pg/mL), amyloid β 42 (17 ± 5 vs. 5 ± 1 pg/mL), and amyloid β 40 (259 ± 96 vs. 72 ± 17 pg/mL) compared to controls. Post‐KT, biomarker levels approached normal with improved eGFR, paralleled by enhanced cognitive function.

DISCUSSION

AD blood biomarker elevations in CKD are reversible with improved kidney function through KT.

Highlights

AD biomarker levels are extremely high in severe CKD.

AD biomarker levels are higher in patients with kidney failure on dialysis when compared to CKD patients not on dialysis.

These elevations in AD biomarker levels in kidney failure are reversable and decrease dramatically after kidney transplantation.

The change in biomarker levels after transplantation align with changes in kidney function.

The change in biomarker levels after transplantation align with changes in cognitive function.
Dissonance‐Based Eating Disorder Prevention for Body‐Dissatisfied Brazilian Cisgender Gay and Bisexual Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial With a 1‐Year Follow‐Up
Authors: Almeida Maurício , Santos Cleonaldo Gonçalves , de Oliveira Júnior Mauro Lúcio , Resende Thainá Richelli Oliveira , Blashill Aaron J. , Brown Tiffany A. , de Carvalho Pedro Henrique Berbert
Published: July 2024

Objective

Gay and bisexual men are at an increased risk for eating disorders (EDs) and muscle dysmorphia (MD) compared with their heterosexual counterparts. Existing dissonance‐based (DB) EDs prevention programs for this population have been evaluated in the United States; however, these programs have not been evaluated in the Brazilian context. Thus, we investigated the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a DB ED prevention program (i.e., the PRIDE Body Project) among Brazilian cisgender gay and bisexual men.

Method

Eligible men were randomly assigned to either a DB intervention (n = 74) condition or an assessment‐only control (AOC) condition (n = 75). Participants completed measures assessing ED and MD risk and protective factors at baseline, post‐intervention, 1‐month, 6‐month, and 1‐year follow‐up. Those in the intervention condition also completed acceptability measures.

Results

Feasibility and acceptability ratings were highly favorable. Regarding efficacy, post‐intervention results were not significant, except for self‐objectification, which showed a significantly greater decrease in the DB condition compared with the AOC condition at all time‐points of follow‐ups (Cohen's d = −0.31 to −0.76). At follow‐up, the DB condition showed significantly greater decreases in appearance‐ideal internalization, drive for muscularity, self‐objectification, ED and MD symptoms at 1‐month, 6‐month, and 1‐year follow‐ups (d = −0.33 to −0.92) compared with the AOC condition. Significant increases were observed in the DB compared with the AOC condition for body appreciation at 1‐month, 6‐month, and 1‐year follow‐ups (d = 0.31–0.81).

Discussion

Results support the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of the PRIDE Body Project up to 1‐year in Brazilian cisgender gay and bisexual men.

Trial Registration

Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC; available at http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/) number of registration: RBR‐62fctqz.
BASSA: New software tool reveals hidden details in visualisation of low‐frequency animal sounds
Authors: Jancovich Benjamin A. , Rogers Tracey L.
Published: July 2024

The study of animal sounds in biology and ecology relies heavily upon time–frequency (TF) visualisation, most commonly using the short‐time Fourier transform (STFT) spectrogram. This method, however, has inherent bias towards either temporal or spectral details that can lead to misinterpretation of complex animal sounds. An ideal TF visualisation should accurately convey the structure of the sound in terms of both frequency and time, however, the STFT often cannot meet this requirement. We evaluate the accuracy of four TF visualisation methods (superlet transform [SLT], continuous wavelet transform [CWT] and two STFTs) using a synthetic test signal. We then apply these methods to visualise sounds of the Chagos blue whale, Asian elephant, southern cassowary, eastern whipbird, mulloway fish and the American crocodile. We show that the SLT visualises the test signal with 18.48%–28.08% less error than the other methods. A comparison between our visualisations of animal sounds and their literature descriptions indicates that the STFT's bias may have caused misinterpretations in describing pygmy blue whale songs and elephant rumbles. We suggest that use of the SLT to visualise low‐frequency animal sounds may prevent such misinterpretations. Finally, we employ the SLT to develop ‘BASSA’, an open‐source, GUI software application that offers a no‐code, user‐friendly tool for analysing short‐duration recordings of low‐frequency animal sounds for the Windows platform. The SLT visualises low‐frequency animal sounds with improved accuracy, in a user‐friendly format, minimising the risk of misinterpretation while requiring less technical expertise than the STFT. Using this method could propel advances in acoustics‐driven studies of animal communication, vocal production methods, phonation and species identification.
Evidence that spatial scale and environment factors explain grassland community assembly in woodland–grassland ecotones
Authors: Zheng Cheng , Shi Haijing , Wei Jiaqi , Cui Mengying , Lin Ziqi , Gao Yuan , Yuan Liuhuan , Wen Zhongming
Published: July 2024

How communities of living organisms assemble has long been a central question in ecology. The impact of habitat filtering and limiting similarity on plant community structures is well known, as both processes are influenced by individual responses to environmental fluctuations. Yet, the precise identifications and quantifications of the potential abiotic and biotic factors that shape community structures at a fine scale remains a challenge. Here, we applied null model approaches to assess the importance of habitat filtering and limiting similarity at two spatial scales. We used 63 natural vegetation plots, each measuring 5 × 5 m, with three nested subplots measuring 1 × 1 m, from the 2021 field survey, to examine the alpha diversity as well as beta diversity of plots and subplots. Linear mixed‐effects models were employed to determine the impact of environmental variables on assembly rules. Our results demonstrate that habitat filtering is the dominant assembly rules at both the plot and subplot levels, although limiting similarity assumes stronger at the subplot level. Plot‐level limiting similarity exhibited a positive association with fine‐scale partitioning, suggesting that trait divergence originated from a combination of limiting similarity and spatial partitioning. Our findings also reveal that the community assembly varies more strongly with the mean annual temperature gradient than the mean annual precipitation. This investigation provides a pertinent illustration of non‐random assembly rules from spatial scale and environmental factors in plant communities in the loess hilly region. It underscores the critical influence of spatial and environmental constraints in understanding the assembly of plant communities.
Strengths of fertilizer and litter effects on seedling recruitment and growth of grassland species differ depending on functional groups and seed size
Authors: Martin Sarah , Roscher Christiane
Published: July 2024

Agricultural grasslands play an important role in conserving the biodiversity of the European cultural landscape. Both, litter cover and soil nutrient availability, change with grassland management, but it is not well‐studied how seedling recruitment and growth of multiple grassland species are influenced by their single or combined effects. Therefore, we studied the effects of nitrogen fertilization (100 kg N per year and ha) and litter cover (250 gdw per m2) on seedling recruitment and growth of 75 temperate grassland species (16 graminoid species, 51 forb species, 8 legume species) in a full factorial microcosm experiment. Overall, fertilizer reduced seedling emergence, while litter cover increased it even when combined with fertilization. Fertilization increased seedling height and biomass, and the combination of fertilizer and litter resulted in even stronger responses. Litter cover alone did not influence seedling biomass or seedling height. While the overall direction of treatment effects was similar across functional groups, their strengths were mostly weaker in graminoids than in non‐legume forbs and legumes. Positive litter effects on seedling emergence were stronger in large‐seeded species. Positive fertilization effects on seedling growth were stronger in small‐seeded species, while their seedling biomass was negatively affected by litter cover. In summary, our results show for multiple grassland species that the combination of litter cover and fertilization modulates their single effects. The varying sensitivity of how grassland species representing different functional groups and seed sizes respond with their seedling emergence and growth to litter cover and nitrogen fertilization indicates that the consequences of land‐use change on grassland diversity and composition already start to manifest in the earliest stages of the plant life cycle.
Comparing the cost‐effectiveness of drones, camera trapping and passive acoustic recorders in detecting changes in koala occupancy
Authors: Beranek Chad T. , Southwell Darren , Jessop Tim S. , Hope Benjamin , Gama Veronica Fernandes , Gallahar Nicole , Webb Elliot , Law Brad , McIlwee Allen , Wood Jared , Roff Adam , Gillespie Graeme
Published: July 2024

Quantifying the cost‐effectiveness of alternative sampling methods is crucial for efficient biodiversity monitoring and detection of population trends. In this study, we compared the cost‐effectiveness of three novel sampling methods for detecting changes in koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) occupancy: thermal drones, passive acoustic recorders and camera trapping. Specifically, we fitted single‐season occupancy‐detection models to data recorded from 46 sites in eight bioregions of New South Wales, Australia, between 2018 and 2022. We explored the effect of weather variables on daily detection probability for each method and, using these estimates, calculated the statistical power to detect 30%, 50% and 80% declines in koala occupancy. We calculated power for different combinations of sites (1–200) and repeat surveys (2–40) and developed a cost model that found the cheapest survey design that achieved 80% power to detect change. On average, detectability of koalas was highest with one 24‐h period of acoustic surveys (0.32, 95% CI's: 0.26, 0.39) compared to a 25‐ha flight of drone surveys (0.28, 95% 0.15, 0.48) or a 24‐h period of camera trapping consisting of six cameras (0.019, 95% CI's: 0.014, 0.025). We found a negative quadratic relationship between detection probability and air temperature for all three methods. Our power and cost analysis suggested that 148 sites surveyed with acoustic recorders deployed for 14 days would be the cheapest method to sufficiently detect a 30% decline in occupancy with 80% power. We recommend passive acoustic recorders as the most efficient sampling method for monitoring koala occupancy compared to cameras or drones. Further comparative studies are needed to compare the relative effectiveness of these methods and others when the monitoring objective is to detect change in koala abundance over time.
Breeding pairs with color aberrations in oriental reed warblers
Authors: Ma Laikun , Pan Peng , Liu Wei , Hou Jianhua , Liang Wei
Published: July 2024

In 2017, one pair of Oriental reed warblers (Acrocephalus orientalis) with color aberrations was found in Yongnianwa National Wetland Park, Hebei, China. The female bird exhibited white feathers on the head, neck, and upper back, and the base of the beak was flesh‐red in color. The male had a few feathers on the outer edges of the left and right primary wing coverts that were white, which was determined to be leucism after analysis. The breeding pairs laid their first egg on May 29, with a clutch size of four eggs. After an incubation period of 13 days, two chicks hatched on June 13, 2017. The nest was found empty on June 20 when the chicks were 7 days old and before fledging age; therefore, it was presumed that the chicks had been predated. A white parrot egg was added to the nest during the incubation period to test the egg recognition ability of breeding pairs and was successfully rejected. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of color aberrations in the Oriental reed warbler, and we found that this color aberrations did not affect some reproductive and antiparasitic behaviors of the birds, but whether it affects their breeding success needs to be further studied.
Prediction of heart failure events based on physiologic sensor data in HINODE defibrillator patients
Authors: Nishii Nobuhiro , Sakata Yasushi , Murohara Toyoaki , Ando Kenji , Ikeda Takanori , Mitsuhashi Takeshi , Nogami Akihiko , Shimizu Wataru , Schwartz Torri , Kayser Torsten , Beaudoint Caroline , Aonuma Kazutaka ,   for HINODE Investigators
Published: July 2024

Aims

Hospitalizations are common in patients with heart failure and are associated with high mortality, readmission and economic burden. Detecting early signs of worsening heart failure may enable earlier intervention and reduce hospitalizations. The HeartLogic algorithm is designed to predict worsening heart failure using diagnostic data from multiple device sensors. The main objective of this analysis was to evaluate the sensitivity of the HeartLogic alert calculation in predicting worsening heart failure events (HFEs). We also evaluated the false positive alert rate (FPR) and compared the incidence of HFEs occurring in a HeartLogic alert state to those occurring out of an alert state.

Methods

The HINODE study enrolled 144 patients (81 ICD and 63 CRT‐D) with device sensor data transmitted via a remote monitoring system. HeartLogic alerts were then retrospectively simulated using relevant sensor data. Clinicians and patients were blinded to calculated alerts. Reported adverse events with HF symptoms were adjudicated and classified by an independent HFE committee. Sensitivity was defined as the ratio of the number of detected usable HFEs (true positives) to the total number of usable HFEs. A false positive alert was defined as an alert with no usable HFE between the alert onset date and the alert recovery date plus 30 days. The patient follow‐up period was categorized as in alert state or out of alert state. The event rate ratio was the HFE rate calculated in alert to out of alert.

Results

The patient cohort was 79% male and had an average age of 68 ± 12 years. This analysis yielded 244 years of follow‐up data with 73 HFEs from 37 patients. A total of 311 HeartLogic alerts at the nominal threshold (16) occurred across 106 patients providing an alert rate of 1.27 alerts per patient‐year. The HFE rate was 8.4 times greater while in alert compared with out of alert (1.09 vs. 0.13 events per patient‐year; P < 0.001). At the nominal alert threshold, 80.8% of HFEs were detected by a HeartLogic alert [95% confidence interval (CI): 69.9%–89.1%]. The median time from first true positive alert to an adjudicated clinical HFE was 53 days. The FPR was 1.16 (95% CI: 0.98–1.38) alerts per patient‐year.

Conclusions

Results suggest that signs of worsening HF can be detected successfully with remote patient follow‐up. The use of HeartLogic may predict periods of increased risk for HF or clinically significant events, allowing for early intervention and reduction of hospitalization in a vulnerable patient population.
Haemodynamic contributors to pulmonary hypertension across the spectrum of adult congenital heart disease
Authors: Reddy Yogesh N.V. , Miranda William R. , Jain Christopher C. , Borlaug Barry A. , Egbe Alexander C.
Published: July 2024

Aims

Adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) includes multiple disease states that predispose to pulmonary hypertension (PH). Haemodynamically, PH depends on abnormalities in three components: pulmonary blood flow (Qp), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and pulmonary venous pressure (PVP). We sought to evaluate the prevalence and prognostic impact of individual haemodynamic abnormalities in ACHD.

Methods and results

Retrospective study of ACHD patients undergoing cardiac catheterization at Mayo Clinic between 1999 and 2022 who were followed for the combined endpoint of death/heart transplantation. Among 1005 patients, 37% had mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) ≥25 mmHg with more systemic ventricular disease, cyanotic disease and shunt lesions, highest N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide and worse right heart remodelling/dysfunction. Among those with biventricular circulation, elevated PVP, PVR and mPAP were associated with prognosis, but not increased Qp >8 L/min. However, risk of death/transplant increased for PVR only at ≥3 Wood units (hazard ratio [HR] 3.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.17–4.15; p < 0.0001) and for mPAP only at ≥25 mmHg (HR 3.15, 95% CI 2.17–4.58; p < 0.0001), not at current recommended lower cutpoints. Combined abnormalities in PVP and PVR were associated with worst outcome (HR 5.20, 95% CI 3.55–7.63; p < 0.0001) with intermediate risk with either abnormality (HR 2.11, 95% CI 1.46–3.04; p < 0.0001). Findings were consistent across type of biventricular ACHD. Only with the Fontan (univentricular) circulation was a lower mPAP threshold (20 mmHg) associated with adverse outcomes.

Conclusions

Elevation of mPAP ≥25 mmHg in ACHD with a biventricular circulation is prognostically important regardless of disease phenotype, but milder PH of 21–25 mmHg is not associated with adverse outcome unless associated with Fontan circulation. Elevation in PVP >15 mmHg and PVR ≥3 Wood units were each individually associated with mortality with combined abnormalities associated with greatest risk. Categorizing PH in ACHD by haemodynamic mechanism (PVR, PVP or Qp) allows meaningful prognostication, and may allow more unified study of targeted therapies across heterogeneous disease states in ACHD.
Structural Consequences of Different Metal Compositions in the Doped Spin‐Crossover Crystals [FezM1−z(bpp)2][BF4]2 (M=Ni, Zn; bpp=2,6‐Bis{Pyrazol‐1‐yl}Pyridine)
Authors: Pask Christopher M. , Kulak Alexander N. , Halcrow Malcolm A.
Published: July 2024

Variable temperature crystallographic characterization of [FezZn1−z(bpp)2][BF4]2 (bpp=2,6‐bis{pyrazol‐1‐yl}pyridine; z=0.88, 0.72 and 0.27) and [FezNi1−z(bpp)2][BF4]2 (z=0.83, 0.72 and 0.32) is presented. Comparison with previously published data confirms the isothermal unit cell volume change during spin‐crossover (ΔVSCO) behaves differently in the Zn‐ and Ni‐doped crystals. For the FeZn crystals, the relationship between ΔVSCO and z is continuous for z≥0.3 but is steeper than expected, so ΔVSCO≈0 for z=0.27. In contrast ΔVSCO in the FeNi materials shows only a small variation between 0.83≥z≥0.46, before decreasing more strongly at higher dilution. ΔVSCO in each FeZn crystal is smaller than for its FeNi analogue with a similar composition. As well as the dopant ion ionic radius, the smaller ΔVSCO for the Zn‐doped materials reflects their T1/2 values, which are lower than for their FeNi counterparts. The contribution of T1/2 to this behavior is especially evident at high metal dilution.
Cleaner isolation and application of sustainable new novel source of natural dye from tallow laureal (Litsea glutinosa) for silk dyeing
Authors: Rehman Fazal‐ur , Qayyum Muhammad Abdul , Zainab Kinza , Adeel Shahid , Habib Noman , Mia Rony , Imran Muhammad , Nasir Sidra
Published: July 2024

The utilization of waste plant residues in useful work particularly as the source of green dyes in textiles is now a days welcoming by global community. In this study, brown bollygum chips (Litsea glutinosa) called tallow laurel has been explored for silk dyeing using ecofriendly approaches. Extraction has been done in suitable medium and utilized onto fabric before and after microwave (MW) treatment up to 10 min. Response surface methodology was employed to observe the significant of selected dyeing parameters at which shade development with improved colorfastness was observed. It was found that 2 min radiation to both acidic extract of tallow laureal and silk fabric is the useful condition to get colorfast shade when employed before and after mordanting with iron salt and tannic acid solution as eco‐chemical agent, whereas with walnut bark and pine nut hulls extract as eco bio agents. The highest color strength value of 4.58 was observed using tannic acid as postchemical mordant for silk dyeing. The standard methods for fastness as per ISO to light, washing, and rubbing reveal that using selected shades made under ecofriendly cost time and energy effective conditions, stable colorfast hues were rated good with the value of 4/5. Therefore, it is recommended that MW treatment in addition with statistical approach i.e., central composite design used for exploring new dye yielding plant, then using eco‐mordanting technique will help in getting promising colorfast shades.
The evolution of reaction to fire classification of materials: A case study of Canada
Authors: Sadaoui Amirouche , Dagenais Christian , Blanchet Pierre , Perez Cédric
Published: July 2024

Combustible and noncombustible notions have evolved with time, along with the associated fire tests by which legislation classifies building materials. New Zealand, Japan, and Europe are just some of the many legislations that have followed this evolution, except for North American regulations, which remain attached to methods dating back to 1944. To better understand this stagnation in North American practices, this document first traces the evolution of Canadian regulations on fire classification of materials. Then, a parallel is drawn with the evolution of reaction to fire tests mandated in the National Building Code of Canada. Finally, this paper will review the current fire classification of materials concerning the combustibility concept based on the Steiner tunnel test and the flame spread rating criteria. The analysis reveals that the relevance of the test and its results are questionable, and the reciprocity between test measurement and its classification does not always coincide. Despite the revisions made through time, the classification of materials based on their fire properties remains distinctly binary.
Contemporary considerations for nephrotoxin stewardship: Estimating kidney function and use of novel biomarkers
Authors: Kane‐Gill Sandra L. , Amatullah Nabihah , Tran Tiffany , Karimzadeh Iman
Published: July 2024

Drug‐associated acute kidney injury (D‐AKI) constitutes approximately 19%–26% of all acute kidney injury (AKI) cases in hospitalized patients. Notably, there is often a deficiency in optimal drug management after D‐AKI diagnosis, with only about half of the patients experiencing discontinuation of nephrotoxins and one‐fifth avoiding further nephrotoxin administration. Nephrotoxin stewardship involves the application of coordinated care management strategies to ensure the safe utilization of nephrotoxins and renally eliminated medications. The purpose of this paper is to review nephrotoxin stewardship strategies and highlight contemporary considerations for estimating kidney function and the use of novel biomarkers as part of the stewardship program. The Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKDEPI) 2021 serum creatinine formula is now recommended for estimating kidney function for adults in most clinical situations in the United States. It is time to reevaluate how healthcare professionals think of estimating kidney function for drug dosing with the use of the non‐indexed, race‐free, CKDEPI 2021 equation. In addition, widespread use of serum cystatin C (CysC) is anticipated so estimated glomerular filtration rate equations that incorporate serum CysC will need to be further evaluated for drug dosing recommendations and how the use of serum CysC can complement serum creatinine‐based equations. Lastly, novel kidney stress/damage biomarkers should be viewed as a piece of a complex scenario of D‐AKI prediction, diagnosis, and prognosis and should be interpreted along with other diagnostic criteria in relation to the clinical condition of the patient. These contemporary considerations for drug dosing and D‐AKI management are important components of nephrotoxin stewardship.
Pharmacists' role in combating medical misinformation
Authors: Harris Ila M. , Hilaire Michelle L. , Jeon Michelle , Kier Karen L. , Munir Faria M. , Carmon Alex S. , Maffei Melissa V. , Mukherjee S. Mimi , Osae Sharmon P.
Published: July 2024

Medical misinformation can pose serious threats to public health. This commentary explores the pharmacist's unique role in addressing and mitigating the impact of medical misinformation. Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to engage with other healthcare providers, patients, and communities to dispel myths, provide accurate information, and promote evidence‐based healthcare decision‐making. This commentary showcases examples of the multifaceted roles of pharmacists in combating medical misinformation. It explores various strategies and interventions that can be used by pharmacists, including patient education, effective communication, information dissemination, and community engagement. Pharmacists' interventions are often at the intersection of medication management and health information needs, making them integral in ensuring patients and providers make informed healthcare choices. Moreover, this commentary highlights the impact pharmacists can have as advocates for scientific rigor and evidence‐based practices within healthcare systems to educate against medical misinformation and discusses the need for continued education, training, and support for pharmacists to excel in their roles as healthcare educators and medication experts. Pharmacists have a role in countering medical misinformation when serving patients by providing information that empowers a more informed society.
The effect of an educational peer‐based intervention program on sexual and reproductive health behavior
Authors: Ogul Zeynep , Sahin Nevin Hotun
Published: July 2024

Introduction

The fact that adolescent people experience risky sexual behavior and have insufficient knowledge of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) indicates the need for SRH education. This study investigates the impact of peer‐educated SRH programs on the knowledge and behaviors of adolescents.

Method

This study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial on 275 university students. The subjects were randomly assigned to the peer educators (n = 25), intervention (n = 125) and control (n = 125) groups using systematic random sampling. Peer educators provided face‐to‐face SRH education to the intervention group. The researcher provided the same education to the control group via the online conference method. SRH knowledge and behavior evaluated with scales before, after, and 3 and 6 months after the SRH education. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 through statistical tests and analysis of covariance.

Results

The female and male ratio of the participants was almost equal (49.4%, 50.6%). The mean age was found to be 20.42 ± 1.14 years. The mean scores of the students in the intervention group increased from 21.20 ± 0.14 to 35.20 ± 0.07 for sexual health knowledge questionnaire (SHKQ), and from 130.56 ± 0.55 to 147,90 ± 0,25 for reproductive health scale (RHS) after the education. Compared with the control group, these increases in the mean scores of SHKQ and RHS were found to be statistically significant.

Conclusion

The findings show the important role of the SRH peer education method on the effect of transferring knowledge about sexual behaviors. Health and education policy‐makers are advised to implicate SRH peer education.
Anything goes for participant, patient and public involvement in youth mental health research
Authors: Bakermans‐Kranenburg Marian J. , van IJzendoorn Marinus H.
Published: July 2024

Background

Participant and Public Involvement in youth mental health research aims at making research more responsive to the needs of youth struggling with mental health issues, their parents, and mental health professionals and other stakeholders. Do characteristics of Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in youth mental health research align with transparency and replication prerequisites as necessary conditions for translation? Relatedly, the question is addressed whether co‐authorship should be assigned to youth involved in the study.

Methods

Here we address these questions re‐visiting 50 PPI studies included in two recent systematic reviews of PPI on characteristics that are pertinent to questions about transparency, replicability, translatability, and co‐authorship in PPI research.

Results

Almost two‐third of the studies on youth mental health incorporating PPI translate their results to policy or practice, mostly as recommendations but sometimes also by dissemination of (online) interventions. At the same time the authors of a substantial majority of the studies (70%) also suggest the need for further work on their results, for example, in randomized controlled trials to validate the outcome of their exploratory inquiry. Only a quarter of the studies using PPI met the conditions for replicability, thus a majority of the PPI studies suggest premature translation of results. Authorship to involved participants was assigned in 24% of the studies.

Conclusions

“Anything goes” for PPI in an exploratory stage to generate fruitful hypotheses. Translation of the findings of PPI studies however require a firm evidence base of replicated results. Radical merging of research and action in participatory action research seems incompatible with replicable and therefore translatable inquiry. Assigning co‐authorship to PPI representatives is often at odds with current guidelines for authorship. More evidence from randomized trials on the translational impact of PPI is needed before grant foundations should require PPI in grant proposals.
Cultural, demographic, and other non‐demographic factors associated with cancer genetic counseling patients' appointment accompaniment preferences in the United States
Authors: Lin Jonathan , Cantor Rita M. , Niell‐Swiller Mariana , Sayegh Philip , Palmer Christina G. S.
Published: July 2024

Although the presence of companion(s) in a genetic counseling session can positively influence session dynamics, research has found that some patients prefer to attend their appointments alone. To date, no studies have examined patient accompaniment preferences across different cultural groups in the context of genetic counseling. This quantitative study aimed to identify factors associated with individual preferences in accompaniment at cancer genetic counseling appointments in a sample (N = 130) of Hispanic/Latine (n = 29) and non‐Hispanic/Latine White (n = 101) participants at a large academic medical institution. Variables examined included demographics, horizontal and vertical collectivism, and Hispanic and American acculturation. A link to an online questionnaire was emailed to patients who met four criteria: (1) identified as either Hispanic/Latine or non‐Hispanic/Latine White; (2) had attended a cancer genetic counseling appointment at UCLA Health to discuss genetic testing options between October 2020 and December 2022; (3) were at least 18 years of age at the time of their appointment; and (4) indicated they were comfortable reading in Spanish or English; responses were anonymous. Logistic regression analyses identified four significant variables in the model associated with accompaniment preferences: individuals with at least one parent born outside of the US, those who attended their appointment in‐person, and those with a higher horizontal collectivism score were less likely to want to attend their cancer genetic counseling appointment alone, while the converse was true among those with a higher American acculturation score. These findings highlight cultural and demographic factors that are associated with patient accompaniment preferences unrelated to ethnicity, indicating genetic counselors should not make assumptions regarding accompaniment preferences based solely on cultural or racial/ethnic background. Genetic counselors should incorporate this understanding when assessing patients' accompaniment preferences.
Transfer learning‐based physics‐informed neural networks for magnetostatic field simulation with domain variations
Authors: Lippert Jonathan Rainer , von Tresckow Moritz , De Gersem Herbert , Loukrezis Dimitrios
Published: July 2024

Physics‐informed neural networks (PINNs) provide a new class of mesh‐free methods for solving differential equations. However, due to their long training times, PINNs are currently not as competitive as established numerical methods. A promising approach to bridge this gap is transfer learning (TL), that is, reusing the weights and biases of readily trained neural network models to accelerate model training for new learning tasks. This work applies TL to improve the performance of PINNs in the context of magnetostatic field simulation, in particular to resolve boundary value problems with geometrical variations of the computational domain. The suggested TL workflow consists of three steps. (a) A numerical solution based on the finite element method (FEM). (b) A neural network that approximates the FEM solution using standard supervised learning. (c) A PINN initialized with the weights and biases of the pre‐trained neural network and further trained using the deep Ritz method. The FEM solution and its neural network‐based approximation refer to an computational domain of fixed geometry, while the PINN is trained for a geometrical variation of the domain. The TL workflow is first applied to Poisson's equation on different 2D domains and then to a 2D quadrupole magnet model. Comparisons against randomly initialized PINNs reveal that the performance of TL is ultimately dependent on the type of geometry variation considered, leading to significantly improved convergence rates and training times for some variations, but also to no improvement or even to performance deterioration in other cases.
Droughts and heatwaves in the West African monsoon system
Authors: Ragatoa Dakéga Saberma , Amekudzi Leonard K. , Fink Andreas H. , Maranan Marlon , Klutse Nana Ama Browne , Edjame Kodjovi S. , Ogunjobi Kehinde O.
Published: July 2024

Heatwaves and droughts increasingly impact public health and societal system in a world subject to global warming. Several studies reported these phenomena all around the world, but there is a dearth of research specifically in West Africa. This study fills that gap by comparing heatwave/heat stress and drought occurrence in three climate zones (Guinea, Sudan and Sahel) of West Africa from 1981 to 2020. The analysis focuses on the comparison of station and gridded datasets. The Cumulative Excess Heat (CumHeat) and the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) are considered for heatwaves. For drought, the Standardized Precipitation (Evapotranspiration) Index SPI (SPEI) are used at 3‐, 6‐ and 12‐month scales. Both heatwave and drought characteristics are investigated as well as their co‐occurrence (D‐HW). The investigation reveals a good correlation between station and gridded datasets for drought indices. While station data records fewer and less intense heatwave, gridded data indicates longer‐lasting heat extremes. The study also demonstrates a strong agreement between the UTCI computed from the Rayman model and ERA5‐HEAT dataset, despite timing discrepancies, especially along the Guinea coast. The Sahel region is found to endure higher heat stress levels, with increasing intensity of heatwaves over time. Notably, the study uncovers an increasing frequency of compound D‐HW in all zones, especially the Sudan and Sahel zones, offering new insights into the climatic challenges faced by West Africa. These findings emphasize the critical need for improved planning and early warning systems (EWS) to mitigate the impacts of these climate extremes ecosystems and human health.
A new active packaging system based on chickpea‐based edible coatings added with microcapsules of Cosmos sulphureus Cav. flower extract
Authors: Camiletti Ornella F. , Prieto M. Cecilia , Bergesse Antonella E. , Vera Leonardo G. , Grosso Nelson R.
Published: July 2024

BACKGROUND

The Cosmos sulphureus Cav. plant is studied for its high polyphenolic content with antioxidant properties. Its flowers, rich in phenolic acids, flavonoids, and tannins, hold promise as antioxidants in food preservation. The inclusion of these compounds in chickpea‐based coatings with a previously studied preservative effect would be an excellent option as a food preservation method and microencapsulation addresses challenges like dispersion and degradation of polyphenols in the coating. The objective of this research was to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant activity of Cosmos sulphureus leaves, seed, and flower extracts and explore the protective effects of chickpea‐based coatings containing microcapsules of flower polyphenolic extract on the chemical quality of stored roasted sunflower seeds during storage.

RESULTS

The ethanolic leaf extract exhibited the highest antiradical activity, followed by the aqueous flower extract. After a storage period of 15 days, at 40 °C, the chickpea‐based coatings effectively delayed lipid oxidation in the roasted sunflowers seeds, and the inclusion of polyphenolic microcapsules with 0.01% extract (SMC 0.01%) in the coating significantly improved the protective effect. By day 15 of storage, SMC 0.01% showed comparable peroxide value, conjugated dienes, and linoleic acid content to samples containing the synthetic antioxidant BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene). Samples that only contained chickpea‐based coating and coating with polyphenolic microcapsules with 0.005% extract exhibited significantly greater reduction in fatty acid content compared to the 0.01% SMC treatment.

Conclusion

The chickpea‐based coating with polyphenolic microcapsules demonstrated antioxidant activity akin to synthetic BHT, offering a promising biopackaging solution for lipid‐rich foods like roasted sunflower seeds. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Extraction and physicochemical characterization of native and broiler chicken feet gelatin
Authors: Usman Muhammad , Sahar Amna , Aadil Rana Muhammad , Shahid Muhammad
Published: July 2024

BACKGROUND

Poultry processing generates a large amount of industrial waste, which is rich in collagen content. This waste can be utilized for the extraction of valuable components such as gelatin, which can be used as an alternative to mammalian gelatin (porcine and bovine).

RESULTS

Gelatins were analyzed for their yield, proximate analysis, pH, color, viscosity, bloom strength, and texture profile analysis. The yield of broiler chicken feet gelatin (BCFG) was slightly higher (7.93%) as compared to native chicken feet gelatin (NCFG) (7.06%). The protein content was 85.92% and 82.53% for BCFG and NCFG. Both gelatin had moisture content in the standard range (< 15) as given by Gelatin Manufacturers of Europe (GME). Both gelatins showed higher bloom strength (326 g for NCFG and 203 g for BCFG) at 6.67% gelatin concentration, classified as high bloom. Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) analysis showed amide I, amide A, amide B at 1636 cm−1, 3302 cm−1, 2945 cm−1 for NCFG and 1738 cm−1, 3292 cm−1, 2920 cm−1 for BCFG. At 6.67% gelatin concentration, hardness and cohesiveness values were also higher than commercial gelatin previously studied. The pH values for NCFG were 5.43 and BCFG was 5.31. Both NCFG and BCFG viscosities (4.43 and 3.85 cP) were in the optimum range of commercial gelatins (2–7 cP).

CONCLUSION

Hence, the present study concluded that both NCFG and BCFG have a huge potential to replace commercial mammalian gelatins (porcine and bovine) in the food industries. However further studies should be done to optimize the extraction process. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
The effects of acute versus repeated cannabidiol administration on trauma‐relevant emotional reactivity: A double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Gournay L. Riley , Ferretti Morgan L. , Nguyen Anna‐Marie , Bilsky Sarah , Shields Grant S. , Mann Eric , Williams Parker , Woychesin Sydney , Bonn‐Miller Marcel , Leen‐Feldner Ellen W.
Published: July 2024

Despite the widespread use and perceived efficacy of cannabidiol (CBD) as an anxiolytic, few controlled studies have evaluated the effects of CBD on anxiety‐relevant indications, and only one has done so in the context of trauma‐related symptoms. The current study was designed to address this gap in the literature. Participants were 42 trauma‐exposed individuals (Mage = 23.12 years, SDage = 6.61) who endorsed elevated stress. They were randomly assigned to take 300 mg of oral CBD or placebo daily for 1 week. Acute (i.e., following an initial 300 mg dose) and repeated (i.e., following 1 week of daily 300 mg dosing) effects of CBD were evaluated in relation to indicators of anxious arousal (i.e., anxiety, distress, heart rate) in response to idiographic trauma script presentation. The results of the current study suggest that relative to placebo, 300 mg CBD did not significantly reduce anxiety, B = 13.37, t(37) = 1.71, p = .096, d = 0.09, Bayes factor (BF10) = 0.54; distress, B = 15.20, t(37) = 1.31, p = .197, d = 0.07, BF10 = 0.51; or heart rate, B = ‐1.09, t(36) = ‐0.32, p = .755, d = 0.02, BF10 = 0.29, evoked by idiographic trauma script presentation in the context of acute or repeated administration. These data suggest that CBD may not effectively reduce trauma‐relevant emotional arousal; however, more work is needed to confidently assert such claims due to the small sample size. The current study extends the groundwork for additional studies in this important area.