bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variation in the skulls of Elgaria and Gerrhonotus (Anguidae, Gerrhonotinae) and implications for phylogenetics and fossil identification
Authors: Ledesma David T. , Scarpetta Simon G. , Bell Christopher J.
Published: July 2021

Background

There are limited data on intra- and interspecific osteological variation for many squamate clades. Those data are relevant for phylogenetic analyses that use osteological characters and for apomorphic identifications of fossils. We investigate whether morphological features in the skulls of extant gerrhonotine lizards can be used to distinguish taxa at the species- and genus-level and assess whether newly discovered intra- and interspecific osteological variation alters the utility of previously reported apomorphic features. We examined skulls of species belonging to the gerrhonotine genera Elgaria and Gerrhonotus. These genera contain 17 extant species, but the cranial osteology of only a few species was previously examined. As a result, intra- and interspecific osteological variation of these gerrhonotines is poorly understood.

Methods

We employed high-resolution x-ray computed tomography (CT) to scan 25 alcohol-preserved specimens. We provide data on the skulls of all eight species of Elgaria, four for the first time, and five species of Gerrhonotus, three for the first time. We examined 3-D reconstructed skulls of the scanned specimens as well as dry, traditionally prepared skeletons (when they were available).

Results

We found that the purported diagnostic utility of many previously described morphological features is impacted because of substantial morphological variation between and within species. We present an assessment of osteological differences that may be useful to differentiate species of Elgaria and Gerrhonotus, many of which are present on isolated cranial elements commonly recovered as fossils, including the premaxilla, maxilla, parietal, pterygoid, prootic, dentary, and surangular. We demonstrate the importance of documenting patterns of osteological variation using large sample sizes, and the utility of examining disarticulated cranial elements of the squamate skull to identify diagnostic morphology. This study adds to a growing body of literature suggesting that extensive documentation of morphological variation is needed to further our understanding of the phylogenetic and diagnostic utility of morphological features across vertebrate clades. Efforts in that direction likely will benefit from examination of disarticulated skeletal elements.
Comparative anatomy of the middle ear in some lizard species with comments on the evolutionary changes within Squamata
Authors: Sánchez-Martínez Paola María , Daza Juan D. , Hoyos Julio Mario
Published: July 2021

The skeleton of the middle ear of lizards is composed of three anatomical elements: columella, extracolumella, and tympanic membrane, with some exceptions that show modifications of this anatomy. The main function of the middle ear is transforming sound waves into vibrations and transmitting these to the inner ear. Most middle ear studies mainly focus on its functional aspects, while few describe the anatomy in detail. In lizards, the morphology of the columella is highly conservative, while the extracolumella shows variation in its presence/absence, size, and the number of processes present on the structure. In this work, we used diaphanized and double-stained specimens of 38 species of lizards belonging to 24 genera to study the middle ear’s morphology in a comparative framework. Results presented here indicate more variation in the morphology of the extracolumella than previously known. This variation in the extracolumella is found mainly in the pars superior and anterior processes, while the pars inferior and the posterior process are more constant in morphology. We also provide new information about the shape of gekkotan extracolumella, including traits that are diagnostic for the iguanid and gekkonid middle ear types. The data collected in this study were combined with information from published descriptive works. The new data included here refers to the length of the columella relative to the extracolumella central axis length, the general structure of the extracolumella, and the presence of the internal process. These characters were included in ancestral reconstruction analysis using Bayesian and parsimony approaches. The results indicate high levels of homoplasy in the variation of the columella-extracolumella ratio, providing a better understanding of the ratio variation among lizards. Additionally, the presence of four processes in the extracolumella is the ancestral state for Gekkota, Pleurodonta, and Xantusiidae, and the absence of the internal processes is the ancestral state for Gekkota, Gymnophthalmidae, and Scincidae; despite the fact that these groups convergently develop these character states, they could be used in combination with other characters to diagnose these clades. The posterior extension in the pars superior and an anterior process with some small and sharp projections is also a diagnostic trait for Gekkota. A more accurate description of each process of the extracolumella and its variation needs to be evaluated in a comprehensive analysis, including a greater number of species. Although the number of taxa sampled in this study is small considering the vast diversity of lizards, the results provide an overall idea of the amount of variation of the middle ear while helping to infer the evolutionary history of the lizard middle ear.
Change in mental health, physical health, and social relationships during highly restrictive lockdown in the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from Australia
Authors: Rogers Shane L. , Cruickshank Travis
Published: July 2021

Background

A novel coronavirus first reported in Wuhan City in China in 2019 (COVID-19) developed into a global pandemic throughout 2020. Many countries around the world implemented strict social distancing policies to curb the spread of the virus. In this study we aimed to examine potential change in mental/physical health and social relationships during a highly restrictive COVID-19 lockdown period in Australia during April 2020.

Methods

Our survey (n = 1, 599) included questions about concerns, social behaviour, perceived change in relationship quality, social media use, frequency of exercise, physical health, and mental health during COVID-19 lockdown (April, 2020).

Results

When estimating their mental health for the previous year 13% of participants reported more negative than positive emotion, whereas this increased to 41% when participants reflected on their time during COVID-19 lockdown. A substantial proportion (39–54%) of participants reported deterioration in mental health, physical health, financial situation, and work productivity. However, most of these participants reported ’somewhat’ rather than ’a lot’ of deterioration, and many others reported ’no change’ (40–50%) or even ’improvement’ (6–17%). Even less impact was apparent for social relationships (68% reported ’no change’) as participants compensated for decreased face-to-face interaction via increased technology-mediated interaction.

Conclusions

The psychological toll of COVID-19 on Australians may not have been as large as other parts of the world with greater infection rates. Our findings highlight how technology-mediated communication can allow people to adequately maintain social relationships during an extreme lockdown event.
Разнообразие и распространение вирусов клещевого энцефалита Балтийской группы, "Природа"
Authors: Девяткин А.А. , Бугмырин С.В. , Вакуленко Ю.А. , Лукашёв А.Н. , Карганова Г.Г.
Published: July 2021

Вирус клещевого энцефалита (ВКЭ) — возбудитель тяжелого заболевания, вызывающего поражения центральной нервной системы. Недавно мы определили последовательность фрагментов геномов ВКЭ, выделенных из иксодовых клещей, которые были собраны в Карелии в 2008–2018 гг. На одном небольшом по площади участке было выявлено генетическое разнообразие вирусов балтийской группы ВКЭ, которое сопоставимо с их разнообразием на огромной территории от Финляндии на западе до Челябинской области на востоке. Более того, разнообразие вирусов соизмеримо в каждом отдельном регионе. Иначе говоря, на обширной территории происходило и, возможно, продолжает происходить активное перемешивание вирусов. Наиболее правдоподобное объяснение тому — участие в распространении ВКЭ летающих животных (вероятнее всего — птиц).
От R-эвдиалитов к P-эвдиалитам, "Природа"
Authors: Расцветаева Р.К.
Published: July 2021

Цирконосиликат эвдиалит — не только один из наиболее сложных по составу и структуре, но и весьма загадочный минерал. Со времени своего открытия 200 лет назад он вызывает постоянный интерес исследователей. Уникальность и практическая значимость эвдиалитовых руд определяется их комплексностью. Они — источники редкоземельных и многих редких элементов, включая цирконий, гафний, титан и ниобий. Разнообразие химического состава, структуры и условий возникновения этого минерала приводит и к разнообразию его кристаллохимических свойств. В статье рассматриваются кристаллохимические особенности эвдиалита, образовавшегося в специфических условиях медленной кристаллизации при низких температурах на последних стадиях остывания остаточного расплава, что позволило составу упорядочиться по позициям структуры с понижением симметрии от ромбоэдрической до примитивной. В данной работе описывается эвдиалит, впервые изученный в рамках симметрии Р3, и информация, которая получена о его структуре, приближенной к реальной.
СРЕДНЕВЕКОВАЯ ВЛАСТЬ: НАЧАЛО (НА ПРИМЕРЕ РИМСКОЙ ИСПАНИИ), "Средние века"
Authors: Ауров Олег Валентинович
Published: July 2021

Обзор содержит общие соображения об особенностях начального этапа процесса становления властных структур средневекового типа на территории испанских провинций Западной Римской империи, который определяет политическое содержание эпохи Тулузского и Толедского королевств вестготов (начала V - начала VIII в.). Особое внимание уделяется причинам и характеру кризиса и деградации позднеримской системы власти, главным образом - гражданских общин полисного типа (муниципиев) как фундамента этой системы. Применительно к формирующимся средневековым институтам власти выделяются такие черты, как определяющее место вертикально организованных структур кланового типа и связанных с ними отношений господства и патроната, значимость роли христианской Церкви в системе публичной власти, политической идеологии, пропаганде и культуре, особые формы ее взаимоотношений с королевской властью в рамках модели позднеантичного цезарепапизма («вестготская симфония»), представление о Божественном происхождении власти правителей при опосредующей роли Церкви и некоторые другие. Подчеркивается, что в своих зрелых формах все эти особенности проявились много позднее начала VIII в. - времени падения Толедского королевства вестготов.
ПСИХОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ АСПЕКТЫ ЭФФЕКТИВНОГО ТЕРАПЕВТИЧЕСКОГО ВЗАИМОДЕЙСТВИЯ ВО ФТИЗИАТРИЧЕСКОМ СТАЦИОНАРЕ, "Вестник Центрального научно-исследовательского института туберкулеза"
Authors: Стрельцов В.В. , Харитонова Н.Ю. , Багдасарян Т.Р.
Published: July 2021

В обзоре рассмотрены психологические аспекты терапевтического взаимодействия во фтизиатрическом стационаре, значимые для повышения эффективности лечебного процесса. Позитивное и стабильное эмоциональное состояние пациентов обеспечивается реалистичным представлением о заболевании, прагматичным отношением к лечебному процессу и эмпатичным взаимодействием с помогающими специалистами. В материале представлены наиболее важные навыки и психологические компетенции лечащего врача-фтизиатра и клинического психолога, которые необходимы для снижения стрессовой нагрузки на пациентов и оптимизации их эмоционального состояния в период лечения.
Effect of Feeding Rate on the Growth and Nutrient Utilization of African Catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822) Juveniles
Authors: Fakolade A. N. , Bamigboye A.O. , Osazuwa D. K.
Published: July 2021

This study was conducted to examine the effect of feeding at different time intervals of the day on the growth efficiency of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus, Burchell 1822). Juveniles of African catfish Clarias gariepinus with an average weight of 16.0±0.20g were randomly stocked into four treatment groups (T1, T2, T3 and T4) at 10 fish per group using a completely randomized design (CRD). The treatment groups were T1 (Fish fed once daily), T2 (Fish fed twice), T3 (Fish fed Thrice daily) and T4 (Fish fed four times daily). They were all fed 3% of their body weight. Data obtained was analysed using Genstat package while means where separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test. The result of the study showed that the highest weight gains of 104.49g was recorded in Treatment 3, this was followed by Treatment 2 with a mean weight gain value of 92.42g. The least value of weight gain (76.74g) was recorded in Treatment 1. Also, the highest feed intake value of 142.83g was recorded in Treatment 3, this was followed by Treatment 2 with a mean feed intake value of 135.12g. The least value of feed intake (112.95g) was recorded in Treatment 1. The feed conversion ratio and Protein Efficiency ratio (PER) also followed similar trend as that of weight gain and feed intake. The highest PER value of 2.10 was recorded in Treatment 3, this was followed by Treatment 2 with a mean PER value of 1.69. The least PER value (1.39) was recorded in Treatment 4. ANOVA showed that there was significance difference (P<0.05) in the PER value between Treatment 1, 2 and 3. However, Treatment 1 was not significantly different (P>0.05) from Treatment 4. At the end of the Study, three times feeding per day was found to be sufficient for maximum growth as it recorded the highest value for growth parameters monitored and was significantly different from other treatments.
Samade Probability Distribution: Its Properties and Application to Real Lifetime Data
Authors: Aderoju Samuel
Published: July 2021

A new two-parameter lifetime distribution has been proposed in this study. The distribution is called Samade distribution. The model is motivated by the wide use of the lifetime models derived from the mixture of gamma and exponential distributions. Its mathematical properties which include the first four moments, variance as well as coefficient of variation, reliability function, hazard function, survival function, Renyi entropy measure and distribution of order statistics have been successfully derived. The maximum likelihood estimation of its parameters and application to real life data have been discussed. Application of this model to three real datasets shown that the proposed model yields a satisfactorily better fit than other existing lifetime distributions. The comparism of goodness-of-fits were established using -2Loglikelihood, AIC and BIC.
Determining the effect of Magnesium Sulfate on Doppler Parameters of Fetal Umbilical and Middle Cerebral Arteries in Women with Severe Preeclampsia: A Prospective Study
Authors: Okab Osama M. , Omar Mona K. , Mashaly Emaad M. , El-kholy Dina G.
Published: July 2021

Background: Preeclampsia is best described as a pregnancy-specific syndrome that can affect every organ system. Although preeclampsia is much more than simply gestational hypertension with proteinuria, appearance of proteinuria remains an important objective diagnostic criterion. The aim of this study is to evaluate Doppler velocimetric parameters (resistance index [RI], pulsatility index [PI], and systolic/diastolic [S/D] ratio) of the umbilical and middle cerebral arteries before and after magnesium sulfate administration in pregnant women with severe preeclampsia.

Methods: This prospective study had been included 25 women from the emergency department and Obstetrics outpatient clinic Tanta University. Resistance index [RI], pulsatility index [PI] and systolic/ diastolic [S/D] ratio of middle cerebral artery and umbilical artery before and 20 minutes after intravenous administration of 6 grams of magnesium sulfate (loading dose).

Results: The maternal age of cases included in the study ranged between 18 year and 40 year with a mean age of 32.03±6.1. The gravidity of cases included in the study ranged between 1 and 5 with a mean of 2.01±1.03.The parity of cases included in the study ranged between 0 and 6 with a mean of 2.18±1.04.The number of abortions ranged between 0 and 3whith a mean of 0.61±0.03. The serum level of ALT ranged between 11 and 104 mEq/L with a mean of 49.12±27.81. The serum level of AST ranged between 13 and 84 mEq/L with a mean of 42.5±20.17. The resistance index (RI) before MgSo4 administration ranged between 0.45 and 1.0 with a mean of 0.65 ± 0.15while it ranged between 0.4 and 0.9 after MgSo4 administration with a mean of 0.63± 0.13 .There was statistical significant differences between them (p<0.001). The pulsatility index (PI) before MgSo4 administration ranged between 0.6 and 2.15 with a mean of 1.15±0.45 while it ranged between 0.5 and 0.2 after MgSo4 administration with a mean of 1.04± 0.45 .There was statistical significant differences between them (p<0.001) .

Conclusions: Infusion of MgSO4 significantly decreases the fetal RI-umbilical and PI-MCA and increases C/U ratio indices obtained with color Doppler ultrasound evaluations.
Recommender System for Term Deposit Likelihood Prediction using Cross-validated Neural Network
Authors: Dutta Shawni , Bandyopadhyay Samir Kumar
Published: July 2021

For enhancing the maximized profit from bank as well as customer perspective, term deposit can accelerate finance fields. This paper focuses on likelihood of term deposit subscription taken by the customers. Bank campaign efforts and customer details are influential while considering possibilities of taking term deposit subscription. An automated system is provided in this paper that approaches towards prediction of term deposit investment possibilities in advance. Neural network along with stratified 10-fold cross-validation methodology is proposed as predictive model which is later compared with other benchmark classifiers such as k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN), Decision tree classifier (DT), and Multi-layer perceptron classifier (MLP). Experimental study concluded that proposed model provides significant prediction results over other baseline models with an accuracy of 88.32% and MSE of 0.1168.
Influence of Operational Parameters on Photocatalytic Degradation of Linuron in Aqueous TiO2 Pillared Montmorillonite Suspension
Authors: Hadj Bachir D. , Boutoumi Hocine , Khalaf H. , Eloy Pierre , Schnee J. , Gaigneaux E. M.
Published: July 2021

TiO2 pillared clay was prepared by intercalation of titan polyoxocation into interlamelar space of an Algerian montmorillonite and used for the photocatalytic degradation of the linuron herbicide as a target pollutant in aqueous solution. The TiO2 pillared montmorillonite (Mont-TiO2) was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), X-Ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), Fourier transformed infra-red (FT-IR), specific area and porosity determinations. This physicochemical characterization pointed to successful TiO2 pillaring of the clay. The prepared material has porous structure and exhibit a good thermal stability as indicated by its surface area after calcination by microwave. The effects of operating parameters such as catalyst loading, initial pH of the solution and the pollutant concentration on the photocatalytic efficiency and COD removal  were evaluated. Under initial pH of the solution around seven, pollutant concentration of 10 mg/L and 2.5 g/L of catalyst at room temperature, the degradation efficiency and COD removal of linuron was best then the other operating conditions. It was observed that operational parameters play a major role in the photocatalytic degradation process. Copyright © 2021 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Avoiding Psychiatric Disability Overdiagnosis, Part 1: General Disability and Occupational Disability—Going Beyond Medical Impairment Assessments
Authors: Gagnon Fabien , Kertay Les
Published: July 2021

Claims of occupational psychiatric disability have increased considerably over the past 20 years. To avoid psychiatric disability overdiagnosis, it is important to improve the clinical assessment of mental health work disability. This article discusses general disability issues and their impact on individual well-being, social participation, and frequently associated poverty. It defines the difference between impairment assessment and disability assessment, explores three common disability models, and raises issues about psychiatric disability and its potential overdiagnosis.
Acceptance procedure for the linear accelerator component of the 1.5 T MRI‐linac
Authors: Woodings Simon J. , de Vries J. H. Wilfred , Kok Jan M. G. , Hackett Sara L. , van Asselen Bram , Bluemink Johanna J. , van Zijp Helena M. , van Soest Theo L. , Roberts David A. , Lagendijk Jan J. W. , Raaymakers Bas W. , Wolthaus Jochem W. H.
Published: July 2021

Purpose

To develop and implement an acceptance procedure for the new Elekta Unity 1.5 T MRI‐linac.

Methods

Tests were adopted and, where necessary adapted, from AAPM TG106 and TG142, IEC 60976 and NCS 9 and NCS 22 guidelines. Adaptations were necessary because of the atypical maximum field size (57.4 × 22 cm), FFF beam, the non‐rotating collimator, the absence of a light field, the presence of the 1.5 T magnetic field, restricted access to equipment within the bore, fixed vertical and lateral table position, and the need for MR image to MV treatment alignment. The performance specifications were set for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).

Results

The new procedure was performed similarly to that of a conventional kilovoltage x‐ray (kV) image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) linac. Results were acquired for the first Unity system.

Conclusions

A comprehensive set of tests was developed, described and implemented for the MRI‐linac. The MRI‐linac met safety requirements for patients and operators. The system delivered radiation very accurately with, for example a gantry rotation locus of isocenter of radius 0.38 mm and an average MLC absolute positional error of 0.29 mm, consistent with use for SBRT. Specifications for clinical introduction were met.
Accuracy of proton stopping power estimation of silicone breast implants with single and dual‐energy CT calibration techniques
Authors: Chacko Michael S. , Grewal Hardev S. , Wu Dee , Sonnad Jagadeesh R.
Published: July 2021

A major contributing factor to proton range uncertainty is the conversion of computed tomography (CT) Hounsfield Units (HU) to proton relative stopping power (RSP). This uncertainty is elevated with implanted devices, such as silicone breast implants when computed with single energy CT (SECT). In recent years, manufacturers have introduced implants with variations in gel cohesivity. Deriving the RSP for these implants from dual‐energy CT (DECT) can result in a marked reduction of the error associated with SECT. In this study, we investigate the validity of DECT calibration of HU to RSP on silicone breast implants of varying cohesivity levels. A DECT capable scanner was calibrated using the stoichiometric method of Bourque et al for SECT and DECT using a tissue substitute phantom. Three silicone breast implants of increasing gel cohesivity were measured in a proton beam of clinical energy to determine ground‐truth RSP and water equivalent thickness (WET). These were compared to SECT‐derived RSP at three CT spectrum energies and DECT with two energy pairs (80/140 kVp and 100/140 kVp) as obtained from scans with and without an anthropomorphic phantom. The RSP derived from parameters estimates from CT vendor‐specific software (syngo.via) was compared. The WET estimates from SECT deviated from MLIC ground truth approximately +11%–19%, which would result in overpenetration if used clinically. Both the Bourque calibration and syngo.via WET estimates from DECT yielded error ≤0.5% from ground truth; no significant difference was found between models of varying gel cohesivity levels. WET estimates without the anthropomorphic phantom were significantly different than ground truth for the Bourque calibration. From these results, gel cohesivity had no effect on proton RSP. User‐generated DECT calibration can yield comparably accurate RSP estimates for silicone breast implants to vendor software methods. However, care must be taken to account for beam hardening effects.
Effects of simvastatin on white matter integrity in healthy middle‐aged adults
Authors: Vogt Nicholas M. , Hunt Jack F. V. , Ma Yue , Van Hulle Carol A. , Adluru Nagesh , Chappell Richard J. , Lazar Karen K. , Jacobson Laura E , Austin Benjamin P. , Asthana Sanjay , Johnson Sterling C. , Bendlin Barbara B. , Carlsson Cynthia M.
Published: July 2021

Background

The brain is the most cholesterol‐rich organ and myelin contains 70% of total brain cholesterol. Statins are potent cholesterol‐lowing medications used by millions of adults for prevention of vascular disease, yet the effect of statins on cholesterol‐rich brain white matter (WM) is largely unknown.

Methods

We used longitudinal neuroimaging data acquired from 73 healthy, cognitively unimpaired, statin‐naïve, middle‐aged adults during an 18‐month randomized controlled trial of simvastatin 40 mg daily (n = 35) or matching placebo (n = 38). ANCOVA models (covariates: age, sex,APOE‐ɛ4) tested the effect of treatment group on percent change in WM, gray matter (GM), and WM hyperintensity (WMH) neuroimaging measures at each study visit. Mediation analysis tested the indirect effects of simvastatin on WM microstructure through change in serum total cholesterol levels.

Results

At 18 months, the simvastatin group showed a significant preservation in global WM fractional anisotropy (β = 0.88%, 95% CI 0.27 to 1.50,P = 0.005), radial diffusivity (β = −1.10%, 95% CI −2.13 to −0.06,P = 0.039), and WM volume (β = 0.72%, 95% CI 0.13 to 1.32,P = 0.018) relative to the placebo group. There was no significant effect of simvastatin on GM or WMH volume. Change in serum total cholesterol mediated approximately 30% of the effect of simvastatin on WM microstructure.

Conclusions

Simvastatin treatment in healthy, middle‐aged adults resulted in preserved WM microstructure and volume at 18 months. The partial mediation by serum cholesterol reduction suggests both peripheral and central mechanisms. Future studies are needed to determine whether these effects persist and translate to cognitive outcomes.

Trial Registration

NCT00939822 (ClinicalTrials.gov).
Designing Tubular Architectures Composed of Hollow N‐Doped Carbon Polyhedrons for Improved Supercapacitance
Authors: Xu Hai , Yao Zhenjie , Gong Yujiao , Dai Henghan , Yu Chenyang , Qin Gang , Zhou Jinyuan , Chen Qiang , Liu Xiang , Sun Gengzhi
Published: July 2021

Despite great efforts that have been made to develop high performance carbonaceous materials via structure design for charge storage applications, constructing tubular architectures composed of hierarchically nanoscale building units is challenging due to the lack of suitable synthetic method. Herein, using zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (ZIF‐8) as the self‐template and electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers as the sacrificial core, hierarchically tubular architectures composed of hollow N‐doped carbon polyhedrons (T‐HNCPs) are successfully obtained. Due to its unique structural characteristics and the merit of N‐doping, the as‐prepared T‐HNCPs electrode with much open structure (average pore size of ≈2.38 nm and specific surface area of 1302.5 m2 g−1) exhibits improved specific gravimetric capacitances of 351.2 and 230.4 F g−1 at 1 and 20 A g−1 (corresponding to 65.6% retention), respectively, together with outstanding charge/discharge stability.
Self‐Powered Organic Electrochemical Transistors with Stable, Light‐Intensity Independent Operation Enabled by Carbon‐Based Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Surendran Abhijith , Chen Shuai , Lew Jia Haur , Wu Xihu , Koh Teck Ming , Leong Wei Lin
Published: July 2021

Wearable sensors and electronics for health and environment monitoring are mostly powered by batteries or external power supply, which requires frequent charging or bulky connecting wires. Self‐powered wearable electronic devices realized by integrating with solar cells are becoming increasingly popular due to their ability to supply continuous and long‐term energy to power wearable devices. However, most of the solar cells are vulnerable to significant power losses with decreasing light intensity in indoor environment, leading to an errant device operation. Therefore, stable autonomous energy in a reliable and repeatable way without affecting their operation regime is critical to attaining accurate detection behaviours of electronic devices. Herein, we demonstrate, for the first time, a self‐powered ion‐sensing organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) using carbon electrode‐based perovskite solar cells (CPSCs), which exhibits highly stable device operation and independent of the incident light intensity. The organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) powered by CPSCs maintained a constant transconductance (gm) of ≈60.50 ± 1.44 µS at light intensities ranging from 100 to 0.13 mW cm−2. Moreover, this self‐powered integrated system showed good sodium ion sensitivity of −69.77 mV decade−1, thereby highlighting its potential for use in portable, wearable, and self‐powered sensing devices.
Dendritic Interfacial Exciplex Hosts for Solution‐Processed TADF‐OLEDs with Power Efficiency Approaching 100 lm W−1
Authors: Chen Liang , Lv Jianhong , Wang Shumeng , Shao Shiyang , Wang Lixiang
Published: July 2021

Two kinds of interfacial exciplex hosts formed between a dendritic oligocarbazole donor (H2) and two pyridine‐containing isomeric acceptors (B4PyMPM and B3PyMPM) are developed for solution‐processed thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs). The exciplex hosts exhibit small singlet−triplet energy splitting (90–110 meV) and distinct TADF effect which can convert triplet excitons into singlet ones and thus are beneficial for alleviating the triplet annihilation process. Notably, it is found that a small structural variation of acceptor from B4PyMPM (para‐linked pyridyl units) to B3PyMPM (meta‐linked pyridyl units) has a significant effect on enhancing carrier balance between donor and acceptor layers of interfacial exciplex, leading to greatly improved electroluminescent efficiency for the resultant devices. Solution‐processed TADF‐OLEDs based on H2/B3PyMPM interfacial exciplex host achieve the maximum power efficiency (PE) of 95.0 lm W−1 (85.5 cd A−1, 26.4 %), which is much better than that of H2/B4PyMPM devices (69.9 lm W−1) and represents the record PE for solution‐processed TADF‐OLEDs.
Colon‐Targeted Adhesive Hydrogel Microsphere for Regulation of Gut Immunity and Flora
Authors: Liu Hua , Cai Zhengwei , Wang Fei , Hong Liwen , Deng Lianfu , Zhong Jie , Wang Zhengting , Cui Wenguo
Published: July 2021

Intestinal immune homeostasis and microbiome structure play a critical role in the pathogenesis and progress of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), whereas IBD treatment remains a challenge as the first‐line drugs show limited therapeutic efficiency and great side effect. In this study, a colon‐targeted adhesive core–shell hydrogel microsphere is designed and fabricated by the ingenious combination of advanced gas‐shearing technology and ionic diffusion method, which can congregate on colon tissue regulating the gut immune‐microbiota microenvironment in IBD treatment. The degradation experiment indicates the anti‐acid and colon‐targeted property of the alginate hydrogel shell, and the in vivo imaging shows the mucoadhesive ability of the thiolated‐hyaluronic acid hydrogel core of the microsphere, which reduces the systematic exposure and prolongs the local drug dwell time. In addition, both in vitro and in vivo study demonstrate that the microsphere significantly reduces the secretion of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, induces specific type 2 macrophage differentiation, and remarkably alleviates colitis in the mice model. Moreover, 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing reveals an optimized gut flora composition, probiotics including Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus significantly augment, while the detrimental communities are inhibited, which benefits the intestinal homeostasis. This finding provides an ideal clinical candidate for IBD treatment.
Nanoporous Iridium Nanosheets for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Electrolysis
Authors: Chatterjee Swarnendu , Peng Xiong , Intikhab Saad , Zeng Guosong , Kariuki Nancy N. , Myers Deborah J. , Danilovic Nemanja , Snyder Joshua
Published: July 2021

The growth of the hydrogen economy is predicated on advancements in electrochemical energy technologies, with water electrolysis as a key component to the technological portfolio. Much of the focus on anode catalyst development for polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWE) is centered on activity as controlled by compositional and morphological impacts on reactant/intermediate/product adsorption. However, the effectiveness of this strategy is found to be limited upon integration of these materials into PEMWE membrane electrode assemblies (MEA). Regardless of catalyst activity, the combination of electrode inhomogeneity, ionomer integration, and high density of oxide–oxide interfaces yields significant performance losses associated with poor catalytic electrode conductivity. Here many of these limitations are addressed through the development of a unique catalyst morphology composed of nanoporous Ir nanosheets (npIrx‐NS) that exhibit high catalytic activity for the anodic oxygen evolution reaction and superior electrode electronic conductivity in comparison to a commercial IrO2 nanoparticle catalyst. The utility of the npIrx‐NS is demonstrated through incorporation into PEMWE MEAs where their performance exceeds that of commercial catalyst coated membranes at loadings as low as 0.06 mgIr cm−2 while exhibiting a negligible loss in performance following 50 000 accelerated stress test cycles.
From “no clear winner” to an effective Explainable Artificial Intelligence process: An empirical journey
Authors: Dodge Jonathan , Anderson Andrew , Khanna Roli , Irvine Jed , Dikkala Rupika , Lam Kin‐Ho , Tabatabai Delyar , Ruangrotsakun Anita , Shureih Zeyad , Kahng Minsuk , Fern Alan , Burnett Margaret
Published: July 2021

“In what circumstances would you want this AI to make decisions on your behalf?” We have been investigating how to enable a user of an Artificial Intelligence‐powered system to answer questions like this through a series of empirical studies, a group of which we summarize here. We began the series by (a) comparing four explanation configurations of saliency explanations and/or reward explanations. From this study we learned that, although some configurations had significant strengths, no one configuration was a clear “winner.” This result led us to hypothesize that one reason for the low success rates Explainable AI (XAI) research has in enabling users to create a coherent mental model is that the AI itself does not have a coherent model. This hypothesis led us to (b) build a model‐based agent, to compare explaining it with explaining a model‐free agent. Our results were encouraging, but we then realized that participants' cognitive energy was being sapped by having to create not only a mental model, but also a process by which to create that mental model. This realization led us to (c) create such a process (which we term After‐Action Review for AI or “AAR/AI”) for them, integrate it into the explanation environment, and compare participants' success with AAR/AI scaffolding vs without it. Our AAR/AI studies' results showed that AAR/AI participants were more effective assessing the AI than non‐AAR/AI participants, with significantly better precision and significantly better recall at finding the AI's reasoning flaws.
Examining Support for University‐to‐Police Reporting Policies for Sexual Assault: The Role of Survivors’ Consent
Authors: Holland Kathryn J. , Cipriano Allison E. , Goodman‐Williams Rachael , Diede Alex S.
Published: July 2021

In several states, bills have been introduced that require universities to report sexual assaults to law enforcement. Opponents argue that such policies can compel survivors to disclose against their will, stripping survivors of autonomy and harming campus communities. We used a mixed method approach to examine people’s support for reporting policies that do and do not consider survivor consent: compelled police disclosure (requires a report regardless of victim consent) and consented police disclosure (requires a report if the victim consents). We examined individual characteristics and attitudes associated with support for these approaches (i.e., had experienced sexual assault, trust in police). Participants (1,045 adults in the United States) were randomly assigned to read one of three policy statements, and we collected quantitative and qualitative survey data. Participants were less supportive of compelled police disclosure than consented police disclosure. People who supported compelled disclosure frequently focused on the crime and potential social benefits, were more likely to be non‐victims, and held greater trust in the police. People who supported consented disclosure focused on the victim’s needs, were more likely to be survivors, and held less trust in the police. Survivor consent should be considered in the discussion of university‐to‐police reporting policies for sexual assault.
Impact of healthcare services on thyroid cancer incidence among World Trade Center‐exposed rescue and recovery workers
Authors: Goldfarb David G. , Colbeth Hilary L. , Skerker Molly , Webber Mayris P. , Prezant David J. , Dasaro Christopher R. , Todd Andrew C. , Kristjansson Dana , Li Jiehui , Brackbill Robert M. , Farfel Mark R. , Cone James E. , Yung Janette , Kahn Amy R. , Qiao Baozhen , Schymura Maria J. , Boffetta Paolo , Hall Charles B. , Zeig‐Owens Rachel
Published: July 2021

Background

A recent study of World Trade Center (WTC)‐exposed firefighters and emergency medical service workers demonstrated that elevated thyroid cancer incidence may be attributable to frequent medical testing, resulting in the identification of asymptomatic tumors. We expand on that study by comparing the incidence of thyroid cancer among three groups: WTC‐exposed rescue/recovery workers enrolled in a New York State (NYS) WTC‐medical monitoring and treatment program (MMTP); WTC‐exposed rescue/recovery workers not enrolled in an MMTP (non‐MMTP); and the NYS population.

Methods

Person‐time began on 9/12/2001 or at enrollment in a WTC cohort and ended at death or on 12/31/2015. Cancer data were obtained through linkages with 13 state cancer registries. We used Poisson regression to estimate rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for MMTP and non‐MMTP participants. NYS rates were used as the reference. To estimate potential changes over time in WTC‐associated risk, change points in RRs were estimated using profile likelihood.

Results

The thyroid cancer incidence rate among MMTP participants was more than twice that of NYS population rates (RR = 2.31; 95% CI = 2.00–2.68). Non‐MMTP participants had a risk similar to NYS (RR = 0.96; 95% CI = 0.72–1.28). We observed no change points in the follow‐up period.

Conclusion

Our findings support the hypothesis that no‐cost screening (a benefit provided by WTC‐MMTPs) is associated with elevated identification of thyroid cancer. Given the high survival rate for thyroid cancer, it is important to weigh the costs and benefits of treatment, as many of these cancers were asymptomatic and may have been detected incidentally.
Snakebite and local envenomation by Boiruna maculata treated without antivenom
Authors: Terashige Shou , Nishiyama Takashi , Takeshima Shigeto , Hatanaka Kosuke , Sugiura Takao , Sasa Ruka , Higashiyama Daishi , Tanaka Fumika
Published: July 2021

Background

When snake breeders are bitten by rare snakes, deciding whether to administer snake antivenom can be challenging.

Case Presentation

A 50‐year‐old man was bitten on the right finger by Boiruna maculata. The next day, his right upper limb exhibited pronounced local manifestations of envenomation. At the first consultation, a dark purple bleeding spot and a necrotic site were present under the fang marks at the bitten finger and his affected limb showed extensive swelling and redness. Snake antivenom was not administered because it was difficult to identify the snake and obtain the antivenom. We performed the pressure immobilization technique to his limb. The patient’s symptoms peaked in severity on the second day of illness. He was discharged with marked improvement.

Conclusions

We have experienced a case of snakebite envenomation by Boiruna maculata.
The effect of prehospital intravenous access in traumatic shock: a Japanese nationwide cohort study
Authors: Nagasawa Hiroki , Shibahashi Keita , Omori Kazuhiko , Yanagawa Youichi
Published: July 2021

Aim

We aimed to evaluate effect of prehospital intravenous (IV) access on mortality in traumatic shock using a large nationwide dataset.

Methods

We used the Japan Trauma Data Bank to identify adults (≥18 years) with a systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg at the trauma scene and were directly transported to the hospital between 2010 and 2019. We compared patients who had prehospital IV access (IV (+)) or not (IV (−)), using propensity score‐matched analysis, and 1:1 nearest‐neighbor matching without replacement. Standardized mean difference was used to evaluate the match balance between the two matched groups; a standardized mean difference >0.1 was considered a significant imbalance. Primary outcome was 72‐h mortality.

Results

Propensity scores matching generated 479 pairs from 5,857 patients. No significant between group differences occurred in 72‐h mortality (7.8 versus 8.8%; difference, −1.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −2.5–4.5%), 28‐day mortality (11.8 versus 11.3%; 95% CI: −4.6–3.6%), blood transfusion administration within 24 h (55.3 versus 49.1%; 95% CI: −0.1–12.6%), prehospital time (56.3 versus 53.0 min; 95% CI: −1.8–8.4 min), and cardiopulmonary arrest on hospital arrival (1.3 versus 1.3%; 95% CI: −1.4–1.4%). However, significantly higher systolic blood pressure on hospital arrival was found in the IV (+) than in the IV (−) group (104.6 versus 100.1 mm Hg; 95% CI: 0.3‐8.7 mm Hg).

Conclusion

We found no significant effect of establishing IV access in the prehospital setting on survival outcomes of patients with traumatic shock.
Synthesis of mononuclear and dinuclear palladium (II) complexes containing oxadithioether ligands and their catalytic activities in norbornene polymerization
Authors: Suslov Dmitry S. , Abramov Zorikto D. , Babenko Ilya A. , Bezborodov Viktor A. , Borodina Tatyana N. , Bykov Mikhail V. , Pakhomova Marina V. , Smirnov Vladimir I. , Suchkova Anastasia V. , Ratovskii Gennadii V. , Ushakov Igor A. , Vilms Alexey I.
Published: July 2021

The Pd (II) complexes trans‐[PdCl2(μ‐L)]2 and [Pd(acac)(L)][BF4] (L = RS(CH2)2O(CH2)2SR, R = Me, Et, nPr, iPr, nBu, iBu, n‐hexyl, benzyl) were obtained through the reaction of Pd(cod)Cl2 or [Pd(acac)(MeCN)2][BF4] with one equivalent of oxadithioether (L). The structural features of these complexes were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), as well as electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry and density functional theory calculations. The complexes di‐μ‐(2,10‐dimethyl‐6‐oxa‐3,9‐dithiaundecane‐κ2S,S′)‐bis[trans‐dichloropalladium (II)] and (acetylacetonate‐κ2O,O′)(2,10‐dimethyl‐6‐oxa‐3,9‐dithiaundecane‐κ2S,S′)palladium (II) tetrafluoroborate were characterized by X‐ray diffractometry. The X‐ray structures of each complex indicate an axial M–O interaction formed by the endodentate conformation of the oxadithioether ligand. Palladium (II) dichloride complexes with oxadithioethers were demonstrated to have a 16‐membered dinuclear structure with a trans‐configured S2PdCl2 fragment. In the case of cationic palladium acetylacetonate complexes, only mononuclear complexes with a cis configuration of the oxadithioether fragment were observed. Variable temperature 1H and 13C NMR studies of the complexes demonstrate dynamic bonding of the oxadithioether ligands consistent with the presence of diastereoisomers that differ in the orientation of the S‐R groups along with both endodentate and exodentate bonding modes in solution. FTIR studies of the complexes indicate the presence of isomers in the solid state. The palladium catalyst precursors trans‐[PdCl2(μ‐L)]2 and [Pd (acac)(L)][BF4] were found to be active in the addition polymerization of norbornene. In the presence of cocatalysts, such as diisobutylaluminum chloride and boron trifluoride etherate, Pd (II) complexes exhibited activities in the range of 105 to 107 g of polymer (mol of Pd)−1 h−1. The catalyst systems showed good thermostability with a high activity of 1.43 × 107 g of polymer (mol of Pd)−1 h−1 at 75°C. These complexes are examples of Pd (II) complexes bearing thioether ligands, which are rarely observed in the field of olefin polymerization.
Elevated levels of cortisol, brain‐derived neurotropic factor and tissue plasminogen activator in male children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Bozkurt Hasan , Şimşek Şeref , Şahin Serkan
Published: July 2021

Several studies demonstrated biological effects of cortisol, brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) on human metabolism and central nervous system. Our study investigated the serum levels of tPA along with BDNF and cortisol in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Thirty three male children with ASD ranging in age from 2 to 15 years were selected for the study group and 27 age‐matched healthy male children were selected for the control group. The ASD severity was determined by the score on the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). The mean cortisol levels for the study group and the control group were 79.1 ± 30.2 ng/ml and 60.0 ± 25.1 ng/ml, respectively. The mean BDNF levels for the study group and the control group were 5.9 ± 2.8 ng/ml and 3.7 ± 1.8 ng/ml, respectively. The mean tPA levels for the study group and the control group were 32.9 ± 18.5 ng/ml and 25.5 ± 15.1 ng/ml, respectively. Cortisol, BDNF and tPA levels were significantly higher in the study group compared to the control group (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant effect in terms of age, ABC total and subscale scores on serum cortisol, BDNF and tPA levels in the study group (p > 0.05). It may be suggested that elevations may indicate a role in the pathogenesis of ASD or it may be the case that ASD may alter the levels or pathways of these metabolic factors.

Lay Summary

The underlying mechanism or a specific metabolic target relevant to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has not yet been identified. Cortisol, brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) have biological effects on neuroplasticity but little is known about the role of cortisol and tPA‐BDNF pathway in ASD. In the present study focused on male children with ASD, we have found higher blood levels of cortisol, BDNF and tPA than their healthy peers. This is the first clinical study to evaluate the serum tPA levels along with BDNF and cortisol in ASD. The results suggest that several neurotrophic and other related markers should be born in mind while examining children with ASD.